Did you know that most yoga mats are made from chemicals that are harmful to your family and the environment? A better choice among the floor and your family is a non-toxic yoga mat made of natural materials, instead of mixing plasticizers and preservatives.

When German consum

er magazine Öko-Test tested eighteen yoga mats, they found pesticides, nitrosamines, phthalates and chlorine linked to cancer. Only eight of the yoga mats tested were non-toxic.

It’s important to find time to take care of yourself between school, work and busy schedules. I was shocked to learn that one of my favorite exercises was a health risk for my family.

In this guide, I’m going to share what to avoid and what to look for in a non-toxic yoga mat. At the end of the article, you’ll also find some of my favorite non toxic yoga mat.

Toxic yoga mats

Yoga has many health benefits by reducing stress and improving balance for better posture, but do the benefits outweigh the risks? Many drinkers are unaware that they are inhaling toxins as part of a yoga practice.

folded non-toxic gray yoga mats

Most often, yoga mats are made of PVC or polyvinyl chloride, a toxic plastic that emits gases.

PVC harms your health and the environment. However, it is inexpensive and easy to use, making it an ideal supplement for manufacturers, from packing food and toys for children to yoga mats.

PVC production also poisons the water supply and air quality. Because PVC is not recyclable, it burns carcinogenic dioxins during incineration.

If this is not enough, heavy metals and other chemicals are added to make working with PVC easier, such as:

• Lead
• Cadmium
• Phthalates
• Chlorine
• Nitrosamines

In a shocking study, the German Oko test found that the same compounds were found in tobacco-contaminated yoga mats, even natural rubber.

If you look at non-toxic yoga mats, you will often see vulcanized rubber, hard rubber. Unfortunately, hardening rubber produces chemicals such as nitrosamines, which are believed to cause cancer through skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion.

The ecological test found that some rubber yoga mats contain nitrosamine precursors that convert the body into chemicals.

With the eco-friendly, PVC-free and nitrosamine-free options on the market, why not stick to your toxic yoga mat?

What should you look for in a non-toxic yoga mat?

a suitable young group of people who do yoga on non-toxic yoga mats

Now that you know what to avoid, what should you look for in a non-toxic yoga mat? Research into the dangers of yoga mats is not standard, but their chemicals cause evidence of reproductive damage and toxicity.

If you are looking for your next non-toxic yoga mat, avoid the following:

PVC yoga mat (even environmentally friendly PVC)

• Chemical odors
• Unknown brands
• Synthetic rubber (recycled or not)
• Recovered bands are used in yoga mats, avoided at all costs
• Adhesives that release formaldehyde
• Antibacterial claims
• Fire retardant foam

Black rubber often contains carbon black, which is very toxic and comes from coal tar. Avoid black carpets.

Instead, look for non-toxic yoga mats that have:

• Natural materials (cotton, wool, jute, cork)
• Natural rubber (if you are not allergic to latex)
• No chemical odor
• Water-based ink (for patterned yoga mats)
• Free of nitrosamine, phthalate and PVC

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