FAQs

How do Second Earth yoga mats compare to others?

That’s one of my favorite questions because it gives me a chance to brag about how good our mats are :)

When we started this business our goal was to develop a yoga mat that ticked all the boxes in terms of sustainability but it also needed to outperform any other mat we had ever used. So we did a huge amount of research and testing to see how our yoga mats would stack up against the competition. The results are incredible.

Here’s a snapshot of how we perform against a couple of the key yoga mat criteria:

Grip – Our yoga mats are unparalleled when it comes to non-slip performance and that’s why we claim to have the best non-slip yoga mats in Australia. Since we launched, several yoga instructors have tested then bought our mats because they love the premium quality and performance, particularly from a non-slip perspective. The extremely grippy surface allows you to push through each pose with complete confidence and perfect technique. Our mats offer great support for all types of yoga and suit beginners all the way through to seasoned yogis looking to take their practice to the next level.

Durability – Our mats offer exceptional durability in comparison to other eco yoga mats and are comparable to PVC yoga mats. Some eco yoga mats are made only with natural rubber, which is great from an environmentally friendly point of view, but it means the rubber can stretch and eventually break down. Our mats are made with a combination of natural rubber and jute fibres or cork. Jute is the same plant that is used to make hessian because it is exceptionally strong. The jute fibres reinforce the natural rubber in our mats which provides better structure, strength and durability. And cork is one of the most resilient and durable naturally occurring substances on the planet.

What’s the best way to clean and look after a Second Earth yoga mat?

I’m glad you asked. No one likes a smelly mat :)

For optimum performance and long life, you should keep your mat dry and stored in a ventilated and shady place, ideally indoors. Our mats don’t like to stay wet for long so if your mat is wet, let it completely air-dry naturally in a shady place and avoid leaving it in direct sunlight for long periods of time.

If you want to keep it simple, you can wash all of our mats down with clean water and a soft cloth.

If you want something a little stronger we recommend a yoga mat spray as outlined below or you can use any of the natural cleaners available. We just don’t recommend using anything with harsh chemicals or soap. When washing our mats down please be gentle as regular vigorous washing may cause damage to the surface of the mat.

Yoga Mat Spray

Fill a spray bottle with:

• 4/5 clean water
• 1/5 white vinegar
• 5 drops of an essential oil like tea tree oil, lemon grass oil, lavender oil or eucalyptus oil.

It’s important to only use a couple of drops of oil as too much may cause the mat to get a little slippery.

Then shake the bottle and lightly spritz the surface of the mat and wipe it down with a soft cloth.

Do your mats contain latex?

If you’re asking that question I’m guessing you have a latex allergy. That sucks. In short, if you have a latex allergy it is extremely unlikely that our mats will cause you an issue but we can’t absolutely guarantee it. You probably already know that latex is a natural protein that occurs in natural rubber. All of our mats are made with natural rubber but we use a special technique to toughen the natural rubber which involves heating it at extremely high temperatures. This high temperature process means it's almost impossible for any of the latex proteins to survive however it is impossible to know with absolute certainty.

Does natural rubber have a smell?

Yes natural rubber products can have a slight smell which you may notice when you first open your mat. Most people tell us they like this natural aroma 😊. Occasionally this smell can be intensified during the shipping journey (the fun and inconsistencies of working with natural raw materials). But if it's not for you rest assured that it does fade quickly once the mat is out in the open. If you want to speed this process up you can give the mat a wipe down using any of the cleaning methods outlined above or just leave it to air outside (under cover) over night.

Are any glues or binding agents used to make Second Earth yoga mats?

No. We use a high tech patented process to combine the jute and natural rubber in our mats which means binding agents or glues are not needed. Pretty cool hey? And this also means that our mats are some of the most eco-friendly available.

Do Second Earth yoga mats come in any other sizes or colours?

All of our 2E ‘Connected’ mats are 175cm in length and come in either Earth Black, Forest Floor Green, Ocean Blue or Pink Clay. We chose the length carefully as it suits most men and women well. It’s also a good size for a packed yoga class where there isn’t always a lot of room! I myself am 6ft (183cm) and our mats serve me well.

Our 2E ‘Affinity’ cork mats are slightly longer at 183cm.

Are Second Earth mats suitable for hot yoga?

Our mats can be used for all types of yoga and pilates, including heated yoga, however we don't recommend using them regularly in really hot bikram yoga. Our mats are made from all natural materials with no chemical additives so continually exposing them to really hot conditions can reduce their lifespan. As mentioned above you should also avoid leaving your mat in hot direct sunlight for long periods of time.

I’ve just unrolled my mat for the first time and it feels a little bit slippery. What should I do?

Don’t stress! 99% of people find that our mats are super grippy from the moment they are opened but on very rare occasions a mat can feel a little slippery when it's brand new. This can be due to some residue from the manufacturing process or from the natural rubber sweating during the storage and shipping journey.

Rest assured it can be easily fixed.

Sometimes it can just be a matter of removing any moisture from the mat by hanging it up to air out overnight, or for a couple of nights, in a protected area like a garage or carport.

Another option is to give your mat a wash down with a damp soft cloth and water. Or for something a little stronger, a touch of white vinegar and water (1-part white vinegar to 10-parts water) and then leaving it to completely dry in a shady place. This will ensure any residue from the manufacturing process is washed away and your mat will be super-grippy again in no time!

The gentle rubbing of the surface can also help your mat to 'grip up' and break it in. When wiping the mat down please be gentle as vigorous rubbing may cause damage the top layer.  

Like most other yoga mats, ours will naturally get grippier and grippier over the first few weeks of practice and the more they are used.

The jute in my mat has some discoloration. Is that normal?

To keep everything as planet friendly as possible we choose to use a natural jute fabric in our mats. It is not bleached or chemically modified in any way which can be done to create a pure beige colour. Therefore the jute in our mats has some natural discoloration which means every single one of our mats is unique and earthy. Any discoloration is most noticeable in our lighter coloured 2E 'Connected' mats.

Is it true that your yoga mats are the coolest in Australia and possibly the world?

We’ll leave that to you to judge. But the short answer is yes. ;-)