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18 Comments

  1. I am very sensitive to odors/smells. Could you please tell me if the Scoria mat has any odor (from the natural rubber)? Thank you.

    1. Thank you for reaching out to I Read Labels For You! We address the issue of smell in this blog post. “The mat rolls well, is not bulky, and has no smell. When it was new and just out of the box, it had a tiny bit of smell which dissipated quickly. When four days later I was doing the child’s pose, there was no detectable smell any longer. I did detect some smell when I pressed my nose against the rubber backing. But it is not something you would do under normal conditions.” It is important to understand, though, that people are different and may have various levels of smell perception. We hope this helps!

  2. Hi Irina,

    Thanks for all the helpful information! I saw on Yoloha’s website that they have recently come out with a cork yoga mat + plant foam backing. Based on their FAQ page, their plant foam backing is made of 55% sugarcane + 30% Eva Foam or Ethylene-vinyl acetate, with the rest of the percentage being cork I presume. They also use a heat lamination process to bind the cork and plant foam together, instead of an adhesive. I was wondering if this seems like a good alternative to the Scoria mat in terms of toxicity, or if the Scoria mat is still superior to this new cork+plant foam addition to Yoloha.

    1. Hi, there! Thank you for the question! We believe that Scoria is superior because it doesn’t have EVA foam. We hope this helps!

  3. Hi I really appreciate your posts I have been looking for a safe yoga mat for years. I seem to have almost found it. I was excited about this post until I read about the rubber backing.

    I have a latex allergy. Do you know of any safe mats like this one that do not contain latex? I really hope you do. I had all but given up until I found your post and yoga is very important to me. Thank you!

  4. Hello Irina! Thank you for all that you do, so very much appreciated!
    What about hemp yoga mats? – Such as this one from Yogini Mat
    Is there a hemp mat you recommend?
    Many thanks.

  5. Hi, I’m so glad I found your website. I have been doing some research on my own about Eco-friendly non-toxic yoga mats and found out that they are neither eco friendly or non toxic. The best choices that came out of my research were the Yoloha and the Scoria cork yoga mat. I was debating between these two but after reading your post I made the decision of buying the Scoria yoga mat. Thank you!

  6. Hi! Thank you for all this info:) I can’t afford the expensive yoga mat. Do you know anything about yoga blankets as a non-toxic alternative?

  7. Hi Irina! Thank you for researching this! Do you have any other recommendations regarding home exercise equipment? Specifically, I’m thinking about non toxic options for resistance bands, weights, etc.

  8. What do they use to bind the natural rubber and cork, and the layers together?

    I was thinking of getting a 1″ twin size natural latex mattress overlay with an organic cotton cover for working out and stretching. I like a lot more cushion than a typical yoga mat provides.

    I may even get a larger size because I like to work out in barefeet. I used to have a Tempurpedic sleep travel pad that rolled up and I loved working out on that. I don’t have it any longer and would rather use natural latex.

    I have a natural latex mattress that I love! (Especially sleeping inclined – Google “Inclined Bed Therapy”… the benefits are amazing and it’s so easy to lift the head of your bed.)

  9. Aloha Irina,
    Thank you for the work you’re doing here and sharing your experiences with this and recommending the mat you use! I went ahead and bought one with your code. I am curious though if you know how Scoria differs/or why you recommend it from some of the other yoga mat companies I found on Amazon that advertise the cork and natural rubber as well but are significantly cheaper, starting at around $50. Thanks!

    1. Hi, Jessica: Thank you for asking. I interviewed the owner of Scoria and was satisfied with her answers. As for Amazon, frequently it is hard to get a hold of anybody there who is truly knowledgeable about the products they sell. Also, the Amazon product description may not be accurate. I provide links to Amazon when I was able to contact the manufacturer through the website first. Does it make sense? ~Irina

      1. Thanks for your speedy, helpful response, Irina! Yes, that does make sense and is a good point about the questionable level of accuracy on the description for many of the Amazon products. It’s always good to do a deeper level of checking up so thank you for doing the homework! I am looking forward to trying out my new Scoria mat!

  10. Hello Irina. Thank you for all the good info on yoga mats. I really need a new one for my mat Pilates class and would love to get the Scoria cork&rubber version that you use. It is, however, beyond my budget. Are you able to recommend something in the $35 price range.

    Thank you, Franceska