bYo - The Development of a Yoga Mat - Part 2

In Part 1, we explained why we think it’s time for a new yoga mat. Today, we’ll tell you why natural rubber hasn’t quite won us over as a material (yet).
 
 
Our new bYo yoga mat has already gone through several earlier versions that never made it to market. We tested various materials, including several versions made with natural rubber. Wait a minute—natural rubber (Gummi elasticum)—that sounds great, doesn’t it? After all, it’s a natural material derived from the rubber tree. Plus, it’s elastic, durable, and—depending on the thickness—offers good cushioning on a yoga mat. So, everything seems great, you’d think. And that’s why we developed several mats made entirely or partially from natural rubber.
 
 Some of our beta versions
 

The first issues we identified were already related to the material itself. In some cases, it was very difficult to obtain verifiable certificates confirming that the product was truly made of 100% natural rubber. This is because, for example, additives are permitted, though this is often not apparent. Other manufacturers may label it “natural latex,” for instance, but in reality it contains only about 10–30% natural rubber. So our goal here was to source the material from a certified supplier. Simply offering yet another product on the crowded market was out of the question for us.

In addition, natural rubber products often give off a strong rubber odor during the first few weeks. Even though this odor is not harmful to your health, it is particularly important with a yoga mat that there are no distractions during your practice.

Unfortunately, wear and tear was also an issue with this mat. For example, we developed a beta version with a cork surface and a base made of natural rubber. Under heavy use, the surface began to wear down. It’s important to note that it’s not just plastic, but microparticles in general that pose a significant threat to our environment and the world’s oceans. For this reason, further developing this version was out of the question for us.

Nevertheless, we believe the problems we see here can be solved, precisely because, as mentioned at the outset, there are also many positive aspects. The following factors are essential for this:

• Natural rubber manufactured with certification
• No noticeable odor
• Highly durable and abrasion-resistant

We felt that, at least for the time being, these criteria had not yet been met. For these reasons, our project stalled for a while, and we were searching for a solution that met our expectations. We also had—and still have—other interesting materials on our list in order to develop a sustainable yoga mat solution that also meets our criteria. We also hadn’t yet reached our ideal vision in terms of design. You’ll find out how we then took a decisive step in the next part. See you then!
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