What are the best eco-friendly yoga mats?

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Nov 22, 2017

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Here’s the Deal

4 Options Considered

Best eco-friendly yoga mats	Price	Weight	Thickness
-- Jade Harmony	$59.95+	5 lbs	3/16”
-- Aurorae Classic Extra Thick	$35.00	3 lbs	1/4"
-- Manduka eKO	$69.00	8 lbs	3/16"
-- prAna E.C.O. Yoga Mat	$48.00	2.2 lbs	1/16"

Jade Harmony

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Top Pro

Provides decent support for your knees

At 3/16” thickness, the Harmony mat is not as thick as some other yoga mats (like Jade Fusion), but it still cushions your knees a lot more than lower-quality alternatives. The Jade Harmony yoga mat is likely to be soft enough for people who don't have any pre-existing problems with their knees. See More

Top Con

Rubber smell

The Harmony is made of natural tree rubber, so it will smell like rubber at least for the first few uses. It does air out after a while, but if you're really sensitive to smells, this mat might not be for you. See More

Specs

Thickness:3/16”

Absorbs sweat:Yes

Top Pro

Good for hot yoga

The Jade Harmony is made of open-cell rubber, which gives it the grip that's great for wet conditions such as hot yoga. The Harmony will dry out if left in direct sunlight or in the back of your car uncovered on hot days, which will ruin the grip and shorten the lifespan of your mat considerably. See More

Top Con

Biodegradable means shorter life span

The Jade Harmony yoga mat is biodegradable, and after about a year of every-day use you will start to notice grooves in the mat in the spots where your hands and feet usually are, and bits of rubber will start to come off. If you want a yoga mat that lasts for decades, then you should consider getting a non eco-friendly version. See More

Top Pro

Socially/environmentally conscious company

Jade Yoga plants a tree for every mat sold, makes their mats in the US, and supports a variety of great causes. See More

Aurorae Classic Extra Thick

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Everything you need in a yoga mat for an affordable price

The Aurorae Classic is firm, eco-friendly, and provides a good grip in dry conditions. Aurorae has great customer service, and give a 2 year warranty on all mats. See More

Top Con

Not great for very sweaty/ wet conditions

You can use the rosin to make it less slippery, but if that's something that you'll be frustrated by, you should consider getting a rubber mat. See More

Specs

Non-slip:Yes, in dry conditions or with the rosin

Absorbs sweat:No

Top Pro

Biodegradable

All Aurorae mats are non-toxic, phthalate, phenol, PAH, latex, silicone and rubber-free. See More

Top Pro

Best used in dry conditions

Aurorae does provide a bag of non-slip rosin to improve the grip for use in wet conditions, but you will have to reapply it throughout your workout. When used in dry conditions, it provides good traction with both the floor and your hands and feet. See More

Top Pro

Comfortable

The Aurorae Classic Extra Thick is 1/4" thick, which provides great support for your knees and joints, while being firm enough to provide good support. See More

Manduka eKO

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Top Con

Rubber smell

The rubber smell on this mat is most felt right out of the box, but it can be aerated and will dissipate after a few uses. See More

Top Pro

Great for taller people

The mat is longer than standard, giving taller people plenty of room. See More

Specs

Thickness:3/16"

Non-slip:Yes, on one side

Absorbs sweat:No

Top Con

Very heavy

Not easily portable as 8 lbs is a lot to be carrying around, especially if you have other stuff to carry (like a gym bag or a laptop). See More

Top Pro

Stays flat

The mat rolls out flat every time, and doesn't maintain a curl at the ends. See More

Top Pro

Good for dry conditions

The Manduka eKO has a textured surface that repels sweat. This makes it good for use in dry conditions, because the sweat will sit on the surface of the mat, causing it to be more slippery than open-cell mats (open-cell surfaces absorb moisture). The closed-cell surface on the Manduka is easier to clean and reduces the risk of accumulating bacteria in its pores. See More

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