bYo - the development of a yoga mat - Part 3

bYo has already been on the market for six months and the first batch is completely sold out. Today we would like to tell you about the obstacles we had to overcome before the launch and how we finally succeeded in bringing bYo to market.
 
 
Looking back: our project for a new yoga mat stalled because we couldn't find a suitable material that could meet our sustainability requirements. We simply couldn't make any progress and tested many materials.


Which material is really sustainable?

Natural rubber? No, because not a single supplier could or wanted to guarantee that 100% natural rubber was used. In addition, many people find the smell unpleasant. 

 TPE? It is often praised as environmentally friendly, but as it is a synthetic material, it was not an option for us either.

 Hemp? We think that hemp is a very exciting material, but we have not yet been able to find a producer who can deliver an appropriate quality.
 

The bYo concept 

Our basic idea when developing bYo is that anyone doing yoga or a workout should work with natural materials. After all, a yoga mat is very personal and a retreat from everyday life. In our view, artificial materials do not fit in with this.

Several coincidences brought us back to cork. Our market analysis revealed that although there are already many cork yoga mats, they always have a different base, i.e. rubber or TPE materials. There is only a relatively thin layer of cork on the surface, which is why the term "cork yoga mat" is usually inappropriate.

Without going into too much detail, we found the idea of launching a yoga mat made of cork on the top and bottom very exciting.
 

After all, what could give our customers a better feeling than practicing on a completely natural mat? 

The first sample production was not quite satisfactory. The flexibility of the mat and the grip still needed to be improved so that it could become an #iamtreeletic product. We were all the happier that we were able to improve these two points so much that we could say bYo is coming onto the market.

We are aware that the bYo has slightly less grip than a plastic or rubber mat. However, during the test phase, we found that all exercises can be performed safely and that the grip can be maximized by moistening the mat. 

 We have also given some thought to the cushioning. The concept of the bYo yoga mat is to offer a completely natural training environment. The mat is rather firm, but with a thickness of 4 mm it offers sufficient cushioning. And if you need more cushioning, simply place a non-slip blanket under your bYo.
 
We launched bYo just before Christmas 2020 and some of the first orders were delivered to our customers by express order. In the meantime, bYo has become an integral part of the yoga community and is simply the original when it comes to a truly sustainable and natural yoga mat.
 
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