Yoga Mats: Toxics Among a Wholistic Practice

Many people (myself included) who are concerned with toxic-free products and living natural lifestyles really enjoy yoga. There’s just something about yoga – it strengthens both mind and body, and it leaves a sense of peace and wholistic balance after a practice.

So here’s an irony: most yoga mats are toxic.

If you've read some of my previous posts, you should've learned that PVC plastic (plastic #3) is toxic. It releases phthlates, which are endocrine disruptors linked to a number of health problems. Many yoga mats are made from PVC.

Yoga is supposed to be a cleansing, natural way to strengthen the body and connect with the mind. It is an all over wholistic ritual. But how can yoga be truly beneficial when you're practicing on a toxic mat? Every down dog or child's pose that puts your nose right to the mat may be forcing you to breathe in unhealthy chemicals! Chances are that your yoga mat (if you have one) is made of PVC. I realized mine was - so I did some research to find brands that are made without PVC, and I thought I should share the results of my research.

In the end, I settled on a Nike yoga mat. I had to give up my “extra thick” and extra comfy mat for the phthalate-free assurance, but it’s more than a fair trade.

In general, don’t trust that something is PVC free unless it explicitly says so. Not everything that actually is PVC free will disclose itself, but use it as a loose guideline.

Here are some links to some PVC free yoga mats:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=yoga+mat+pvc+free&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=1726221041&ref=pd_sl_422wrr5kf1_b

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/green-girls-pvc-free-yoga-mat.html#

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00618703000P?vName=Fitness%20&%20Sports&cName=Yoga&Pilates&sName=Exercise%20Mats%20&%20Bags&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a

http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2930556&CAWELAID=164555269

http://www.barefootyoga.com/Detail.bok?no=512

http://www.gaiam.com/product/yoga-studio/yoga-props/eco-yoga-tools/earth+lovers+yoga+mat.do

There are many options out there of PVC-free yoga mats; you just have to find them! The list above is nowhere near a comprehensive list; these are just the first few I found in a quick internet search. That said- I’m not endorsing any of the specific products, just the PVC-free ones!

We can't just throw away our old yoga mats though, despite wanting to get as far away from the phthlates as possible. PVC is toxic to not just your health, but the environment too! My recommendation is to recycle your PVC yoga mat; many groups and yoga centers collect old mats to be used in community service sessions, and I even considered passing mine off to a homeless person to have a more comfy place to sleep.

I know.. it's bad to be giving toxic mats to these people- but in the case of the homeless, they might not care about the phthlate issue because of larger, more pertinent concerns. In their case it becomes a cost-benefit where accepting the yoga mat might help them more than harm.

Of course, it's up to you about what you do with your yoga mat and if you even care enough to purchase a new toxic free one. But, I hope you will put all of these factors into consideration and decide what is best for you!