🧘 Yoga Mat Selection

📏 Thickness by Activity

Thickness is not "the thicker, the better": an overly thick mat reduces stability, which matters in balance poses.

🧵 Materials

• PVC — inexpensive, very grippy, but difficult to recycle and with a plastic smell.
• TPE — lighter, odorless, suitable for most; grip is slightly weaker.
• Natural Rubber — excellent grip, long-lasting; heavier and more expensive.
• Cork — good grip with sweaty hands, durable.
• Multi-layer ("hybrid") — with an absorbent top layer; comfortable for intensive practice.

✅ What to Check in the Store

• Whether the mat does not slip on your floor — try with and without a sock.
• Whether a finger press leaves a soft indentation — the mark does not disappear for a long time.
• Weight and rollability (whether it fits in a bag).
• Smell — a sharp plastic smell often persists.
• Warranty period and return option.

🧼 Care

After every practice, wipe with a damp cloth (water with a few drops of mild soap), and once a month wash and dry horizontally. Do not roll up a wet mat, do not keep it in the sun and do not wash it in a washing machine — this causes it to delaminate and lose grip.