Yoga mats

The yoga mat is the heart of your yoga practice. A soft surface protects knees and joints, the right material ensures optimal grip. There is a suitable mat for every yoga style and every yogi. It is important to know your own requirements and needs. What style of yoga do you practice? Do you also want to use your mat for Pilates, fitness, workouts or gymnastics? Or are you looking for a soft surface, for example made of new wool for quiet Yin Yoga? You should also consider your yoga level when looking for the right mat. If you are a beginner, you are probably looking for a cheap yoga mat. As a professional with higher demands, however, you are less likely to look at the price. Because you know that you will be using your mat for a long time. The quality of your yoga mat should be accordingly high.

On this page we would like to give you an initial overview of what you should look out for when buying your new yoga mat. Further down you will also find other useful links, e.g. to our yoga mat care guide or our yoga mat test .

Buying a yoga mat – what’s important?

The right yoga mat for your needs makes all the difference in your yoga practice. Before buying, you should pay attention to the following key points:

• The ideal slip resistance for your yoga practice
• Thickness and cushioning of the yoga mat
• Material of the mat
• Appropriate length and width to lie stretched out on
• Hygiene: How easy to care for does your mat need to be?

The slip resistance of your mat

"My hands are slipping!" Many of our customers contact us and complain that they slip too much on their yoga mat. The perception of how slippery a yoga mat is is very individual and depends on personal perception, how much you sweat and which style of yoga you practice. Do you practice Hatha, calm Yin Yoga, flowing Vinyasa or even sweaty Hot Yoga? Each yoga style has different requirements for the surface texture of your mat. Open-pored, rough surfaces objectively offer the best slip resistance. However, if your practice requires less grip, for example for restorative exercises, a yoga mat with a closed-pore surface is more suitable.

Our tip: Check out our product descriptions to see which mat is suitable for which yoga style. If you put a lot of strain on your yoga mat through your practice, or if you are a beginner, natural rubber mats are probably not suitable for you. However, they are often the first choice for advanced yogis who value perfect slip resistance.

Which is better, a thick or thin yoga mat?

Whether you need a thick or thin yoga mat depends on the intended use, among other things. The thicker the mat, the better the cushioning and protection for your knees and joints. The thickness of the mat determines how comfortable it is for you - if it is too thin, you could experience knee pain in some poses. However, if the mat is too thick, you could lose your connection to the floor and therefore your grip. This could make balance exercises particularly difficult, so medium-thickness mats are best for standing or balancing poses. High-quality yoga mats adapt to the shape of your body and prevent you from sinking into them.

When buying, make sure you pay attention to the right thickness and cushioning capacity, as this will have a big impact on your stability. If you are looking for a mat for on the go or for traveling, you should go for a thin travel mat. These are usually foldable and fit in your hand luggage. There are even special yoga mats for children.

The material - what types of yoga mats are there?

The material your mat is made from will dictate the structure, the support it offers, and how environmentally friendly it is. Most standard mats are made from PVC. Newer, more eco-friendly options are made from natural and recycled rubber, jute, and organic or natural cotton. If you are allergic to latex, you should avoid natural rubber yoga mats.

PVC mats are particularly suitable if durability and robustness are important to you. You can train on them for years without them showing any major signs of wear. Mats made of natural cork are particularly suitable for active yoga styles, as cork only becomes non-slip when it comes into contact with moisture.

The different materials meet different needs and requirements. Do you use your mat frequently or only occasionally? Do you practice actively and dynamically or calmly and meditatively? Are you an asana professional or a beginner? High-quality materials and the correct use and care of your mat ensure a long service life.

• Natural rubber is a natural, renewable raw material, biodegradable and makes yoga mats particularly slip-resistant. Natural rubber mats are free of PVC and harmful plasticizers. However, they require a lot of care and are not suitable for people who are allergic to latex.
• Yoga mats made of PVC or TPE are dimensionally stable, non-slip and easy to clean. PU-coated yoga mats offer absolute non-slip properties and are suitable for all common yoga styles.
• The raw material cork is, like natural rubber, a natural, renewable resource. It is easy to care for and non-slip when in contact with moisture. Since natural cork is very light, you can take your cork yoga mat with you wherever you go.
• A yoga mat made of bamboo offers good grip and pleasant cushioning based on sustainable natural materials. It gives you a wonderfully natural feeling during your yoga practice.
• New wool mats are ideal for meditation, yin or pregnancy yoga. They are breathable and temperature-regulating. New wool has self-cleaning properties: simply air it out and the fibers will regenerate themselves.
• Eco-Fleece is 100% free of animal products and suitable for vegans. Fleece made from recycled raw materials is used for the cuddly soft surface. Holistic Silk produces the top sellers here.
• The first yogis practiced on simple yoga rugs. With mats made of organic cotton, you can recreate this original yoga practice. They are more suitable for experienced yogis, as they lack typical properties such as traction, cushioning and grip.

You can find more information about the different materials in our material science.

If you want to know more about the advantages and disadvantages of a PVC yoga mat, watch Marten's video . He introduces the Manduka PRO to you from his attic.

How long should a yoga mat be? The right length and width:

In addition to the thickness of the mat, the length and width should also be taken into account when making a purchase decision. Our tip: your height plus about a hand's width above your head and under your feet - this gives you the ideal length of your yoga mat. Ideally, it should be at least 10 cm longer than you. The lengths of standard mats are between 173 and 185 cm. Extra lengths are available from 188 to 215 cm. The standard width is around 61 cm. Depending on your body type or personal preference, you can choose a wider mat. The extra-wide Jade Harmony Professional XW, for example, comes with a width of 71 cm and offers enough space for all body shapes.

Hygiene: How easy to care for does your mat need to be?

You're sure to experience a few sweaty hours on your new yoga mat. A good mat is able to absorb your sweat and at the same time ensures that bacteria do not multiply. However, you should still clean it thoroughly. Depending on the structure and quality of your mat, a simple wipe with a damp cloth should be enough to keep it clean. It becomes more time-consuming if you train on a mat made of virgin wool or cotton. Some yoga mats even allow you to wash them in the washing machine.

You can find important tips and advice on mat care in our mat care guide.

Find the right mat with our yoga mat test

You have to decide for yourself which yoga mat is best for you. Our yoga mat test will help you choose. Here we present all the mats in detail and show you the advantages and disadvantages. Don't want to read so much? Then take a look at our compact yoga mat basic course first. It is also important whether you practice yoga in the studio, at home or on the go. If you are unsure, take a look at our advice pages or write us an email - we are happy to help you: info@greenyogashop.com.

Some of the yoga mats that you can find on our site were also compared in the latest yoga mat test by Stiftung Warentest. You can read all the test results and the complete ranking in this paid article.