Look – I make a point to use deodorant (paraben free of course), wash my hair with sweet smellin’ lavender shampoo, and shave my legs and armpits. Even so, I’m a hippie at heart. I have fantasies of zoning out at the original Woodstock (no, not that weird phase that happened in the 90s), and wearing bell bottoms and go go boots when they first came into style.
Maybe I’m a wannabe hippie, but a girl can dream, right?
What I’m saying is that I try to keep it as natural as possible without being gross, so when I heard about this environmentally friendly yoga mat made from cork and tires, that is also self cleaning – I certainly had to find out more!
I did some research through this thing on the internet called Google, and found Yoloha Yoga – a company that creates cork yoga mats. I reached out to the founder, Chris Wiley, and was stoked when he agreed to work with me.
What’s even cooler is that he took a trip to Florida, and dropped the mat off at my home! No, he didn’t come to Florida for me specifically. Ha! It was just pretty sweet that he happened to be in the area to meet up.
I loved the mat so much that I met up with Amanda from Yoga in the park, Jeff Welch , and Laura Daniel (my first Ashtanga teacher) at the lovely Harmony Yoga Studio to have them test out the mat.
We had such a fun time! You can see how it all went in the video below:
Fun facts about cork yoga mats:
If someone sneezes on your mat, no worries. Cork is antimicrobial. This means that it kills mold, bacteria, and bad smells. Yes, it completely cleans itself! I don’t know about you, but I’ve practiced next to dingy mats that smell awful and desperately need to be replaced. If this is you, please invest in a Yoloha cork mat.
It’s non-slip to the Core(k). I’m a cheeseball sometimes. What sets this mat apart is that you don’t need the rug to create the non-slip effect. If you spray the cork mat before you practice, you’re all set up. I recommend that you spray the mat even if you’re not a general mat slipper. Cork is made up of a substance called suberin, which has a naturally smooth and waxy feel. The grip effect enhances the more wet it becomes. So cool!
I’m all about the ECO, the ECO – NO fillers. In addition to the cork, which is a renewable resource, the underside of the Yoloha mats are created with domestically made tires. The cork is 100 percent natural, and the tires are free from fillers and contaminants. And, I’m being totally honest here – it doesn’t smell like rubber at all! It’s completely odorless, actually.
If you’re a paddle board yoga lover or addicted to hot yoga – this mat is a must have!
My favorite place to practice with my cork yoga mat is on the beach. I get it wet with the water, and it makes a firm and non-slip surface for practicing on sand.
Overtime, some cracks showed up in the cork, but this is not a bad thing. I actually like that it gives it some character.
Besides, who has a mat that doesn’t show some wear and tear? I don’t.
As you can see, Yoloha says this doesn’t effect the quality of the mat, and even gives instructions on how to fix it.
It’s just an aesthetic issue, so if it really bothers you, the Elmer’s glue option should be fine. I opted out though because I didn’t want to take away from the naturalness of the yoga mat.
Make sure you check out Yoloha Yoga mats by clicking here!
Okay, so here’s your homework:
What do you think of this concept?
Have you used a cork yoga mat?
How did it change your practice?
Tell me in the comments below:
