On a Quest for the Best Yoga Mat

After enrolling for a yoga class in my neighborhood, I went out to buy a yoga mat which was precisely what I didn’t have. I didn’t want to share or borrow one (other people’s sweat? Do not want) so I headed off to the exercise equipment store and asked for a yoga mat. What followed was a somewhat perplexed look on my face as the salesperson rattled off the yoga mats they had in stock. I said, “Um, yeah. Let me get back to you.”

I didn’t know there were actually different kinds of yoga mats. I thought there was only one kind. Anyway, if there were that many out on the market, I better find out which would be the best for my needs. After all, I do want the best yoga mat for my purposes.

For one thing, I didn’t know there were cotton yoga mats. I thought all yoga mats were made from some rubbery material. Like clothing, cotton yoga mats are cooler to the body, and in the interest of doing my best to buy an eco friendly yoga mat, a cotton yoga mat is a good bet. However, some people say it turns lumpy especially if you aren’t careful with washing it. Lumpy yoga mats are not my cup of tea.

A jute yoga mat is another natural, organic option, not to mention eco friendly as well. It’s biodegradable, therefore not adding any more strain to the environment. It also comes in many colors, so that’s a plus for me. I’ve also read great reviews for it from users. I may have to look into this further.

On my continuing quest to find the best yoga mat for my use, I went by the way of looking for something that wouldn’t be harmful to my health. That being said, I found out that the “rubbery stuff” I was talking about was actually PVC and that they could potentially be harmful. The option would be a PVC-free yoga mat then? Many people have reported allergies on their skin as a result of using PVC mats. I would really like to avoid that. A PVC-free yoga mat ultimately seems healthier than other options.

Right now I’m down with either jute or PVC-free. I guess it’ll come down to price and size and color and other factors, but at least I’ll know what to tell that salesperson at the exercise store.