Which Oeko Tex yoga mat to buy?
Looking for an Oeko-Tex yoga mat? Versatility, size, performance… So many criteria that come to mind when thinking about choosing your yoga mat. But have you ever thought about the ecological footprint of your product and its impact on your health before purchasing it? Fully aware of this, efforts have been made by many actors in the world of yoga, including YOGOM, to offer mats whose composition is environmentally friendly and the health of its users. This is how OekoTex yoga mats came into being !
The objective of this article is to explain the benefits of an Oeko Tex certified yoga mat and to advise you in your search for a mat with this label!
SUMMARY
Created in 1992 by the German association Oeko Tex this label is awarded to any fabric that does not contain materials that are harmful to health. It is also a guarantee that a product is environmentally friendly.
There are different standards in the Oeko Tex label, such as the “ Eco Passport by Oeko-Tex “, attesting to the quality of the chemicals used to treat the fabrics, ” Leather Standard by Oeko-Tex “certifying that a leather is not harmful, or ” Standard 100 by Oeko Tex “This is a guarantee of the absence of materials that are harmful to health and skin in a product.
The latter, which is the most well-known standard, is the one that can be found at YOGOM. All of the products in the its softness range are made of organic wool certified Standard 100 by Oeko Tex.
Also, although they are the majority on the market (thanks to their low price), the PVC yoga mats have poor technical characteristics and disabling for a comfortable practice.
They have a strong plastic smell, an unpleasant sticky feel and low density, making it difficult to balance on a PVC carpet.
Indeed, the feet sink into these soft mats. The thickness of this type of carpet is not a guarantee of quality. PVC carpets are also not very resistant, they crumble quickly
In addition to that, PVC carpets are slippery. When you know how essential a non-slip mat is to limit the risk of injury, a PVC mat is not an option, even at a more affordable price.
Many shops now offer OekoTex yoga mats made of non-toxic PVC. However, even though it has the Oeko Tex label and the PVC is non-toxic, this type of mat is not recommended for your practice.
The problem comes from the component. Indeed, PVC, whether toxic or not, is a non-recyclable component unlike other materials such as TPE found in many YOGOM mats. Polyvinyl chloride is not really an ecological material, it is a kind of plastic composed of 43% of petroleum. One of the only reasons it is found in many products is its low price.
Knowing that PVC mats, even if they are Oeko Tex certified, are not ideal for a good yoga practice is only useful if you know which mats do not have these defects.
With this in mind, we will now present you with different carpetsat the same time ecological but also presenting excellent technical characteristics. Although marketed at higher prices, the overall quality of these carpets is far superior to that of polyvinyl chloride yoga mats, easily making up for the price difference.
Belonging to the Softness Range, the natural yoga mat is, with the cork yoga mat, the most ecological yoga mat of YOGOM. Its organic sheep’s wool cover certified OekoTex and its organic natural rubber base are of a very high quality, making it extremely comfortable.
With a very good ecological footprint, this yoga mat is made in Europe, and more precisely in Lithuania.
This yoga mat is perfect for any user (beginner or experienced) and its resistance allows a daily yoga practice.
Its large size (200 x 75 cm) is ideal and does not make it cumbersome.
Indeed, it is easily rollable and especially foldable, which is rare and very interesting for a yoga mat, as explained in this article .
In addition, organic cotton ties are included in the order! These cotton ties make it much easier to transport your mat! It is also quite light (2 kg) and of an ideal thickness (4mm).
Be careful, however, it is reserved for the practice of yoga! If you wish to practice other more intensive disciplines such as pilates or fitness, we advise you to choose the Performance Mat from YOGOM.
If the natural yoga mat made of organic wool does not suit you, YOGOM offers alternatives for an ecological yoga practice, without the OekoTex label.
In general, all YOGOM yoga mats are environmentally friendly. They are all made from non-polluting and non-toxic materials, YOGOM offers carpets in eco-friendly TPE, which is an ecological alternative to polyvinyl chloride. With no chemical components and impressive technical performance (odorless, non-slip, non-sticky, good density), yoga mats made of eco-friendly TPE can only be produced in Asia.
1/ The cork carpet
Made from an eco-friendly cork cover and a recycled rubber base, the YOGOM cork yoga mat is one of the most eco-friendly mats on the market. A rare feature for a yoga mat, it is produced in Europe, and more precisely in Portugal, making its carbon footprint quite low. It is also certified vegan!
Easily rollable and transportable thanks to the cork lace supplied with the delivery, the cork yoga mat, it should not be folded, however, under penalty of damaging its coating.
Also suitable for daily practice and for any type of practitioner, the cork mat has the advantage over its organic wool counterpart of being more versatile. Indeed, it allows a practice of more intensive disciplines (fitness, pilates) and also a practice in sneakers!
The main strengths of this yoga mat are its excellent stability on the ground (comparable to that of the star mat) as well as its very good grip, superior to that of the performance mat.
2/ The rubber mat
If you’re looking for an eco-friendly yoga mat, Yogom has a great choice with their recycled rubber yoga mat. Made in Portugal with light and non-slip materials, this rug is also certified Vegan and 100% recyclable. With a thickness of 4 mm and dimensions of 186 x 66 cm, it offers good cushioning for the joints while maintaining sufficient density for good stability. The mat is durable, easy to clean and can be used indoors and outdoors. Its recycled rubber base provides excellent grip on the ground and its recyclable textile microfiber surface is soft to the touch. Although it is not foldable, it can be rolled up and carried easily thanks to a cork lace. It is suitable for a variety of yoga, sports, gym and fitness practices, including meditation and pilates. However, it is important to note that this carpet may contain latex, which can be a problem for people with allergies.
3/ The YOMAD carpet
Exclusively designed for those who have recently started practicing, the Yomad mat is a very ecologicalmat. Indeed, its eco-friendly TPE coating and its recyclable base make it a very environmentally friendly product.
Although it has an extra-large size (183x61cm) and a thickness of 6mm ideal for cushioning movements whatever the nature of the floor, this mat weighs only 1kg, which makes it easily transportable (potentially insertable in a bag), coupled with the straps provided in the delivery.
This yoga mat is also hypoallergenic, reducing the risk of allergies, and odorless.
Nevertheless, this mat is only suitable for occasional practice, it is not suitable for veterans wishing to practice daily. It is not very resistant, suitable only for people under 70kg. Don’t choose this yoga mat if you also want to do fitness on the side.
In this case, we advise you to turn to other yoga mats, like the Performance mat or the Star mat from YOGOM.
TO Rn summary
The Oeko Tex label includes different standards to certify that a product is not harmful to health and is eco friendly. However, in the context of yoga mats, all mats with this label are not necessarily interesting for all that. Indeed, the OekoTex non-toxic PVC carpets are non-recyclable and have poor technical characteristics (although proposed at low prices), while the natural carpet of YOGOM in sheep wool is recyclable and very high qualitywith a comfort and softness unmatched on the market.
However, yoga mats that do not have the OekoTex label can be very environmentally friendly, as evidenced by YOGOM’s mats made of TPE or cork which have a very good ecological footprint.
This desire to ban PVC at all costs is one of the many actions carried out by YOGOM in an eco-responsible way, which is an issue on which the company is particularly invested!
Still not sure which yoga mat to choose? Find here our comparative table of yoga mats!
