What you may not know about PVC Yoga Mats

A friend of ours was recently shopping in a large retail store in Canada, and she came across a range of yoga mats. When she read the label there was a warning about the materials used, and mentioned a link to cancer written in small print on the yoga mat’s tag. Sorry - What!? When she told us about it, it got us thinking; there are still SO many companies out there producing mats made from harmful chemicals and consumers are none the wiser, unless they read the terrifying small print.

The disappointing truth is that many mainstream yoga mats are made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) which is basically vinyl. It's essentially 57% chlorine and 43% carbon, making it durable and spongey…but not so great for us or the planet…

PVC Toxicity

To make the vinyl flexible, it's treated with phthalates, lead and cadmium. Phthalates aren't just in yoga mats, they're in hundreds of products, including car interiors, electrical cords, furniture, hoses, roofing, rainwear and hospital flooring. Phthalates are considered safe, according to many governing scientific bodies but that's when you're exposure is at "typical" levels. However, certain types have negatively affected reproduction in laboratory animals, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC does recommend more research be done on the effects of phthalates on human health.

One specific phthalate, DEHP, or diethylhexyl phtalate is a suspected carcinogen. It is being phased out, but other phthalates can still pose possible health risks.

Lead and cadmium can have negative effects on your brain, again if exposure is excessive, which is unlikely to happen from just your yoga mat. The concern, however, is that your yoga mat compounds your exposure to all the other products with these contaminants and thus poses a risk.

Environmental Concerns

Environmental complications about PVC are real. You can't recycle it, and when you try to dispose of it through incineration or having it buried in a landfill, it releases dioxin — a cancer-causing chemical. Production of PVC mats also emits chemicals, including chlorine gas, mercury and vinyl chloride, into the atmosphere. Yuck.

Yoga Mats You Can Invest In

To limit your PVC exposure and support chemical-free mats, opt for eco yoga mats made from natural rubber.

We’re proud to use a toxin-free manufacturing process that doesn’t contain harmful dyes, phthalates, heavy-metals, PVC, chloride or synthetic latex. As a result, our earth-friendly yoga mats are completely recyclable and will eventually break down (but not in our lifetime!). The underside of the mat is made with a thick pressed natural rubber extracted sustainably from the non-Amazonian Para Rubber Tree.

This incredible crop not only provides a whole source of natural latex material, but also helps in balancing the atmosphere’s rising carbon levels. Kudos Para Rubber; you beautiful tree you.