The texture of your mat can affect your yoga practice. While foam offers plenty of cushioning, there are so many other materials available to make for a more comfortable and natural experience. Here we explore the best organic cotton yoga mats.
Organic Cotton Yoga Mats
Organic cotton offers a soft texture with sturdy durability. Its designation as organic also guarantees that its production has an minimal impact on the environment when compared to other materials used for yoga accessories. The best organic cotton yoga mats combine the pleasant texture of cotton with its natural durability.
The three mats below differ widely in design, but they all offer the comfortable feel of organic cotton. The use of these yoga mats is also different. Each is suggested for a different level of yoga experience or practice.
Best Organic Cotton Yoga Mat for Budgets
The Handmade Organic Cotton Yoga Mat by Suvinyas offers versatility and comfort. This mat is bit thinner than some alternatives, but on the plus side, it is much, much cheaper and easy to carry around at a little over three pounds. It also comes with a bag for transport.
This organic cotton yoga mat is not ideal for more advanced yoga if you are a beginner. Your limbs may need to time to get used to the weight on this thinner mat. Use this for very light practices or if you are comfortable with thinner padding.
Best Organic Cotton Yoga Mat for Intermediate Users
Closer to yoga mats more users are used to, the Yoga Mat in Organic Cotton by Bean Products is great for those who are ready to expand their yoga practice. Like the one above, it has a cover and is stuffed with batting. In this case, the cover is cotton canvas. This tougher woven cloth offers more grip than what we typically think of in cotton fabric. It is offered in both organic and regular cotton options.
This mat is quite wide and long. Its dimensions are 36 by 72 inches. That being said, it is still rolled more easily than the first beginner’s mat above.
The Natural Cotton mat is best for transportation to classes, as it rolls easily and offers the support expected by those who have been practicing yoga for a while. It also features ties that are already attached for easy rolling and fastening while on the go.
This mat is firm enough for yoga practice, but comfortable enough for other wellness activities. It can also be used for massage, or simply as a slight cushion while sitting on the floor.
Best Organic Cotton Yoga Mat for Advanced Practice
The Organic Ekaminhale Yoga Rug is ideal for people interested in more advanced yoga poses. The pros of this rug lie in its production and design. For taller users, it features an extra long length. It is also a unique mat, as instead of being created in a factory, each one is hand made. Ecologically conscious practitioners will also be happy to know that a portion of the sale for each one goes to environmental efforts.
It is extremely lightweight and easy to take with you at only around 2.5 pounds. This organic cotton mat can also be washed in the machine. These fibers are highly absorbent, which is another pro of this mat. It is especially useful for hot yoga. However, that also means there is a lot of sweat stays with you while using it, and you need to clean regularly.
This mat does tend to slide on smooth surfaces. It does not offer the floor grip that sticky mats provide. This can be remedied by dampening the rug before use. A spray bottle can be used and can be easily carried to classes.
Rugs help those who practice yoga become stronger. They only slightly cushion from the floor, but holding your weight up on them helps work your muscles in new ways.
Best Organic Cotton Yoga Mats: Conclusions
Organic cotton mats vary in design but offer the softening benefits and longevity of natural fibers. Any of these mats would be a good choice, depending on your needs for comfort during practice. Above all, they offer the possibility of long term use for all skill levels.