CHOOSING YOUR YOGA MAT
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR YOGA MAT
What do you want from your Yoga Mat?
A good mat will improve your yoga practice, an inferior mat will hinder it
Will your mat last long enough and withstand repeated washing?
Will the mat grip the floor and stop my feet from slipping?
Will my mat wear in and improve with use?
How is my Yoga Made and how Eco friendly is it?
OPEN or CLOSED CELL YOGA MATS - WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
CLOSED CELL Yoga Mats are denser than open-cell mats. The impermeable texture makes them more resistant to wear. They are also considered more hygienic because they are waterproof and can easily be cleaned with water or cleaning products. However with a lot of sweat or humidity the non-slip properties of the mat can be reduced because the mat does not absorb moisture and a film of sweat can lead to less grip on the mat.
OPEN CELL Yoga Mats are porous and moisture-permeable. Since they absorb perspiration, they can be more comfortable in sweaty situations and maintain good traction. The main disadvantage of open-cell mats is that the moisture can be hard to fully clean, and over time can create a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Because the material is less dense, open-cell mats also wear out more quickly, especially with heavy use.
PICKING A YOGA MAT FROM OUR RANGE
The two most popular Yoga Mats we sell to both students and teachers are the CLASSIC Yoga Mat and PREMIER Yoga Mat. Both are manufactured in Germany, are 4.5mm thick which offers a good balance of cushioning and excellent grip whilst remaining easy to roll up, carry and wash. Whilst the CLASSIC and PREMIER Yoga Mats materials might not be as environmentally friendly as other Yoga around, by lasting so long they cut down on the rate yoga mats end up being thrown out into landfill. They also have a much lower carbon footprint as they come from Germany and are not being flown in like many of the cheaper Yoga Mats on the market from the far east.
If you require an Extra Wide Yoga Mat, the AMPIO™ Yoga Mat is made from the same material as the PREMIER Mat and is 80cm wide, rather than the standard 60cm in width.
We sell a complete range of EXTRA LONG Yoga Mat lengths to suit all adults and tall children. These lengths start at the standard size of 180cm and because we cut directly from a 30m length Roll of Yoga Mats, we also provide Mats that are 200cm, 220cm, 240cm and 260cm in length as standard.
The CLASSIC, PREMIER and AMPIO™ Mats are made from similar material, but using slightly different manufacturing processes. The CLASSIC Mat material has a slightly more textured, bobbled effect and this is on both sides of the Mat. This gives the CLASSIC Mat a slightly better grip. The PREMIER and AMPIO™ Mats, which are made of the same material, just different widths are textured on one side only and smooth on the other side and have a denser feeling about the material. Both types have been sold to Yoga teachers and studios for many years (the CLASSIC Mat has been supplied to the UK market by us for 30+ years). The CLASSIC Mat is also stickier, although all Mats tend to have a manufacturer's coating on them which can take a little while to wear off with use. This coating is to prevent the Mats which are cut off large 30m rolls from sticking together from the pressure on the material nearer the central core and cardboard tube on the rolls.
CLOSED CELL YOGA MAT
The Oeko-Tex CLASSIC Yoga Mat is 4.5mm thick and 60cm wide, ranging in length from 120cm / 140cm for babies and children up to a complete range of EXTRA LONG lengths to suit all adults (180cm, 200cm, 220cm, 240cm & the very longest at 260cm). This mat has been sold by Ruth White for over 30 years, is doubled sided and comes in Purple, Dark Blue, Dark Green and Light Blue and is manufactured in Germany.
The Oeko-Tex PREMIER Yoga Mat is also 4.5mm thick and 60cm wide, ranging in length from 120cm / 140cm for babies and children up to a complete range of EXTRA LONG lengths to suit all adults (180cm, 200cm, 220cm, 240cm & the very longest at 260cm). This comes in Purple, Dark Blue, Green, Red, Orange, Taupe and Black and is manufactured in Germany.
The Oeko-Tex PREMIER with GOLDEN MANDALA PRINT Yoga Mat is is exactly the same as the standard PREMIER Yoga Mat we sell. The only diffrence is it is pre-cut and available in one size 183cm x 60cm x 4.5mm in length and comes in 3 colours: Purple, Taupe and Red with a Golden Mandala. It is manufactured in Germany and weighs approx. 1600g.
The Oeko-Tex AMPIO™ Yoga Mat is also 4.5mm thick and made from the same material as the PREMIER Yoga Mat, but it is 20cm wider making it 80cm wide. We sell a complete range of lengths to suit all adults (180cm, 200cm, 220cm, 240cm & the very longest at 260cm). This comes in Purple, Dark Blue, Green, Red and Taupe and is manufactured in Germany.
The Oeko-Tex CLASSIC LITE TRAVEL Yoga Mat is 2.5mm thick, 60cm wide and made from the same material as the CLASSIC Yoga Mat and the only differece between the Mats is that it is thinner. It ranges in length from 180cm, 200cm and 220cm. This mat has been sold by Ruth White for over 30 years, is doubled sided and comes in Purple and Dark Blue and is manufactured in Germany.
The Oeko-Tex PREMIER LITE Yoga Mat is 2.5mm thick, 60cm wide and made from the same material as the PREMIER and AMPIO Yoga Mats and the only differece between the Mats is that it is thinner and comes in one length 183cm. It comes in Purple, Dark Blue, Red, Orange, Green, Taupe and Black and is manufactured in Germany.
The LUMO Yoga Mat (183cm x 60cm x 6mm) is a 6mm all-rounder suitable for all yoga practices. The gradient color combinations are particularly attractive and come is six colours (Blueberry & Vanilla, Blue & White, Purple & White, Pink & Purple, Red & Orange and Green & Yellow). The Yoga Mat is non-slip on both sides, has good traction and shock-absorbing properties and is a long-lasting mat. Recommended for both personal and professional use.
The 13 print designed LEELA Yoga Mats are a lightweight (183cm x 60cm x 4.5mm), yet durable mat in a choice of Six the fun print designs in a range of colours (Om, Mandala, Elephant, & Yantra Alignment print). A standard, affordable yoga mat suitable for beginners, recommended for personal use.
The Lightweight FLOW TPE Yoga Mat (183cm x 60cm x 5mm and 1000g / 1kg in weight) is 100% environmentally-friendly, hygienic and 100% recyclable. TPE (Thermal Plastic Elastomer) yoga mat is flexible, non-slip and shock-absorbing. Free of latex, rubber and PVC, thus suitable for those with allergies. The two-sided cell structure surface is comfortably soft, very resilient and shock-absorbing with 6mm foam and yet firm enough for standing positions without slipping. The Lotus Pro Yoga Mat is recommended for relaxing Yoga or less demanding styles of Yoga and Pilates. We DO NOT recommend this Yoga Mat for extreme Yoga styles like Astanga, (Power-Yoga) and Vinyhasa, since the TPE material is more delicate then for example PVC.
OPEN CELL YOGA MATS
The PHOENIX RUBBER Yoga Mat is 4mm and is 185cm x 66cm in size. It is made from Natural Rubber with a PU-Coating that while other mats get slippery with sweaty hands and feet, the Phoenix mat gets even more grippy! Ideal for Ashtanga and all other styles of yoga that require maximum grip. The smooth surface of polyurethane is abrasion-resistant and soft to the touch and the thick cushioning provides a cushy but stable surface. The Mat is quite heave and approximately weighs 2.5kg. It comes in three colours: Black, Blue, Green and Pink/Purple.
Oeko-Tex 100% EcoPRO RUBBER Yoga Mat is 185cm x 60cm in size and comes in two thicknesses: 4mm or 6mm. It is the perfect foundation for intensive yoga practice and combines the goodness of rubber with the performance you need for your demanding yoga practice. Offering unparalleled traction on both sides and comes in three colours - Purple, Dark Blue and Grey.
Anti-Slip GRIP YOGA Microfiber Towel (183cm x 61cm) with Silicone Dots which are super soft, extremely absorbent, anti-bacterial, hygienic and robust. The dots on the underside provide excellent traction when pressure or weight is applied and offer a secure and stable anti-slip surface. The towel can be used as a replacement for a yoga mat or as an additional absorbent, anti-slip layer putting a clean, hygienic layer between you and your mat. This towel is ideal for traveling for putting on top of studio yoga mats.
STILL CAN'T DECIDE?
If you still can't decide which Yoga Mat is right for you, you can either go to the individual Yoga Mat pages where you will get a more detailed description of the product or email / call our sales line and they will be able to advise on the most suitable product.