6 Best Eco-Friendly Yoga Mats in 2024

The best eco-friendly yoga mats are a smart purchase for anyone who enjoys yoga or working out on a padded surface. Why? Because they’re not only soft and gentle on your body, but the planet as well.

Now, you’re probably wondering — which is the top all-around option? Well, our top pick is the Satori Concept Yoga Mat. It is entirely non-toxic, eco-friendly, elegant and sturdy, and highly functional.

If you’re short on time, check out this list of our favorite eco-friendly mats of the year.

Our Top Picks: Best Eco-Friendly Yoga Mats

The Satori Concept Yoga Mat is the best environmentally friendly yoga mat, bar none. Made with 100% sustainably-sourced rubber and cork, it’s also free of PVC, TPE, and other toxic substances commonly used in the making of yoga mats. 

This mat is quite long at 72″, which is perfect for our extra-tall yogi friends. The thickness is about average, at 4mm. This allows for maximum support, while not throwing users off balance. 

Another thing we love about this eco-friendly mat is you can return it or get your money back if you aren’t 100% satisfied with it. Buyers do seem to be very satisfied with it, nonetheless. 

This top-of-the-line eco-friendly yoga mat has everything a yogi could want — excellent grip, durability, and style. Although it isn’t cheap, it’s actually set at a reasonable price considering how eco-friendly it is.

The only complaints we could find for this yoga mat were that it was too slippery and somewhat heavy. Not too shabby for such an excellent option.

The Aimerday Yoga Mat is unique, even among other eco-friendly yoga mats. Made from natural jute and rubber, it’s entirely environmentally friendly and non-toxic. 

For those who don’t know, jute is a fibrous plant. In the case of this yoga mat, it’s woven to make a very robust and beautiful product. There is also a lovely pattern painted on top, adding pops of color to this already aesthetic mat. 

At 72″, this eco-friendly mat is a reasonable length for most users. The mat is also very thick, at 5mm, with plenty of cushioning for all types of workout activities.

One of the most unique things about this mat is how absorbent it is, due to the jute top layer. There are no sweat puddles with this mat! 

Despite the majority of sparkling reviews, some still experienced slippage, despite the material. A couple of others stated the rubber bottom of their mats started degrading quickly after use.

The Masdery Yoga Mat is made of natural cork and rubber and is 100% recyclable. That’s about as eco-friendly as it gets! 

It’s long enough for yogis of just about any height, at a whopping 72″ length. This non-toxic yoga mat also comes with a carrying strap for your on-the-go needs. 

Despite the price tag, this mat is very popular with almost everyone who buys it. They love how natural the cork is and the excellent grip it provides. Oh, and the lovely design on top is just the icing on the cake.

A couple of users did not receive their carrying strap but were able to collect it after emailing the seller.

The Gaiam Cork Yoga Mat is recyclable and biodegradable, making it a great eco-friendly option. 

This mat is made of sustainable cork on the top layer, and TPE for the bottom layer. It’s worth noting that TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) is advertised as non-toxic, but it is a very unregulated substance. Therefore, we recommend doing your research on TPE before buying anything made with it that claims to be non-toxic. 

The majority of buyers enjoyed their Gaiam Mat and found it to be durable and have good grip. There were several, however, who mentioned the cork flaking off after use, which may indicate a QC issue. 

Overall, it’s the best inexpensive, non-toxic yoga mat considering the price.

The Manduka Yoga Mat is the best non-toxic yoga mat on the market for many reasons. 

First off, it’s made from natural tree rubber and non-toxic foam agents, as well as polyester and natural cotton as reinforcement agents. It is a biodegradable product, and is PVC free!

Reviewers seem to really love it, despite the potent rubber small that’s there when you first open it. No worries, this is completely normal. All you have to do is air it out for a few days, and it should be smell-free! It even comes with an eco-friendly apple cider vinegar rinse to keep it clean.

The only QC problem we noted was that some of the mats seemed to arrive with handprints on them. We’re unsure if this implies the mats were previously used, or if it was just not washed off post-manufacturing. Either way, it is not a common complaint but is something to consider.

Lastly, this mat is not cheap! Despite this, the overwhelmingly good reviews imply that the Manduka Mat is well worth the money.

The Yoloha Yoga Mat is an excellent option for anyone who wants an eco-friendly, non-toxic yoga mat. 

Made of natural cork and rubber, this is one of our top eco-friendly yoga mats. In addition, it comes in two different lengths, including 80″ for those who are exceptionally long-limbed. 

One of our favorite things about this product? You can get a full refund or exchange if you aren’t happy with your Yoloha Mat. 

Reviewers loved this mat overall, stating it was durable and had a great grip to it. Given the expensive price tag, it certainly seemed worth it to the majority of buyers.

There were some, however, who really didn’t like the product. They noted that it lacked durability and was far too slippery to be worth the cost of an eco-friendly mat.

What to Look for in the Best Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat

Yoga mats are pretty straight-forward products, on the whole. There are just a few things to note when looking to buy one. When you want an eco-friendly and/or non-toxic mat, you need to be more vigilant about investigating the materials used in making yoga mats.

1. Environmental Impact

Natural cork, tree rubber, and plant fibers such as jute or hemp are all eco-friendly, and are great products to put into a yoga mat. They won’t hurt you, although they may smell strong and require some airing out before use.

2. Non-Toxic Materials

Generally, anything that is biodegradable or recyclable is a pretty safe bet, although not a guarantee that the product is completely non-toxic. A pervasive substance to watch out for is PVC, which is still widely used in yoga mats, despite its being a known carcinogen. 

3. Padding

The majority of yoga mats are in the 3-4mm range. Most would consider 4mm to be the perfect amount of padding, but those with sensitive joints may want to opt for a 5mm mat.

4. Durability

Obviously, you don’t want a mat that falls apart after just a few uses. When shopping online, always make sure the reviewers feel that their mat is sturdy and isn’t tearing. 

5. Grip

It’s extremely difficult to use a mat that doesn’t have a good grip. Why? It makes it near-impossible to hold just about every yoga pose. 

Our Process

For this guide on eco-friendly yoga mats, our team spent 6 hours researching the most popular options from over 15 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about ninety user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each yoga mat. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 6 eco-friendly yoga mats on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

If you enjoyed this read, sign up for our newsletter below and get special online shopping deals delivered straight to your inbox.

---

Further Reading