As the practice of yoga has become widespread, and continues to expand all around the world, the demand for yoga products like apparel, accessories, and of course, yoga mats, has grown immensely. With so many products available, it’s hard to narrow down the best yoga mat brands. So we’ve done it for you!
Take a look at the below yoga mat companies, some of the names you’ll surely recognize, and maybe there are a few new players that you can learn about as you read. From eco-sustainability to lifetime guarantees, there’s something for everyone in this list of the top 13 best yoga mat brands.
1. Jade Yoga
Jade Yoga is one of the most well-known environmentally friendly yoga brands. This US-based company is run with eco-sustainability in mind and makes all of its yoga mats with natural rubber. The first product it created becomes it’s most popular hallmark yoga mat – the ‘Jade Harmony’ Yoga Mat, which is now sold all over the world.
In 2000, the founders of Jade Yoga began to explore eco-friendly ways of creating a non-slippery yoga mat, something that was not yet on the market. Dean Jerrehian created Jade Yoga, drawing from his family history of being in the manufacturing business, fused with the modern-day concept of sustainable consumption.
Something that sets Jade Yoga apart from the rest of the best yoga mat brands is that every product sold gives back to the earth. For every Jade Mat sold, one tree is planted. Since partnering with the company ‘Trees for the Future’, Jade Yoga has planted over one million trees since 2006.
2. Dragonfly
Dragonfly™ Yoga creates yoga wear and props, including a range of Yoga mats for all styles of yoga, Pilates, and other exercises. Their top product is the Dragonfly Pure Mat, which is a chemical and phthalate-free mat that’s a lightweight eco-friendly design for all-purpose yoga and exercise use. This product has been on the market since early in the company’s creation. Their mat prices are also very affording, beginning at their sale price of $16.00 USD.
The Dragonfly™ Yoga brand was founded in 2012 and operates under their motto: ‘Performance Redefined’, which means that they approach their creations without compromising the quality of the products, while still taking an eco-friendly approach to reduce the environmental footprint of their company.
Following the footsteps of Jade Yoga’s mission of ‘giving back’ to the earth, environmentally and socially, it has also worked in the past with a few different causes, such as YoKid, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and Trees for the Future.
3. Manduka
Manduka is a big brand in the world of yoga mats and apparel. As a higher-end brand in this list of the best yoga mat brands, it’s worth the higher price tag. With over 900 yoga ambassadors sharing the products, 2 million customers, and featured and sold in over 4000 yoga studios around the world, Manuka’s best selling product would have the be their PRO mats, made from high-quality PVC with a lifetime guarantee.
Created back in 1997, the origins of the company are in Peter Sterios’s mission to share a supportive, high grip, and consciously created a yoga mat with practitioners worldwide. He began by sharing the mat for free with his teachers that he had practiced with around the world, who then shared them with their students. This eventually led to the rapid growth of Manuka being a hallmark brand that supplies the global yoga community.
Manuka is known for being a high-end yoga brand that will last, standing out from other brands that have a lower cost, though that may not last for years. They focus on their PRO mats and their Eco biodegradable mats as core products, to keep the reputation as a more specialized yoga brand.
4. Gaiam
Pronounced ‘guy-um’, this brand is named after the Gaia, the ancient Greek mother earth goddess, and the words, ‘I am.’ The final term ‘Gaiam’, means ‘I am the Earth.’ Their distribution network of products consists of 18,00 retail stores. The extra-thick yoga mat is one of Gaiam’s best sellers, as beginners in yoga and fitness also really love the extra cushioning for comfort and support.
Created in September 2004 in the United States, the company is also partly owned as an Australian brand as well. Their retail stores and online shop brings in consumers who want to find high quality and sustainable products in wellness and fitness.
As per Gaiam’s mission statement, they ‘aim to provide choices that foster a sense of belonging to a healthy and conscious community that can make a difference in the world.’ The strong value of earth preservation and care is what sets this brand apart from other yoga mat brands, as you can see in the unique origins of its name.
5. Liforme
The Original Liforme yoga mat is the most popular product, and how many yogis will know this brand. The thick, grippy mat is a favorite due to the alignment markers on the design that help people find optimum positioning for their practice.
Created by a yogi, James Armitage, this brand began with the thought that it would be beneficial for practitioners to have markers to show them where they’re situated on the mat, which sparked a 5 year-long creation period of finding the best materials and design for yogis. It has experienced rapid growth since it began to sell its products less than 5 years ago.
These mats have been shipped across the world in more than 85 counties, is one of the most recognized yoga mat brands in the world. Liforme also partners with the environmental conservation group ‘Friends Of The Earth’, using a sustainable approach to the production with renewable natural rubber.
6. REEHUT
The REEHUT Extra Thick High-Density yoga mat is the best seller for this company, again for people just starting, or those looking for more comfort, especially for their knees, while practicing yoga, Pilates, and other movement exercises.
Created in 2016, the brand is super new on the scene, and already a loved product for yoga, fitness and outdoor products. The affordable price tag and extra mat straps with each mat are why this brand has already enjoyed some growth in the health and wellness scene and why it’s made it onto this list of the best yoga mat brands.
REEHUT claims to have their main focus on the relationship with their customers, treating them like ‘guests in their own home’. Establishing itself as a customer service leader is what might make REEHUT a brand to keep watch of as it continues to grow.
7. Sugarmat
This yoga mat company is committed to making eco-friendly, durable and non-toxic yoga mats. Their bestselling travel mats come in 5 different designs and are great for the wandering yogi. Sugarmat is one of the more recent companies that we have included in our list of the best yoga mat brands.
Founded in 2016, this vibrant, youthful company is based in Montreal, Canada. Their mission is to ‘add joy and style to your everyday physical activities.’ Made with natural rubber, water-based ink, and synthetic suede, the designs are dynamic and stylish, geared towards people who are looking for some colour added to their practice; think Unicorns, flamingos, and flowers.
What makes this company a valued brand by yoga lovers is that they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, by offering a return policy if a customer isn’t entirely happy with their purchase.
8. Aurorae
This family business has enjoyed a top-rated status on Amazon.com for their Classic Yoga Mats. What’s impressive about this company in our list of the best yoga mat brands is that Aurorae’s best-selling status happened only after one year of their operation.
The company was founded in 2009 by Dennis Ingui, a yoga practitioner and cancer survivor who wishes to promote a healthy lifestyle for all people. Beginning with yoga mats, the brand has done so well that it has now expanded to yoga and fitness apparel and accessories, as well as aromatherapy and other lifestyle products.
The company’s market is geared towards eco-conscious consumers, with all yoga mats made from non-toxic resin without silicone, PAHS, Phenols, and Phthalates. All yoga products are tested and approved by US governing bodies which oversee eco-friendly businesses.
9. Lottus Life
Lottus life is guided by the core principles of comfort and functionality. Their Natural Jute Yoga Mat is by far their best-seller, made with extra thick natural fibre, offering an earthy and grounded feeling for yoga practice.
The company has been in the yoga mat scene since 2017, relatively recently. They also offer microfibre yoga mat towels on their online store. 1% of every Lottus life purchase goes towards the cause of providing clean drinking wattle to communities around the world in need.
The point of difference in this brand is their focused use of jute finer for all of their mats, which is a versatile natural textile free from toxic materials such as lead, cadmium, and phthalates.
10. Hugger Mugger
Hugger Mugger Yoga Products is one of the oldest brands on this list of the best yoga mat brands. Their most popular product currently is their durable and grippy Hugger Mugger Para Rubber mat, which is a design based on their original ‘Tapas Mat’ first created in the late 1980s.
Created way back in 1986 in Salt Lake City in the U.S, the greater was an avid Iyengar Yoga practitioner, Sarah Chambers. She was inspired by the use of props in the practice and began to make her own. Mats began to be put into production in the late 80s and by 1997, mats were being sold by Hugger Mugger.
Their products are all made in the USA, with sustainable materials features biodegradable TPE, natural rubber, cork and bamboo for their mats, blocks and other yoga and fitness equipment.
11. Lululemon
This global brand is most recognized first and foremost for their activewear clothing, though has expanded to sports accessories and equipment. This is where their popular mats come in, with the Lululemon Reversible is the best seller for the sweat-resistant texture that uses antimicrobial polyurethane to absorb moisture and prevent mid-practice slippage.
Created in 1998 in Vancouver, Canada, by Chip Wilson, this brand has enjoyed wild success since its flagship store was launched in 2000. It was just the beginning of its evolution, with international stores now found in many major cities in countries all over the world.
A sweet addition to their company is that they promote school yoga and meditation programs through different charities. Sustainability mindset is also promoted by educating local communities and collaborating with brands that hold a similar vision.
12. PrAna
This health and wellness brand began as a clothing brand, but have branched out to yoga mats, which is now how many people recognize the brand. Their high-quality grip yoga mats are the favorite, made of cell foam that can absorb moisture and is perfect for people who sweat a lot or are practicing in tropical and warm climates.
Created in California, the brand began back in 1992 with creating sustainable and stylish activewear clothes for yoga and hiking/climbing.
The brand is unique in its use of sustainable practices throughout the entire manufacturing process, sharing how they not only use recycles materials in their products but also recycle and compost during the process. They are also geared towards community consciousness, giving back to local and international charities.
15. Yoga Design Lab
Yoga Design Lab is another future thinking brand using bio-renewable resources in the creation of natural rubber mats. The best selling mat from this entry of our best yoga mat brands is surely the travel mat, as traveling yogis are becoming more common now, seeking out training, courses and places all around the world to deepen their practice. The geometric designs of this brand are often those that are most popular in both the travel and the more cushioned yoga mats.
Yoga Design Lab was created in 2014 whilst the founder, Canadian Chad Turner was vacationing in Bali. From his launch of the initial products in the USA, the brand can now be found in different regions in Australia.
The approach of the brand is to blend environmentally sustainable and functional design with beautiful aesthetics. He states that he “wanted to design mats that would make more people excited about practicing yoga.” The brand also has an ethos steeped in generosity, giving $1 from every purchase of any product to support Urban Youth Yoga Programs in need. To shop for other great brands, this is the place to start.
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