The first step for a pleasurable and successful yoga journey is a good quality yoga mat. A As you progress in your practice, your need for yoga mat to support your goals will increase as well.
One of the core ideologies or yamas of yoga practice is called ahimsa, which is the practice of "non-harming". Ahimsa advocates that we should adopt a mind set not to harm and to be considerate. Buying sustainable yoga mat is a mindful practice to follow, because not only will it benefit your practice, but not needing to replace your mat so often will avoid mats landing up in the trash. Which our planet and everyone living on it, will benefit from.
Material
Standard yoga mats are usually made of PVC. This kind of material is easy to clean, flexible and offers a good grip on the yoga mat.
Good quality sustainable yoga mats are manufactured using eco-friendly options such as natural rubber. Good quality sustainable yoga mats can also be ingrained with natural fibres such as Jute fibres.
Another thing to consider when you buy a yoga mats are allergies. If you are allergic to latex, avoid purchasing rubber yoga mats. Alternatively, you can go for cotton or wool yoga mats to counter your latex allergy.
Grip
As a yogi in any level of practice, a yoga mat with a good grip is important to maintain and achieve the pose. A yoga mat with a good grip gives you the essential traction to achieve the balance that you need to stay in a pose.
For the yoga newbie, it is important to have a good quality yoga mat with excellent grip when you try to achieve and complete a yoga pose. For the seasoned yogi, achieving advanced yoga poses will be a breeze on a mat with a good grip and traction between your sweaty hands and feet. The last thing you want on your mind is slipping and sliding when you are mid-way through class.
Thickness
The thickness of the yoga mat says a lot on how comfortable it is for use. If you buy a thin yoga mat, your knee may get sore when executing poses that use the knees for balancing. Buying a yoga mat that is too thick creates more distance from the floor, which makes it more difficult to balance in poses where one foot is required to balance, such as the Tree Pose. Standard thickness of a good yoga mat is 4-5mm while thinner yoga mats can be as thin as 1mm up to 3mm.
Weight
If you are a yogi on the go, then weight is an important factor when considering to buy a suitable yoga mat for the mobile and travelling yogi. Most brands offer a Travel Yoga Mat, where you are able to fold it into your bag and wash it easily in a washing machine. Thin enough to be folded, a good quality travel yoga mat is the perfect companion to bring with you on a holiday!