Yoga mat
Encyclopedia
Yoga mats are specially fabricated mats used as an aid during the practice of yoga
to prevent hands and feet slipping during asana
practice. They are also commonly known as non-slip mats, non-skid mats or sticky mats. They are a core item of yoga equipment available today.
was originally conducted on deer
skin, more luxurious rugs made out of tiger
skin, or simply on kusha
grass or plain hard earth without any cover. Due to the scarcity of these materials , they are now rarely used even in India
.
With the rise of yoga in the West during the 20th Century, demand for a bespoke product on which to practice yoga grew. Many practitioners used towels or cotton
mats on wooden floors. Rubber
mats were originally used as an intermediate material to prevent the cotton mats to slip on the wooden floors. Slipping of hands and feet was avoided by squirting a mist of water on the mats on the respective places of positions .
In 1982, while teaching yoga in Germany
, Angela Farmer found a roll of carpet underlay which she cut down to a towel-like size and used it during yoga classes. Returning home to London
with it, the material gained attention an popularity in the local yoga scene. Angela's father, Richard Farmer, contacted the German padding manufacturer and became the first retailer of "sticky mats", standard white in color .
The first purpose made yoga mat was manufactured and sold by Hugger Mugger in the 1990s. In 2002 the first ‘eco-conscious’ mat was manufactured by EcoYoga and sold through Yogamatters in Britain.
With commercial promotion and rise of the yoga industry, yoga mats have now become a basic item of equipment for yogis and yoginis, and standard feature for yoga studios worldwide. For yoga studios, they increasingly fulfill the purpose of reducing risk of injury, and some health insurances require yoga practice to be executed with a non-slip mat to remain eligible for cover.
. The first ‘eco-conscious’-labelled mats were made from natural jute
and rubber
. Higher-priced PVC mats are tested as 'AZO' and 'DOP' free, and are certified as latex-free. The Swiss Oeko-Tex Institute has also tested some yoga mats as "free of harmful substances" and provides 'Oeko-Tex certification' for some products. Alternatively, yoga mats are made from Thermoplastic elastomer
, TPE, which is deemed more environmentally friendly than PVC . Some yoga mats marketed as "eco-conscious" are made of jute intermixed with a thin rubber layer for floor grip. Outdoor yoga mats are made out of bamboo. There is one known outdoor yoga mat called the Zuura Mat.
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
to prevent hands and feet slipping during asana
Asana
Asana is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, originally identified as a mastery of sitting still, with the spine as a conduit of biodynamic union...
practice. They are also commonly known as non-slip mats, non-skid mats or sticky mats. They are a core item of yoga equipment available today.
History
Ancient yoga practice on the Ancient Indian subcontinentHistory of India
The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...
was originally conducted on deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
skin, more luxurious rugs made out of tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
skin, or simply on kusha
Kusha
Kusha may refer to:* Kusha , one of six schools of Japanese Buddhism in the Nara period* Kusha , in Hindu mythology, was one of the twin sons of Lord Rama and Sita* Kusha, tall tufted perennial grass. See also: Poa cynosuroides...
grass or plain hard earth without any cover. Due to the scarcity of these materials , they are now rarely used even in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
With the rise of yoga in the West during the 20th Century, demand for a bespoke product on which to practice yoga grew. Many practitioners used towels or cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
mats on wooden floors. Rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
mats were originally used as an intermediate material to prevent the cotton mats to slip on the wooden floors. Slipping of hands and feet was avoided by squirting a mist of water on the mats on the respective places of positions .
In 1982, while teaching yoga in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Angela Farmer found a roll of carpet underlay which she cut down to a towel-like size and used it during yoga classes. Returning home to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with it, the material gained attention an popularity in the local yoga scene. Angela's father, Richard Farmer, contacted the German padding manufacturer and became the first retailer of "sticky mats", standard white in color .
The first purpose made yoga mat was manufactured and sold by Hugger Mugger in the 1990s. In 2002 the first ‘eco-conscious’ mat was manufactured by EcoYoga and sold through Yogamatters in Britain.
With commercial promotion and rise of the yoga industry, yoga mats have now become a basic item of equipment for yogis and yoginis, and standard feature for yoga studios worldwide. For yoga studios, they increasingly fulfill the purpose of reducing risk of injury, and some health insurances require yoga practice to be executed with a non-slip mat to remain eligible for cover.
Dimensions
Yoga mats are normally around 72" / 182 cm long and have a width of 24" / 60 cm. Some practitioners prefer extra-wide mats (30"/78 cm) for positions such as Surya Namaskar or hand-balances . Yoga mats range in thicknesses from 2mm (lightweight) to 4-5mm (standard or "classic") and up to 7mm for either high performance mats reserved for professional daily practices while guaranteeing little wear-out, or soft mats providing extra cushioning during yoga therapy.Aesthetics
Yoga mats are available in many colors. Some like Orla Kiely mats feature special prints, while so-called alignment mats come with printed guides to proper alignment on them. Some companies print custom photographic images of pets or children on mats. Other items used to complement yoga mats are belts, blocks and bricks, bolsters and chairs.Material
The first commercially produced yoga mats were made from PVCPVC
Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter, a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids...
. The first ‘eco-conscious’-labelled mats were made from natural jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
and rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
. Higher-priced PVC mats are tested as 'AZO' and 'DOP' free, and are certified as latex-free. The Swiss Oeko-Tex Institute has also tested some yoga mats as "free of harmful substances" and provides 'Oeko-Tex certification' for some products. Alternatively, yoga mats are made from Thermoplastic elastomer
Thermoplastic elastomer
Thermoplastic elastomers , sometimes referred to as thermoplastic rubbers, are a class of copolymers or a physical mix of polymers which consist of materials with both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties...
, TPE, which is deemed more environmentally friendly than PVC . Some yoga mats marketed as "eco-conscious" are made of jute intermixed with a thin rubber layer for floor grip. Outdoor yoga mats are made out of bamboo. There is one known outdoor yoga mat called the Zuura Mat.