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HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT YOGA MAT
“Always half an hour a day where it’s just me and my yoga mat” – Karen Walker.
*Olaben’s Yoga Mat Collection
For thousands of years, Yoga mats were not really needed as the practice consisted mainly of seated breathing and meditation. By this time, Yoga mats existed and were spreading all across the World.
Whether you're a total newcomer or a long-time enthusiast, having the right yoga mat can make a whole world of a difference to your practice. Sometimes it's overwhelming to make the right choice with a plethora of mats that are available in the market.
Beyond a color and pattern that suits your style, your yoga mat needs to keep you stable in your poses; it needs to be storable and portable, yet comfy and cushy. You may also want your mat to be environmentally friendly. These aspects of your mat’s personality are all perfected by how the mat is made: thickness & weight; Materials & Durability; Price range and Style.
Use this guide to help you find a yoga mat you can be blissfully happy with — one that suits your practice, priorities, lifestyle, values, and budget. No matter what the stores tell you, that’s the best yoga mat for you!
1. THICKNESS & WEIGHT
Whether you're a total newcomer or a long-time enthusiast, having the right yoga mat can make a whole world of a difference to your practice. Sometimes it's overwhelming to make the right choice with a plethora of mats that are available in the market.
Beyond a color and pattern that suits your style, your yoga mat needs to keep you stable in your poses; it needs to be storable and portable, yet comfy and cushy. You may also want your mat to be environmentally friendly. These aspects of your mat’s personality are all perfected by how the mat is made: thickness & weight; Materials & Durability; Price range and Style.
Use this guide to help you find a yoga mat you can be blissfully happy with — one that suits your practice, priorities, lifestyle, values, and budget. No matter what the stores tell you, that’s the best yoga mat for you!
1. THICKNESS & WEIGHT
Why it’s important: The thickness of your yoga mat has a lot to do with how comfortable it is — too thin, and your knee may get banged up during crescent lunge.
Options: A standard yoga mat is about 1/8 inch thick, while the thickest are about ¼ inch. There are also wafer-thin yoga mats, often billed as “travel yoga mats,” that are a mere 1/16 inch thick. They fold easily and don’t weigh much, making them a cinch to fit in a suitcase.
Olaben Mat Collection offers a variety of Yoga Mat including standard yoga mat (Harmony); travel yoga mat (Warrior, The Sun & The Moon). If you don’t mind carrying and storing a little more heft for the sake of more cushioning, consider Harmony mat that's about 1/4 inch thick. And if you absolutely must be able to pack your yoga mat in a suitcase or carry-on, get yourself a Warrior, The Moon or The Sun Mat in the 1/16 inch range.
Options: A standard yoga mat is about 1/8 inch thick, while the thickest are about ¼ inch. There are also wafer-thin yoga mats, often billed as “travel yoga mats,” that are a mere 1/16 inch thick. They fold easily and don’t weigh much, making them a cinch to fit in a suitcase.
Olaben Mat Collection offers a variety of Yoga Mat including standard yoga mat (Harmony); travel yoga mat (Warrior, The Sun & The Moon). If you don’t mind carrying and storing a little more heft for the sake of more cushioning, consider Harmony mat that's about 1/4 inch thick. And if you absolutely must be able to pack your yoga mat in a suitcase or carry-on, get yourself a Warrior, The Moon or The Sun Mat in the 1/16 inch range.
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*The Harmony Mat in Silver Chalice
2. MATERIAL & DURABILITY
Why it’s important: The material your yoga mat is made of dictates its texture, stickiness, eco-friendliness and sponginess (how much it yields to pressure), and how it wears over time.
Options: Most standard yoga mats are made of PVC, otherwise known as vinyl. Newer, more earth-friendly options include natural and recycled rubber, jute, and organic cotton or natural cotton (which means the fabric is not treated with synthetic finishes during manufacturing).
Olaben Mat Collection is made of recycled rubber and TPE, which is more eco-friendly and durable.
Options: Most standard yoga mats are made of PVC, otherwise known as vinyl. Newer, more earth-friendly options include natural and recycled rubber, jute, and organic cotton or natural cotton (which means the fabric is not treated with synthetic finishes during manufacturing).
Olaben Mat Collection is made of recycled rubber and TPE, which is more eco-friendly and durable.
*The Zodiac Mat
3. TEXTURE & PATTERN
Why it’s important: The texture of your yoga mat dictates how much traction it provides.
Like stickiness, texture affects how much slipping and sliding you do. It provides physical barriers to sliding (whereas stickiness relies on suction). And because texture affects the way a yoga mat feels, it’s also a component of overall comfort.
Basic buying guidelines: If you’re looking for a yoga mat that prevents, look for a rubber, jute, or cotton yoga mat that has a raised, tactile pattern. The added grip the raised texture provides can help you stay put no matter how sweaty or vigorous your practice gets.
Olaben offers the variety in patterns and color on the mat. However, they are all arranged appropriately so as not to distract the yogis.
Some signature patterns in our collection are sun, moon, zodiac, signature logo Olaben,…
Like stickiness, texture affects how much slipping and sliding you do. It provides physical barriers to sliding (whereas stickiness relies on suction). And because texture affects the way a yoga mat feels, it’s also a component of overall comfort.
Basic buying guidelines: If you’re looking for a yoga mat that prevents, look for a rubber, jute, or cotton yoga mat that has a raised, tactile pattern. The added grip the raised texture provides can help you stay put no matter how sweaty or vigorous your practice gets.
Olaben offers the variety in patterns and color on the mat. However, they are all arranged appropriately so as not to distract the yogis.
Some signature patterns in our collection are sun, moon, zodiac, signature logo Olaben,…
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*The Sun Combo
4. STICKINESS
Why it’s important: A sticky yoga mat keeps you from sliding all over the place and helps you maintain your alignment as you move from one pose to another, as well as when you hold poses for several seconds.
Options: PVC/ TPE yoga mats have the highest sticky factor.
Basic buying guide: If you need help staying put in your poses but you bristle at the thought of practicing on a yoga mat with a raised texture, a PVC/TPE yoga mat is probably your best bet. Just remember that these yoga mats are only sticky when they are clean, so make sure you care for the yoga mat properly.
Options: PVC/ TPE yoga mats have the highest sticky factor.
Basic buying guide: If you need help staying put in your poses but you bristle at the thought of practicing on a yoga mat with a raised texture, a PVC/TPE yoga mat is probably your best bet. Just remember that these yoga mats are only sticky when they are clean, so make sure you care for the yoga mat properly.
5. ECO-FRIENDLINESS
Why it’s important: As yogis, we hold dear the tenet of ahimsa, or non-violence. That makes practicing on a yoga mat that will ultimately end up clogging a landfill for decades to come troublesome.
Options: Eco-friendly yoga mats are typically made from natural or recycled rubber. These yoga mats may also include natural materials, such as jute or organic cotton.
Harmony Mats from Olaben are made of recycled rubber, while available in a range of thicknesses, tend to be thicker and slicker than PVC mats. You can get a yoga mat that's eco-friendly, has a thickness that meets your needs for comfort and portability, and has a texture (such as a raised geometric pattern) that prevents slippage.
Options: Eco-friendly yoga mats are typically made from natural or recycled rubber. These yoga mats may also include natural materials, such as jute or organic cotton.
Harmony Mats from Olaben are made of recycled rubber, while available in a range of thicknesses, tend to be thicker and slicker than PVC mats. You can get a yoga mat that's eco-friendly, has a thickness that meets your needs for comfort and portability, and has a texture (such as a raised geometric pattern) that prevents slippage.
*Olaben’s Harmony Mat Collection
6. PRICE RANGE
Typically, a basic 1/8 inch thick, plain solid-color PVC sticky yoga mat will be toward the low end of the price range. From there you may pay more for patterns, designs or logos; premium thickness; antimicrobial treatments; and cool textures, especially raised tactile patterns. Eco-friendly yoga mats tend to be toward the high end of the price range.
7.STYLE Once you've narrowed your choices down by thickness, material, texture, stickiness, eco-friendliness, and price, there's only one factor left: style! So go ahead and pick your favorite color, pattern, or print. After all, you'll be seeing a lot of it in downward dog.
Happy shopping!
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