Will you please shut up? You're interrupting my Warrior 3.

I love yoga. I look forward to the dim room, the cool air, the quiet music, the instructor with the low, whisper-soft voice. I enjoy challenging myself and concentrating on complicated poses that push me to balance and find my center at the end of a long day.

And I really despise chatty, teenage girls who show up to have a gab session, laugh at each others' inability to balance, giggle, fall over, and look around constantly to see if anyone is checking them out. And yes, I am watching you; glaring at you, to be more precise. Maybe you could hold that pose longer if you shut up. Maybe I could hold MY pose longer if you shut up.

Maybe I'm being insensitive. But really, I enjoy the good and endure the bad that young people have to offer all day long. When I hit that smokey blue mat, cross my legs, and close my eyes, I want to shut all of that out. So...to the 3 annoying girls who showed up last time - thank you, from me (and dare I say, the whole class) for being busy tonight. Maybe yoga (or being quiet) just wasn't your cup of tea. Hopefully, if you return, you'll have more consideration for the rest of us.

Otherwise, I may have to invent a new pose that involves knocking you over. Just for giggles.

Namaste.

And the winner is...

Got a reply from Yoga Rat...their mats are made in Taiwan. Boo. And they were a little snitty about it. The comment was something like, "Our mats are made in Taiwan, as that is where all the best eco-friendly mats are made. We don't divulge information about the specific factories." ALL the best? Hmmm....

So...I learned a few things about the best places of origin. Seems the pyramid goes something like this: China on the bottom, U.S. and Taiwan next....Germany, and Europe in general, on the top (since, apparently this is where the mat originated in the '70s - go figure).

Ta Da! Manduko's mats are German-made. Their "Black Mat Pro" seems to be the yoga industry standard...the go-to mat, considered to be the best in the world (by several review sites). They last "forever", so even though they are not biodegradable, they are sustainable b/c you will never need another mat in your life. And they are made in an environmentally friendly way (no toxins, etc.).

A great article on choosing the perfect mat...says that Manduko takes the cake in this market, and has for years. Their product life is 5-50 years (way more than any other company's product). The eco mats break down faster, so the thinner the mat, the quicker it will wear out.

Jade Yoga and Manduka consistently came up as the companies with the highest green standards. You can buy directly from their sites or from gogreenyogamats.com.

So there you have it...Manduka wins.

Can I just say...thank god I'm done with that? It did cost a bit more than I had originally intended, but, I figure if it will be a product I can use for years and years, it's worth spending $70 one time instead of $20 five times (better for the planet, too). Amazon has a deal on an eko mat + mat sak for $103.00. With shipping, it's just about the same price as buying direct, as Manduka is offering free shipping on orders over $100.

Phew. Time for a glass of wine.

The quest....continued

So, let's back up a bit. My last post just jumped right in to the search, but didn't at all go into how I got there.

I've been doing yoga in my living room, which has a hard floor with an area rug. I work on the rug, which is about the thickness of a yoga mat, but because it is carpet, it does nothing to hold me in place. So I slip around quite a bit in certain positions. I figured getting a sticky mat might be a good idea. So, I headed off to the sporting goods store for an inexpensive mat without any thought as to the materials of the mat. When I walked into the store, I found 3 options on the shelf: a basic mat (around $20), a thicker mat (around $24) and one that said "environmentally friendly" (about $40).

Suddenly, I was in a quandary. I hadn't even considered the impact of the mat on the world around me. Needless to say, I left the store empty-handed and came right home to research, figuring I could find the perfect mat in one sitting. Now, 2 weeks later, I'm still working at it. I had no idea there were so many options or that they could be so expensive.

The companies that produce these mats are all so very different, as are their products. When I started out on Gaiam's site (with their pretty patterns and low prices), I thought the search would be easy. But then the materials came into question (TPE, rubber, PVC, Clean PVC...). It took me several hours to learn what these materials were and why they were good or bad.

But then I remembered my "Made in the US" preference and started to look in the places of manufacture on my top choices. Who knew this could get so complicated. Or that I would come to the end of my search so annoyed? Why is it so hard to find out the answers to these simple questions?

Some of the companies responded to my emails, others have not (G2 Lifestyles never got back to me).

I did receive an email from Hugger Mugger:

Dear Melissa,

Our Earth Elements Mat are made in Asia, it is PVC and latex free. All of our mats with the work “Tapas” in the name are made USA.

Let me know if you have any other questions,

Tabitha Zamora
Hugger Mugger Receptionist
1-800-473-4888 Ext 130
tabitha@huggermugger.com

Darn. (And still...no specifics...just "Asia"...growl...)

So, the search continues as I wait to hear back from a few of the other companies that I have emailed...

including a few more companies that impressed me: Yoga Rat, Manduka, and Karma Mantra.

I must say, after visiting Manduka, their site and their products are the most impressive of the whole lot. I have emailed them to inquire about the place of manufacture...but another site lists China as their product's "place of origin" (grrr...). I really like their Eko mat. Seems to be getting good reviews...and it is 99% latex free. If you are in the market for a mat, you should definitely check this product out. It's a little more expensive, but I guarantee if it is made in the US or Canada, this will be the mat I purchase.

My second favorite site/product: Natural Fitness (products made in the US and China - also non-specific...didn't say which products were made in the US).

Manduka and Natural Fitness not only had well-made products with good customer reviews, they seem to have great philosophies and missions. So, even though their products are made outside of the U.S. they may still be the winners in my search.

The only products that was made in the U.S. were the Hugger Mugger Tapas mats (which contain PVC, so they are a "no") and the Jade Mats (which are no good for latex sensitivity, so they are also a "no").

Guess I'm at least getting closer.

And I'm also coming to the end of another yoga-related search - a poster showing all of the positions, so I can simply place it on the wall as a reference without watching a video or looking in a book. My favorite choices so far:

"...a flow-chart of 67 important asanas. The sequences are well-composed and make a great guide for a thorough yoga practice. Did I mention that the people are adorable? Printed in the USA on recycled paper and using plant-based ink, this poster offers many things to feel good about."

And...

This is a two-sided chart that can be placed on the floor by your mat for easy reference.

At least for we beginners...the charts are nice, because once you know exactly how to do each position, all you really need is a quick reference until you memorize the sequences you prefer.

Anyhow...I am off to slip around on the carpet - Namaste.

The quest for the perfect yoga mat

Ahhh...yoga. A practice of relaxation, strength-building, toning, and centering the mind and spirit.

That is, until you begin searching for the perfect yoga mat. Enter stress, confusion, and aggravation. AHHHHHHHHHH!

I don't feel like I'm asking for too much: non-toxic, environmentally-friendly, well-made (preferably in the US), and affordable. But, apparently, I am. It seems that I can get two of the four, or three of the four, but never ALL four.

So, after days and days of agonizing over the research, contacting companies, and comparison shopping, here's what I found:

G2 Lifestyles
G2 Lifestyles makes a pretty cool product…mats that are actually printed with the most common yoga poses. I contacted the company to find out about their manufacturer, but they never got back to me (grrrr…). They offer an eco-friendly, affordable option. Apparently, though, they have mislabeled a few poses on the mat.

Ecomatyoga.com
Kind of a cool idea…but expensive (around $85). Also cool, they take back the product when you are ready to recycle it. Couldn’t figure out where the products are manufactured.

Natural Fitness
Natural Fitness offers a selection of natural rubber mats and other eco-friendly options. Good prices, good philosophy (I think they also plant a tree with every purchase). Their FAQ section divulges that they manufacture in the USA and China.

Rawganique
A nice product, but I really am looking for a sticky mat (I need the support) and a softer, squishier mat for balance and impact.

Gaiam
Gaiam had the most consumer-friendly website…a nice comparison chart. They had several eco-friendly options, including a natural rubber mat with a non-latex surface; but when I inquired as to the place of manufacture…I am sad to report that the answer is Taiwan. I will say that after all my hours of research, this still may be the best bet, as they fulfill all of my other criteria (eco-friendly, biodegradable, good customer reviews, affordable).

Jade Yoga
Jade Yoga has a complete line of Made-in-the-USA yoga mats and accessories. They also plant a tree with each yoga mat purchase (nice). However, their sustainable and earth-friendly mats are made of natural rubber (not good for those of us with latex sensitivity). And, from what I can garner from on-line reviews, the rubber gives off an unpleasant odor. Some reviewers claim that it dissipates, while other swear it never goes away. And…they are expensive…$50 to over $100.

Hugger Mugger
Hugger Mugger’s Original Tapas yoga mat is made in the USA, but it is also PVC. I couldn’t find out if any of their other mats (namely the Earth Elements mat) were US-made. The Earth Elements mat is non-toxic and bio-degradable…also latex-free and affordable ($30-$40). In fact, if it is made in the US it may well be the perfect mat. They also, like Gaiam, have a nice comparison grid.

So, the verdict? I still haven't decided. And I'm still waiting to hear back from a few of the companies. Right now, the top contenders are Hugger Mugger, Gaiam, and Natural Fitness. All three can offer most of what I seek (affordable, well-made with good consumer reviews, ethics, eco-friendly, non-toxic). Gaiam products are made in Taiwan. Natural Fitness' products are made in either the US or China (I've inquired specifically about the mat I want). And I'm still waiting to hear from Hugger Mugger about their product's manufacturing, as well.

Hopefully, I'll be able to make a purchase this weekend.

I hate research.

(image found at aideedouglas.com)