What's Your Yoga Mat Made Of?
If you’re like us then you probably spend a lot of time with your yoga mat – relaxing in shavasana during a yoga class, stretching at home while watching Netflix, showing off your headstands to your friends while drinking…we spend a lot of time up close with our mats.
What if we told you that you might be doing all of these on a mat that off-gasses toxins or is made up of plastic and known harmful chemicals?
We’ve scoured the internet to summarise some common toxic materials in yoga mats to arm you against the nasties. Here’s a list of some typical yoga mat materials:
PVC
The most toxic plastic on the planet and a known human carcinogen. This is the chosen material for a lot of cheap yoga mats and comes at a low price for the consumer but there is no safe way to make, use or destroy mats of these material. It’s as equally bad for the environment as it is for our health as it releases known carcinogens when buried in landfills and can’t be recycled due to the toxins in it. Chemicals in or released by PVC include: dioxins, phthalates, vinyl chloride, cadmium, lead and ethylene dichloride. Over time, these volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the mat leach out (outgas) into the air. Gross.
TPE
Is usually touted as a more “eco-friendly” material than PVC, but literally no one knows what’s in them besides some kind of mix of rubber and plastic. It’s a better option than PVC as it’s less toxic, but its exact composition varies and there’s no knowing what exactly is in it. It is a blend of materials that are not disclosed and have not been studied or proven safe. Companies like to say that TPE is a “safe” and “eco-friendly” alternative to PVC. Don’t believe them.
But What about Luna Mats?
At Luna Active we want you to be able to get down and dirty on your mat without worrying about the repercussions. Our base is 100% Natural Tree Rubber with no PVC, TPE, PER, phthalates or dioxins. Our micro-suede bonded top layer is printed with non-toxic and water-based inks because we want you to be able to safely and comfortably get close and personal with your fitness mat.
Getting fit and sweaty shouldn’t be dangerous. Say no to chemicals. Say yes to Luna.