I Help You Find the Best Non-Toxic Yoga & Exercise Mat

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Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or you’re just starting out with at-home workouts on your exercise mat, you deserve to have a healthy session using non-toxic products.

A non-toxic workout routine includes organic athletic clothing, non-toxic dumbbells, and a natural yoga/exercise mat.

You may have already heard about the hard-to-pronounce chemicals—such as azodicarbonamide—in some yoga mats. Or the easy-to-say ones, like PVC.

You’re right to want to avoid them.

But it can be difficult to know if these chemicals have been used in a mat’s production process, and what you should look for instead.

That’s why I’ve done the heavy lifting (pun intended) for you.

In this article, I’ll tell more about the toxic chemicals that are often found in yoga mats (and why they’re problematic), and then I’ll give you my recommendations—including some “better” and “best” non-toxic yoga & exercise mats.

This guide contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase (though not all links are affiliate!). As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine. Featured image credit: Oko Living.

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Ecology Center Yoga Mat Tests

As a nonprofit organization that commissions independent tests of consumer products, the Ecology Center provides an essential service to people searching for non-toxic products, including yoga mats.

Third party testing or verification is generally a good idea when it comes to product safety. Ideally, I try not to buy a product unless it has been tested and proven to be non-toxic by someone other than the company or the industry representing the company.  

The Ecology Center’s 2019 Report on yoga mats was very enlightening and worth a read. It confirms yet again that many companies are not always selling you what their advertisements or websites say is in their products.

For their review, the Ecology Center used high-definition X-ray fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which are sophisticated analytical methods to detect the presence of certain chemicals.

Here is a summary table of their results:

Source: Ecology Center

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A few of the problematic chemicals used to make yoga mats

Let’s take a look at some of the materials used to make yoga & exercise mats so that you know why the natural option is better one.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and/or PER (polymer environmental resin)

Polymer Environmental Resin, (PER), when used by yoga mat companies, most likely refers to a plastic made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

In a previous article on PVC, I explained how PVC is the worst type of plastic in terms of manufacture, use, and disposal. Since there are other yoga mats on the market which are non-toxic, I cannot recommend buying a yoga mat made of PVC or its chemical cousin, PER.

PER manufacturers tout it as more environmentally friendly than PVC because it is supposedly recyclable. However, I could not find any statistics on current recycling rates—or on any PER recycling rates. In fact, the search engine thought I was looking for PET recycling rates (which do exist for PET plastic) and listed those for me instead.

Carcinogenic vinyl chloride is used to make both PER and PVC.

Phthalates

You also have to worry about phthalates in PER and PVC.

On one hand, PER on its own is less likely to contain phthalates than PVC, so you could argue that PER is the better choice in this sense…

However, that doesn’t mean that yoga mat manufacturers won’t add them—especially since they’re making a product that needs to be soft and pliable (which is what phthalates are used for in plastics).

Most companies will not list the additives (including plasticizers) used in their products, so it’s always best to ask. (Tip: When reaching out to brands to ask if phthalates are used in manufacturing, you may want to start with the names of banned phthalates.) 

The PER yoga mat testing referenced above revealed DOTP (dioctyl terephthalate), also known as DEHT (di(ethylhexyl) terephthalate), considered a “safer” plasticizer…. But there are toxicity data gaps on DOTP, so unfortunately, I can’t say conclusively that yoga mats made with it are non-toxic. 

The Ecology Center also noted that some PER yoga mats, advertised as containing natural materials such as cotton, cork, or jute, are mostly made of plastic. Again, don’t be afraid to ask companies for the relative percentages of all components in their mats to find out how “natural” they really are.  

Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), which includes TPU, EVA, and PEVA.

TPE is a general term for thermoplastic elastomer, which is a type of plastic.

There are many different kinds of TPE such as TPU (thermoplastic urethane) or EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate), sometimes called PEVA (polyethylene vinyl acetate).

Both of these are less toxic than PVC.

Manufacturers may blend several TPEs together to get the exact physical properties (amount of flexibility, stiffness, temperature- or water- resistance, etc.) they want in their final product. There is no way of knowing just from the vague term TPE on a yoga mat label which plastics are included.

If a company won’t tell you, you could ask if a specific TPE is included.

Other plastics

If the mat is made out of recycled materials, it could contain any number of other types of plastic.

As you can see in the Ecology Center testing of a mat made from “recycled wetsuits,” it contained “Multiple materials: polyurethanes, PET polyester, possible styrene-butadiene rubber”.

These various types of plastic all come with downsides when it comes to both human and planetary health.

Azodicarbonamide

Azodicarbonamide is a common blowing agent in PVC and TPE production.

As a blowing agent, this chemical is used to form the open or closed cells in foam that give it the ability to bounce back when pressure is applied or to absorb shock.

Azodicarbonamide has several negative health effects. Repeated skin exposure to azodicarbonamide could lead to dermatitis, and frequent inhalation could result in asthma. 

Interestingly, azodicarbonamide is still approved for food use by the U.S. FDA (despite the fact that it’s largely been phased out by producers). Azodicarbonamide is banned in food in the UK, EU, and Australia.

Talc

Talc could also be used as a filler in yoga mats, as indicated by the Ecology Center testing.

Talc in and of itself is not necessarily a problem, but it is commonly contaminated with asbestos, which as we all know by now, is carcinogenic.

Usually talc/asbestos is a problem when it’s in an inhalable form, which, of course, is not the case for exercise mats. So this one probably isn’t a huge risk, but it’s still worth being aware of.

Non-vegan additives

You may see yoga mat companies marketing their products as vegan, but they may not be aware of certain additives in their mats which could be animal-derived.

According to the Ecology Center, zinc stearate, a mold release agent, could be an additive in yoga mats. The stearate portion of this chemical could be derived from animals.

The antistatic surfactant, bis(2-hydroxyethyl) tallow amine, could also be present in yoga mats as an additive. The word tallow indicates its source: beef fat. 

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My picks for the best plastic-free, natural, & non-toxic yoga and exercise mats

After extensive searching that involved communication with these candidate brands, here are my recommendations for the best plastic-free yoga mats.

I’ve included direct quotes received from the companies selling the mats. In the interest of space, I abbreviated most of them to show only the essential information. If I received no response after more than 10 business days, I noted that, too. 

Whether or not I received a reply—and how helpful it was—gives you a good indication of the level of customer support you may (or may not) receive if you were to purchase one of the yoga mats from these companies.

Scoria

Materials: Natural cork & rubber
Made in: Various places around the world
Price range: $62-$132
Types: Yoga/exercise mats (thin, thick, travel, & kids play mats) + other accessories like blocks, “foam” rollers, yoga wheels, meditation cushions, & more

If you’re used to a yoga mat made of PVC plastic, practicing on a natural yoga mat made from 100% cork and rubber might be a new experience. But I’ll venture a guess: you’ll love it!

Besides being naturally antimicrobial, cork gets easier to grip as your hands become sweaty during a yoga session. It’s as if cork was made to be the ideal yoga mat material.

Available in various widths, lengths, and thicknesses, Scoria World mats sport beautiful designs featuring wild animals and plants. They are shipped without plastic packaging.

I emailed Scoria World about their yoga mats to confirm that they were all-natural. They replied: “The materials in our mats are natural cork and natural rubber and they are not bound by any glues…The print on the mat is water-based non-toxic inks. The cork grains are bonded by a light, water-based polyurethane adhesive to a cotton cloth under high temperature between natural rubber and cork. We use high temperatures to make use of the already sticky quality of the natural latex in the rubber. We don’t use synthetics such as PVC, foam, TPE or any animal products….Our cork is sourced from Portugal and the rubber is sourced from Vietnam…Assembly and manufacturing (where mat is manufactured and pressed) are in China…We don’t use azodicarbonamide in our mats.”

Canadian shoppers can use this link!

Use the code THEFILTERY10 for 10% off.

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Oko Living

Materials: 100% GOTS certified organic cotton, natural tree rubber, & botanical dyes
Made in: India
Price range: $174-$222
Types: Regular, travel, and thick mats. Plus extra accessories like blocks, straps, and wraps.

These organic yoga mats from Oko Living are definitely in the higher price range, but they are nice!

Not only are they made with 100% natural & organic materials, but they’re even infused with 20 “skin soothing herbs,” like turmeric, neem, and holy basil, making these mats really unique.

They have a no-slide coated bottom (made of natural rubber), plug grippy textures on the top to keep you from sliding. They also get more “grippy” as you sweat.

Oko Living does provide a lot of transparent info right on their website, which is great. When I reached out to them to get even more info & clarity on their materials, here was their prompt response:

“Our mats are made using natural rubber tree latex, which is sustainably sourced. We do not use synthetic foaming agents such as NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) or azodicarbonamide in our production process. Additionally, our mats are free from harmful additives such as BPA, phthalates, and PFAS.”

Keep in mind that since these “yoga rugs” are colored with plants, they may fade more quickly than your typical yoga mat. It’s recommended that you hand-wash them and keep them out of the sun for long periods of time.

Use the code THEFILTERY for $10 off.

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Brentwood Home

Materials: GOTS-certified organic cotton (CU861640) & GOTS and FSC®-certified natural Dunlop latex
Made in: India
Price range: $143
Types: Non-slip organic mat that comes in a variety of colors

Brentwood Home says they carry the world’s only GOTS-certified organic yoga mats. The top part is made with organic certified cotton fabric, but then it has a non-slip base of natural latex for grip.

It’s free from polyurethane foam, PVC, PER, TPE, EVA, synthetic rubbers, and adhesives.

Since it’s made from fabric, it’s more absorbent than other mats, making it great for things like hot yoga. (Plus it’s washable!)

It comes with several certifications, including GOTS, FSC, and Vegan. Brentwood is pretty good about transparency—they provide a lot of product information right there on the page.

When I reached out to Brentwood to ask about other potential chemicals used during manufacturing, they said:

“Our Yoga Mats use 100% natural Dunlop latex rubber to render an anti-slip feel to the mat, rather than to add cushion. The finished product is GOTS organic certified. I don’t have a definitive list of what chemicals our products do or do not have. While I can’t say for certain, I don’t think the Brentwood Home Yoga Mats have NBR or azodicarbonamide since those are used to make the rubber feel soft and stretchy. Our yoga mat is not stretchy, and the latex layer doesn’t feel soft like other rubber yoga mats.”

Although the lack of confidence makes me a little wary, I’m not too worried because of the fact that the majority of the mat is made of cotton, which doesn’t need to be processed using these chemicals. I do wish they would give me some more info about the processing of the natural latex though.

Brentwood also offers a generous 30-day trial period and free shipping, so there’s little risk in trying it out.

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Carolina Morning (padded mat)

Materials: Wool, undyed organic cotton, kapok
Made in: USA
Price range: $242-378
Types: Restorative Yoga Mat (which is very thick) and Paleo Pad (which is thinner but still thicker than your typical yoga mat). They also have lots of other accessories like meditation cushions, blocks, and more.

These aren’t your typical exercise mats; rather, they are more like long cushions that are meant for restorative yoga (and/or sleeping!).

Carolina Morning also offers a wide selection of yoga props including organic buckwheat blocks or bolsters of various shapes as well as organic cotton straps in vibrant colors. Their yoga blankets and pillows are made of organic cotton. 

You can also purchase their Paleo Pad, constructed of “…a wool felt interior lining enclosed in an undyed, natural organic cotton shell.” Thicker than a typical yoga mat and weighing three pounds, the Paleo Pad could serve as a natural substitution for one. The Paleo Pad measures 33″ x 84″ x 1″.

For a restorative yoga mat, Carolina Morning offers a wider and thicker alternative weighing 12 pounds. Consisting of an organic cotton canvas outer shell filled with natural kapok, this mat measures 27″ x 76″ x 2″.

I contacted Carolina Morning by email. They told me: “The kapok in the Restorative Yoga Mat is not certified organic…The fabric is organic in certain colors if you order those; they are clearly stated on the fabric link on our website. The Paleo Pad is made with certified organic cotton on the outer layer. The inner layer is not, but it is eco-wool.”

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More yoga mat brands reviewed. (These are the brands I don’t recommend.)

Going into this article, I honestly thought I’d find at least five truly non-toxic yoga mats. Sadly, this was not the case.

So, I reviewed the yoga mats below, pointing out problem components or lack of information. Although some of these brands aren’t the worst by any means, I personally wouldn’t purchase these mats since the companies listed above sell truly non-toxic yoga mats.

Aurorae

Aurorae sells a yoga mat that, according to their website, is “natural cork/rubber.” It’s also described as “100% natural Portugal oak cork with a rubber bottom. Naturally safe, free of PVC, TPE, chemicals/plastics. All-natural plant based material.”

However, when I asked several specific questions about the mat, they replied: “Our cork mat would be the best fit for you.”

Without the answers confirming just how natural and non-toxic this product is, I cannot recommend this yoga mat.  

b, halfmoon

I was impressed by the attention each of my questions received from b, halfmoon.

Q: What is the “natural rubber” in your mats? Is it 100% tree-derived? If not, what is it sourced from?

A: The natural rubber is tree-derived. However, some of the mats contain synthetic rubbers (styrene-butadiene or styrene-butadiene rubber).

Q: Is the cork 100% tree-derived? If not, what is it sourced from?

A: Our current cork mat is sustainably sourced. The cork is 100% tree-derived and is from the sub-coat of the bark that reproduces every 10 years. The bark is from live trees. No trees are cut down to harvest the cork.

Q: Is the foaming agent in your mats made with NBR?

A: We are asking the supplier for further info.

Q: Is the closed-cell mat made of NBR? Anything else?

A: Our impact mat is made of complex NBR foam. We are confirming with the supplier if there are any other materials mixed in with the complex NBR foam.

Q: Do you use any PFAS, BPA, PVC, phthalates, or antimicrobials on your mats?

A: Our cork mats are made of natural tree-derived cork and rubber and use no adhesives to be joined together. We have a PVC mat in our range but it is made using 6P Free PVC which means they do not contain these 6 types of phthalates: DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, and DNOP phthalates. The impact mat is the only mat that has antimicrobials added.

Q: Do you use azodicarbonamide in your mats?

A: Our b, mat classics are confirmed to be azodicarbonamide-free.

On 12/14/23, I received this reply from b, halfmoon about their b, mat cork: “”The cork mat is 100% natural cork, natural rubber. The layers are put together without adhesives. There are no antimicrobials used…no BPAs, and it has no phthalates.” As for the azodicarbonamide and PFAS, the product developer is still awaiting a response.”

I am definitely impressed with the amount of info that b,halfmoon was able to provide me, and I appreciate them looking into it further. However, I never received a follow-up about the azodicarbonamide. Maybe if I do in the future then I can add them to my recommended brands!

Big Raven Yoga

Highly recommended by some Internet influencers, Big Raven Yoga did not reply to my email request for more information. So, I cannot recommend them. Since their microsuede top is a fossil fuel-derived material, I personally would avoid it. 

Gaiam

I appreciate Gaiam for being one of the few companies reviewed for this article that answered each of my questions individually. Unfortunately, several of their yoga mats are made of PVC which I cannot recommend. Here is what they wrote in an email about some of their other yoga mats:

Q: What is the TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) sourced from? 

A: The TPE used in our TPE mats is synthetic rubber. 

Q: Is the cork recycled? What is it sourced from? Is it 100% tree-derived? 

A: The cork in our cork mats is not recycled and is not 100% cork. The base is TPE and contains a polymer glue to bind the materials. 

Q: What is the foaming agent in your mats?

A: Azodicarbonamide.

Q: Is the closed-cell mat made of EVA or TPE? Something else? A: All our mats are closed-cell and contain multiple materials such as PVC, TPE, and NBR. (Note: NBR stands for nitrile butadiene.) 

Q: Do you use any PFAS, BPA, phthalates, or antimicrobials on your mats? 

A: Our mats do not contain PFAS or BPA. 

Q: Do you use azodicarbonamide in your mats? 

A: Yes.

Jade Yoga

Jade Yoga states on their website that their mats are eco-friendly and made in the USA. I thought this brand may be a good option since their Level 1 mat tested “clean” in The Ecology Center’s testing.

I asked them about their mats and received this reply by email:

“Our mats do not contain PVC or phthalates…We use azodicarbonamide…The only materials we have in our mat that are on the Proposition 65 list are carbon black, silica…, and titanium dioxide…Carbon black and titanium dioxide are used as colorants and are not in every mat color.”

(Note: Proposition 65 refers to a California law that requires manufacturers to say whether certain chemicals, which are known to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm, are present in their products.)

Plus, apparently a German company tested a Jade yoga mat and found nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. (Nitrosamines are one of the reasons you’ve been told to avoid processed meats!)

Because of the azodicarbonamide, carbon black, and potentially nitrosamines present in Jade yoga mats, I cannot recommend these products.

Kakaos

Kakaos’ Pure Jute Yoga Mat looks non-toxic, but little information about its components appears on their website. Their “eco-conscious” yoga mat is made of fossil fuel-derived TPE (thermoplastic elastomer). My email requesting more information went unanswered. So, I cannot recommend this yoga mat at this time.

Liforme

I appreciate Liforme addressing each of my questions separately by email. However, I was disappointed to see that not all questions were sufficiently answered. It’s worth pointing out the answer to my question on azodicarbonamide does not state this chemical had not been used to make the yoga mats. The fact that they wouldn’t identify the foaming agent in their mats makes me wonder if azodicarbonamide had been used.

Although Liforme claims their yoga mats underwent landfill testing, the document sent to justify this claim stated it was an estimate. Apparently a 1-5-year test has not been conducted, so I’m left to wonder if the yoga mats are really biodegradable. I doubt that the fossil fuel-derived polyester middle layer would degrade in such a short time frame—if ever.

Here’s the Q&A:

Q: What is the “natural rubber” in your mats? Is it TPE? What is it sourced from?

A: It is a natural latex rubber raw material sourced from southeast Asia (non-Amazon and close to our production base in China).

Q: What is the “eco-polyurethane” sourced from?

Our eco-polyurethane is made using water vapor as the blowing agent. Our supplier captures and reuses the solvents used in the production of our polyurethane. 

Q: What is the foaming agent in your mats?

A: It’s proprietary.

Q: You say your mats are “biodegradable in 1-5 years in normal landfill conditions.” Have you or a third-party tested this?

A: Yes. We commissioned an independent study from Imperial College London which attests to this.

Q: What is the middle layer in your “three-layer construction”?

A: The middle layer of our mats is polyester.

Q: Do you use any PFAS, BPA, phthalates, or antimicrobials on your mats?

A: Certain phthalates and other chemicals have been identified as a possible SVHC (Substance of Very High Concern) under European Union regulations. All Liforme materials have been tested to ensure that all the designated SVHCs are non-existent in our products based on the prescribed detection levels.

Q: Do you use azodicarbonamide in your mats?

A: This is not present in our mats.

Lululemon

Do not be fooled by the FSC (Forest Sustainability Council) label on Lululemon yoga mats. This certification tells you nothing about toxic chemicals in the product.

I was concerned about the Lululemon yoga mat when I noted their stating an antimicrobial additive is applied to the surface of their mats without providing its name. 

So, I reached out to Lululemon by email to learn more. They wrote: “Our 5mm yoga mat with FSC rubber contains a natural rubber material and 27% thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), 14% synthetic rubber, 12% Polyurethane, 7% Polyester, and 6% Cotton.” 

Because of all these plastics, I cannot recommend Lululemon yoga mats. Unfortunately, they didn’t tell me the name of the antimicrobial, some of which are toxic as I described in a previous article on antimicrobials in fabrics.

Manduka eKO Lite 

This is another one that I thought would be a pretty good option judging by the Ecology Center testing alone, but I just couldn’t get enough information from them.

According to the company website, the Manduka eKO series yoga mats are constructed of tree rubber and marketed as eco-friendly, but they don’t quite measure up. I emailed Manduka about their eKO series. They replied: “In general, our products undergo regular, independent testing and certification…Our eKO mats are made in Taiwan…with non-AZO dyes…”

Please note that the Manduka Pro Series yoga mats are made with PVC, so I do not recommend them.

Shakti Warrior

I was hoping to be able to recommend this brand. However, when we chatted with them, they weren’t able to sufficiently answer our questions. See the Q&A below.

(Note that in addition to their natural collection, Shakti also has synthetic yoga mats as well, so if you do decide to shop from them, just make sure to check the details on the specific mat.)

Q: Can you tell me more about the materials used in your cork mats? It looks like there are a few different layers, so I’m wondering about all of the materials used. Natural rubber, cork, anything else?

A: Yes those are the two layers – cork and natural tree rubber and then they are bonded together

Q: What are they boded together using / what kind of adhesive?

A: Heat bonded

Q: Okay, so no glues? Are there any foaming agents used in the manufacturing process? Like NBR or azodicarbonamide?

A: Don’t think so

Yoloha

The cork yoga mats on the Yoloha website contain either recycled synthetic rubber or TPE (thermoplastic elastomer).

As Yoloha said in an email reply: “The only mat that contains any rubber is the Unity yoga mat which is made up of cork and recycled rubber. The rubber comes from a number of sources including sneakers and other materials used in children’s toys and playgrounds. The rest of our mats are available with a…TPE base…The cork is not recycled…it is the bark of cork trees.”   

Wrapping it up

As you know, engaging in holistic practices like yoga and meditation is a natural pursuit that promotes health and well-being. It makes sense that you’d want the basic essentials for these practices to be non-toxic.

At the bare minimum, you want a non-toxic mat. As discussed, avoid PVC and azodicarbonamide because of the health hazards they present to workers making or using these chemicals, as well as the environmental harms they cause. Residual amounts of toxic chemicals could be present on the mats, too. 

When you can, stay away from antimicrobial coatings as well. They are not necessary and many of them are harmful to health and the environment.

There are a few yoga mats that are truly non-toxic after careful scrutiny. These are my top picks. I cannot recommend the other 10+ brands reviewed here for the reasons given above. 

Whichever floor covering you choose to practice on, here’s wishing you years of enjoyment—and enlightenment—on your non-toxic yoga or meditation mat!

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