Recently, I found myself in need of a yoga mat in order to take an unplanned class hours from my home. At a local health food store, I purchased the Gaiam Eco Conscious Jute Yoga Mat (Natural). This mat is costs about $37.00, and it smells wonderful fresh out of the packaging. I have an aversion to smell of new yoga mats, even ones that are PVC-free, but this yoga mat had the sweet smell of jute. The jute mixed with rubber also gives the mat a different texture that I preferred to traditional yoga mats the first time I tried it.
An eco-friendly alternative for your yoga practice, this mat from Gaiam is made of 100% jute, an earthy, natural and biodegradable fiber. The mat is constructed by meshing jute fibers with patented PER plastic, a phthalate-free plastic that is safer for the environment, as well as for the workers who manufacture it. Soft and lightweight, the Gaiam Jute Mat features a grippy, non-skid rubber bottom, ideal for all types of flooring. The mat is durable enough for machine-washing but will have a longer life span if hand washed.
My trust in Gaiam has faltered given the BPA scandal in their aluminum water bottles, but I do really like this yoga mat. It has replaced my regular mat in my daily practice.