Hey Yoga Lovers! Don’t Toss Your Mat

With the added stress of the holidays, you may be hitting your yoga mat more than usual. But the wear and tear from your Bikram or Vinyasa Flow classes may have put some extra strain on that brightly colored essential. Tack on the added sweat, and you’ve got yourself a less-than-stellar mat.

But instead of stashing that old mat in the corner or closet or (gulp) throwing it away, recycle or donate it. Made of materials such as natural rubber, plastic, PVC or latex, most yoga mats are recyclable.

Generally, yoga mats are made out of PVC, but there are other greener material choices, such as jute, natural rubber and wood pulp. Photo: Flickr/Rodrigo Quiñones

According to Recycle Your Mat, “In 2008, more than 50 percent of mats collected were upcycled into other products, and more than 30 percent of mats collected were donated to local community programs.”

Yoga studios around the country are embracing the idea of mat recycling and donation. Nicole Deacon Stroud, owner of Bikram Yoga Paradise Valley in Phoenix, says she collects about 10 mats for recycling each month.

“We use to take them to animal shelters where they were used in cages. But more recently we recycle them through Recycle Your Mat,” Stroud says. “[We recycle] the mats that get left at the studio and then anyone who wants to turn in their mat.”

If your studio does not participate or you are a home practitioner, Recycle Your Mat has mail-in programs for all types of mats as well.

JadeYoga is also another viable option for donating and reusing your mat. According to Dean Jerrehian of JadeYoga, the program has been a success for yoga studios and teachers that could not otherwise afford new mats.

“The primary goal of the Jade 3R Program is to maximize the local reuse of returned yoga mats. Without a doubt, local reuse has the lowest environmental impact,” Jerrehian says. “We have had many requests over the years from a number inspiring yoga teachers who have volunteered to teach in shelters, schools, prisons, rehabilitation centers etc., who would love to have used mats for their programs. The Jade 3R Program makes it easier to put more mats in the hands of these great teachers.”

In addition to collecting hundreds of mats at various yoga shows Jade has attended over the past year-and-a-half, the company has also partnered with about 35 studios around the country as drop-off points.

Before recycling your mat, thoroughly clean it using a spray bottle and a damp sponge. If your mat is heavily soiled, submerge it in warm water and mild detergent. Remember to use very little soap as any residue may cause the mat to become slippery during future use. Hang to dry.