Are you happy with your plastic yoga clothes and yoga mat?
This is an important question for the billions of people around the world who do yoga regularly. One of the most important guiding principles of yoga is caring deeply about what makes us all healthy and happy, including our beautiful, fragile planet.
How, as yogis, can we truly honor this principle when we are responsible for adding massive amounts of toxic plastics to our land and oceans? Approximately 50% of the 36 million yoga mats made globally each year are made from PVC. 90% of the 83 million items of yoga clothing purchased yearly in the US are made from synthetics. PVC is incredibly toxic, requiring cancer-causing chemicals to be created, producing high volumes of toxic waste, does not break down and cannot be recycled. Synthetic clothes are created through chemically intensive processes, pollute our air and water with toxins and plastic microfibers, do not biodegrade and cannot be recycled. This is why I ask you...
Are you happy with your plastic yoga clothes and yoga mat, knowing the terrible environmental costs?
For years I have asked myself 'Why is this happening?' I believe there are two potential reasons: 1) We don’t understand the environmental impact of our consumer choices or 2) We choose to turn a blind eye. If the former is true, you can remedy it by checking out this article on the impact of synthetic clothing and this one on PVC yoga mats. If the latter is true, can you and I agree to change now? It isn't hard to do. In fact, this article is designed to make the transition easier for you by providing you with a variety of fantastic solutions.
DoYogaWithMe has teamed up with a passionate group of like-minded yoga companies whose business philosophy is to create high quality, eco-friendly yoga equipment, including yoga mats, blocks, straps, bolsters, meditation cushions, clothes and others. We have personally tested products from each company and spoken with many of the founders, giving us the confidence we need to recommend them.
The companies have been separated into three categories: Yoga Equipment Suppliers, Yoga Mats Only, Yoga Clothes Only and For Ambience. If you would like to suggest one that is not on this list, add it in the comment section below. This article will continue to change as we become aware of more sustainably-minded yoga companies. So keep checking back!
Yoga Equipment Suppliers
Location: North Carolina, USA
Eco Products: Meditation cushions and benches | Yoga props
Packaging: No plastic is used
Since 1984, Carolina Morning has created simple organic bedroom and living room furniture, office furniture, and eco yoga/meditation props that are designed with the best natural materials, including organic cotton, eco-wool, chemical-free kapok, buckwheat hulls, sustainably harvested hardwoods and non-toxic finishes.
Location: USA
Eco Products: Yoga Mats | Blocks
Packaging: No plastic is used
JadeYoga makes eco-friendly yoga mats and props and gives back to the earth with every product sold. In addition to being eco-friendly, Jade mats come in fun colors and have incredible grip and comfort. Jade mats are made sustainably with natural rubber tapped from rubber trees, a rapidly renewable resource and are made in the United States. And, Jade plants a tree for every mat sold – with over two million trees planted so far.
Location: Utah, USA
Eco Products: Yoga Mats | Jute Mat Bag | Cork, Bamboo and Recycled Foam Blocks
Packaging: These two yoga mats are not shipped with plastic packaging
Hugger Mugger has a blend of eco-friendly and plastic-derived yoga products. In particular, we love their para rubber yoga mat and bamboo yoga block. They ship all of their yoga mats without plastic and try to use as little plastic as possible with other products.
Location: Canada
Eco Products: Yoga mats | Cork blocks | Cork massage balls
Packaging: No plastic is used
Tranquil Yogi is a passionate start-up that is dedicated to eco-friendly practices. They make a small variety of natural yoga mats, blocks and massage balls and ship without any plastic. Their yoga straps and mat straps are made from synthetic fibers. If you use the above link 10% Off will be applied to your purchase.
Location: Rhode Island, USA
Products: Yoga mats | Blocks | Straps | Wheels
Packaging: No plastic is used
Sustainability meets performance with 2nd Wind. There isn't a single best mat for everyone, but there is a companion mat for your practice and they have it. They like to keep things on the fun side, but make no mistake these are functionally some of the very best mats available.
Location: Toronto, Canada
Eco Products: Yoga mats | Cork massage balls
Packaging: No plastic is used
Urbivore’s passion is to run an online, zero-waste business. They also have a boutique, magazine and cafe. Included in their wonderful product line are lip balms, deodorants, bracelets and plant hangers.
Location: USA
Eco Products: Indigena Natural Yoga Mat | Yoga Strap | Vaha Yoga Pants
Packaging: The Indigena Yoga Mat doesn’t have plastic packaging
The majority of Prana’s mats are made from TPE and most of their clothing, made from synthetics, are shipped in plastic. However, their Indigena yoga mat is made from all natural rubber and ships wrapped in a single piece of paper. They also have a yoga strap made from organic cotton and fantastic men’s yoga pants that are a blend of 53% hemp and 47% polyester.
Yoga Mats Only
Location: UK
Eco Products: Yoga Mats
Packaging: No plastic is used
Liforme has been dedicated to making high quality, eco-friendly yoga mats for many years. Their mats are high quality and durable. This is what they do and they do it very, very well.
Location: USA
Eco Products: Black Oval and Rectangular Yoga Mats
Packaging: No plastic is used
Kiss the Sky yoga mats are made in the USA from all natural, 100% recycled rubber and strive to manufacture with zero emissions.
Yoga Clothes Only
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Eco Products: All clothing (only women)
Packaging: Compostable packaging is used
Prana Vida makes clothing from sustainable fabrics (Tencel, lyocell and organic cotton) that emphasize comfort and are great for maternity and postpartum. We recommend their Breeze and Euphoria Leggings, and their Embrace Bra. For 10% off, use the code 'DOYOGA'.
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Eco Products: All clothing (only women)
Packaging: No plastic is used
Free Label is an ethical and sustainable clothing company that sews each garment by hand in Vancouver and custom mills and dyes many of the fabrics in Toronto. They make stylish, quality clothing for a variety of body types.
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Eco Products: All clothing (women only)
Packaging: Clothes are sent in plastic bags
Icebreaker provides natural performance alternatives to synthetic-based apparel. They have an extensive product list that includes many items that are made exclusively from merino wool, tencel or a blend, while others contain up to 40% synthetic fibers.
Location: USA
Eco Products: All Clothing
Packaging: Some plastic is used
Eileen Fisher is a global leader in sustainably-made fashion, as shown by their Behind the Label section, with transparent descriptions of their business practices, such as their Supply Chain, their perspective on Responsible Fibers and Human Rights.
Location: California, USA
Eco Products: All clothing (men and women)
Packaging: Clothes are sent in recycled paper mailers
Inner Waves Organics designs sustainable yoga wear with a conscience. All of their clothing is made from soft organic cotton and is handcrafted in California, USA.
Location: Israel
Eco Products: All clothing (women only)
Packaging: all items are packed in a fabric tout and then in a plastic envelope
Ripple clothes are made from natural materials such as Modal, Cotton, and Viscose. All fabrics are plant-based, natural, sustainable, durable and toxin-free, all conforming to the highest European standards. Use code doyogawithme10 to receive 10% off all products.
Movement Global 
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Eco Products: All Clothing
Packaging: Some plastic is used
Movement Global makes all of their clothes in Canada, from a wonderfully comfortable and functional organic-bamboo blend.
Salt 
Location: Saltspring Island, BC, Canada
Eco Products: All Clothing
Packaging: Some plastic is used
SALT is a Canadian company that is passionate about connection, community and ocean conservation. They design each piece to create meaningful conversation around minimizing their environmental impact, in your home and on the go. Their tag line: Born from the Ocean. Canadian Made + Designed to Last.
For Ambience
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Eco Products: Aromatherapy, detergents, lotions, body wash, bath salts, candles, remedies, bug spray
Packaging: No plastic is used
Little Fox’s handcrafted, aromatherapy and plant-based wellness products are crafted to help individuals heal, find balance and restore. They are committed to using locally sourced, wildcrafted ingredients which are 100% free of synthetic or harmful chemicals.
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Eco Products: Aromatherapy, detergents, lotions, body wash, bath salts, candles, remedies, bug spray
Packaging: No plastic is used
Nezza is based on the belief that plant-based ingredients hold powerful healing qualities and what you put on your body is as important as what you put in it. The founder, James, has researched and formulated over 400 products.
Location: Seattle, USA
Eco Products: Candles
Packaging: No plastic is used
Big Dipper candles are hand-crafted in Seattle, WA with 100% pure beeswax collected from beekeepers in the Western US and Canada. They focus on creating products and a work environment that contribute to the health of our community and planet.
Location: USA
Eco Products: Diffusers and Essential Oils
Packaging: Some plastic packaging used to protect the diffusers
Organic Aromas nebulizers, with cool mist technology, diffuse only pure essential oils with no heat, no water and no plastic. Their diffusers are handmade with plantation hardwood and hand-blown with pyrex glass.
Thank you for reading and, ultimately, for caring! We hope you feel inspired to support these wonderful companies who are dedicated to providing more eco-friendly options.
Liforme Yoga Mats
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