4 picks · vetted plastic-free
The best plastic-free yoga mats and gear
You sweat on it, breathe over it and roll it against your face. Most mats are PVC or TPE plastic. Natural rubber and cork are not.
A yoga mat is plastic in the most intimate use imaginable: you press your face toward it, breathe deeply over it for an hour, and sweat into it. The vast majority of mats are PVC or TPE, both plastics, and a warm, damp, abraded plastic surface is exactly the kind that sheds and off-gasses.
Natural tree rubber and cork do the job better. They grip harder as you warm up and sweat, they are naturally antimicrobial, and they contain no PVC, phthalates or synthetic foam. The picks below cover the mat, the blocks and the recovery gear in natural materials.
Natural Rubber Yoga Mat
Cork Yoga Block (2-pack)
Classic Cork Massage Balls Set (2 Balls)
The towel that touches you most
A microfibre gym towel is polyester, and it sheds plastic fibres in every hot, sweaty wash. A dense organic-cotton towel absorbs just as well without shedding synthetics.
Common questions
- Is a natural rubber mat as grippy as PVC?
- Grippier for most people, especially in a heated or sweaty practice, because natural rubber and cork increase traction as they get damp rather than becoming slick. The trade-off is weight: natural rubber mats are a little heavier than foam.
- What are conventional yoga mats made of?
- Usually PVC or TPE, both plastics, sometimes with foaming agents and plasticisers. That is the source of the new-mat chemical smell, and of the flaking older mats develop as the plastic ages.
- Do natural rubber mats smell?
- They have a mild natural rubber scent when new that fades in a few days of airing, quite different from the chemical off-gassing of a fresh PVC mat. People with a latex allergy should choose cork instead.
- How do I clean a cork or rubber mat?
- Wipe with a damp cloth and a little mild soap or diluted vinegar, then air dry flat. Skip harsh solvents, which are unnecessary since cork is naturally antimicrobial.
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