Why natural rubber feels better, lasts longer and is just better all around

I try and find a yoga class five days a week, and it really makes me feel good and I think it’s the best full body workout. I’m lucky that I have Yoga Loft really close to my house. Honestly, I don’t even need to pedal the Kronan to get there.

I also like that beyond my mat, yoga doesn’t require any special equipment.

Yoga mats are everywhere these days, and for under $15 you can pick up something serviceable. These are usually some form of synthetic, PVC, PER, TPE, EVA, that after use, become slippery, start breaking down and are somewhat disposable.

I found a natural rubber Jade yoga mat in Palo Alto at my local place there, Yoga Source. Sure it was nearly triple the price, $60, of the Target mats described above, but it has retained the proper amount if stickiness and offers great and resilient padding.

I think it’s also a benefit that the Jade mats are all-natural rubber, not a petroleum product. As detailed on their site, natural rubber is tapped from a rubber tree–think maple syrup ….their mats are also made in the US.. I don’t take any special care of the Jade mat, other than hosing it off and hanging it outside to dry—making sure not to let it bake in the SoCal sun. I also dig that their “looking who’s using our mats” section isn’t about Lindsey, K-Fed, or the Olsen twins, rather hard core Yogis that you would only know from shop talk over a coconut carob smoothie at the Ashram, a favorite spot of my devoted yogi friend Matthew Cowan. Jade also provides a resource to recycle your used synthetic mats around the world… I think that’s cool. I’m not the only stoked Jade yoga mat user, check out their testimonials. They’re available online directly from Jade.

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