A good mat is the difference between an effective yoga or mat Pilates session, and a flare up of joint pain. Too thin and you feel your bones grinding against the hard ground — from the balls of your feet when you’re in standing, to the vertebrae along your spine when you lay flat. Too thick a mat, though, and you feel unbalanced, less grounded.
However, one thing that we often forget, in our quest to find a comfy, stress-relieving mat, is the relationship between the materials its made out of and the environment: the place the materials will return to one day. Turns out that many mats on the market are made with dangerous synthetic materials — even some of the ones that say they are “eco-friendly”.
When we say “synthetic”, we’re specifically talking about PVC (polyvinyl chloride) – a very toxic substance.
But what’s so bad about synthetic materials?
· What happens to your body:
If you’ve been practicing on a mat, you may have noticed that they tend to wear out over time.
This can happen even more with inexpensive mats. So, when you think you’re saving money by buying something more affordable, you end up losing that when it degrades.
Still, even the most durable yoga mats will start to deteriorate eventually. That’s the problem with PVC plastics, which can get released from a worn mat and passed on to your skin, or even get released into the air you’re breathing.
It’s important not to sabotage your own efforts at fitness and stress-relief with toxins.
· What happens later to the environment:
Not only is PVC not biodegradable, it’s practically non-recyclable.
As mind-body practitioners, we care about both our well-being — physical and mental — and our environment.
Eco-Friendliness: true or false?
Ok, so it’s better — and healthier and safer — to go with eco-friendly yoga mats, right? Some companies that call themselves “eco-friendly” (ones made from PER – polymer environmental resin) actually do still have PVC in their yoga mats.
Solution?
Here is a resource to help wade through information on yoga mats. Consumersadvocate.org has reviewed and compared some of the top mats based on functionality, eco-friendliness, value and design.
consumersadvocate.org/yoga-mats
See you on the mat!
