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Gear Review: Lotuspad Eco-Friendly Mat and Strap
If you're an avid yoga or Pilates girl, and you want a quality mat that's good for the earth and light on your purse then check out Lotuspad mats ($40). They're made of 100-percent biodegradable TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer), and even though this mat is 5 millimeters thick, when it's all rolled up, it feels really lightweight so it's easy to carry. It resists bacterial and fungal growth and is reversible, so you can use both sides.
Other Search Results
Get in Gear: Manduka Black Mat
Are you looking for the world's best yoga mat? One that isn't too slippery, is thick and dense enough to cushion your bones, and will last a lifetime? Well, I have found it.
Get in Gear: Manduka PROLite Travel Mat
Since many of you will be traveling this Thanksgiving, and eating tons of yummy food, I'm sure you don't want to abandon your exercise routine completely on that long weekend. If I go on a trip, I always bring a mat along so I can do some yoga stretches or some of my favorite Pilates moves.
I'd bring along my Manduka Black Mat if I could since it's the best mat ever, but it's way too heavy to stuff in my suitcase (it weighs 7 lbs.).
Fittingly Green: RecycleYourMat.com
If you practice yoga regularly, chances are you've been through more than one mat. Since many of them are thin and begin to disintegrate with repeated use, you end up having to replace it at least once a year. Instead of mindlessly throwing out your mat, you can be green and recycle it.
Crave Worthy: Jill Malek Yoga Mats
Sometimes I want to feel pretty when I'm sweating it out at my Pilates mat class. Since I usually keep my workout clothes pretty basic, I'm always on the lookout for a unique bag or mat. I was excited to find out that Brooklyn-based designer Jill Malek teamed up with the eco-friendly company YogaMatic for a new line of mats.
Get in Gear: Pinda Mat Bag
Whether you're taking the subway to your Pilates class, riding your bike to Yoga, or taking a day hike with some friends, this is the pack for you.
The Pinda Yoga Backpack from Saka can hold a wide range of mats. So even if your mat is pretty heavy, you hardly notice it because of the comfortably padded straps.
New Uses for Old Mats
There comes a time when your yoga mat has seen its last downward dog and you may not feel that throwing it away is the best solution for you (or the environment). So what's a girl to do?
Gaiam.com has an awesome list of fabulous ideas of uses for that old yoga mat:
Fit Tip: Keep Wipes in Your Mat Bag
When I envision practicing yoga, I think of deep breathing, calmness, melting tension, and an open body and mind. All those good things can quickly turn bad if you lower your face to your mat in Child's Pose and get a whiff of funkiness. Then when you realize the horrid aroma is emanating from your own mat, you may want to roll it up and head out the door.
Eco-Friendly Folding Mat
Crescent Moon came out with the innovative earth-friendly ECOmat for Pilates and yoga. It's made from patented TPE foam, so it contains no PVC, latex, rubber, or toxic materials.
Not only that, but it folds up.
Fittingly Green: Design Your Own Yoga Mat at Yogamatic
When you go to a yoga class, the sea of mats laid out on the floor is usually pretty boring. Plain blue, black, and purple aren't exactly an expression of your unique personalty, so why not design your own? At yogamatic.com, you can upload any photo or drawing and it will be made into a 100 percent biodegradable foam mat.
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