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Heat, however, can also challenge yoga practice. Sweating during hot yoga can make standard yoga mats and blocks slippery, affecting focus, stability and mat hygiene. Cork offers many unique benefits, making it a superior choice over standard mats and props when practising yoga in a heated environment.
Here's 11 reasons why cork should always be your go-to for yoga accessories during your hot yoga practice or any other style of yoga:
1. Enhanced Grip with Moisture
One of the main advantages of cork mats and blocks for hot yoga is their natural grip. As the body heats up and begins to sweat, it's common for synthetic mats to become slippery, making it difficult to maintain balance and stability during challenging poses. In contrast, the cork surface becomes even more grippy with moisture, providing excellent traction and a reliable foundation for your practice. The grippy surface allows you to focus on your alignment and breath, without worrying about slipping or sliding on your mat.
A nonslip yoga mat is a game-changer during heated yoga practices where the air is moist and bodies sweaty. The risk of slipping or injury is significantly reduced, allowing yogis (and yoga instructors) to focus on their practice. It means you don't need to reach for your yoga towel every five minutes and can truly focus on getting in the zone.
2. Amazing Antimicrobial Properties
Cork is naturally antimicrobial, meaning it resists bacteria, mould, mildew and odours. This is essential for heated yoga environments which can become breeding grounds for microbes due to warm, humid conditions. These antimicrobial properties help maintain a clean and hygienic surface compared to the textured surfaces of synthetic mats, which can house harmful bacteria. Additionally, cork is hypoallergenic, making it an ideal choice for individuals with allergies or sensitive skin.
3. Durable and Easy to Maintain
Cork's practicality is evident in its ability to withstand repeated use, making it a smart and cost-effective option over time. Cork yoga mats and blocks maintain their shape and integrity, outlasting many synthetic alternatives. A simple wipe-down with an essential oil spray is all that's required for proper care after a hot yoga session.
4. Comfort and Support
Cork provides a cushioned yet firm, smooth surface that supports the body with extra cushion and excellent grip as you practise. This balance of softness and stability is especially beneficial in heated yoga, where the body can be pushed to its limits. The natural elasticity of cork combined with the natural tree rubber backing of ZONE yoga mats creates extra cushioning and helps to absorb impact and reduce pressure on the joints and spine, supporting a safe practice and allowing for a more focused and deeper practice. With cork, you can practice your chosen style of yoga with ease, knowing that your body is well-supported with ample cushioning.
5. Natural Connection
The warm, earthy tones of cork mats and blocks add a calming, grounding element to any yoga space. This promotes a deeper connection to the earth, reflecting yoga's philosophy of unity and respect for all living beings. Incorporating cork into your practice serves as a constant reminder of this connection.
6. Non-toxic and Safe
Cork is free from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), phthalates, and other harmful petrochemicals found in conventional synthetic yoga mats. This absence of toxins ensures safety for yogis, and also reduces the release of harmful substances into the environment. Choosing cork for your hot yoga mats and props aligns your yoga practice with ahimsa (non-harming), promoting compassion towards oneself, others and the environment.
7. The Ethical and Conscious Choice
The lifecycle of cork, from harvest to production, embodies principles of sustainability and minimal environmental impact. Cork oak trees are not cut down but simply stripped of their bark in a process that actually enhances their ability to absorb carbon dioxide. This makes cork an excellent carbon sink and a vital player in combating climate change.
8. Ideal for Hot Yoga Practitioners
Cork's heat-resistant qualities make it an ideal choice for hot yoga class. Unlike synthetic materials that might degrade or emit odours when exposed to high temperatures, cork remains stable and odour-free. This ensures a pleasant experience for yogis and yoga teachers who practice frequently, even under the sweltering conditions of a hot yoga studio.
9. Improved Stability for Advanced Poses
The firmness of cork blocks provides unparalleled stability, which is crucial for attempting advanced poses. This stability is particularly beneficial in a heated environment, where muscles are more flexible, and there's a greater tendency to push physical boundaries. Cork blocks support this exploration by ensuring a secure and non-slip foundation with excellent traction, enabling yogis to safely experiment with and master complex poses under the guidance of a yoga instructor.
10. Anti-odour
Hot yoga classes can leave you drenched in sweat, but cork mats are designed to handle moisture effectively, meaning a mat with water is a good thing! Cork has inherent antimicrobial properties that naturally resist the growth of odour-causing bacteria, keeping your exercise mat hygienic and odour-free, no matter what type of yoga you are practising. This moisture-wicking ability helps to keep your mat clean and fresh, preventing unwanted odours or a sticky surface.
11. Eco-friendly Packaging and Accessories
ZONE cork yoga products come with minimal, eco-friendly packaging, further reducing the environmental impact of your yoga practice. From minimal packaging to natural rubber backing on mats for extra grip, every aspect of our cork yoga products is designed with sustainability in mind. This commitment extends the ethos of yoga beyond the mat, encouraging a lifestyle that is harmonious with nature. By choosing cork, you're making a conscious, responsible choice for the planet.
Incorporating cork yoga accessories into your heated yoga class enhances your practise with superior grip, comfort and support but also aligns your practice with deeper ethical and environmental values. As you move through your poses, the natural beauty and sustainability of cork will remind you of the strength and grace within you.
Cork Yoga Mats: The Best Choice For Hot Yoga
At ZONE, our eco-friendly yoga mats are made from eco-friendly materials: 100% sustainable cork and natural rubber. They are biodegradable, non-toxic and free from PVC, latex, phthalates and harsh glues. The cork surface has a smooth and natural feel that increases in grip with perspiration and a centre guideline to keep you in alignment. Discover our yoga mat collection made with cork and natural tree rubber.
The Ultimate Non-Slip Experience
We recommend using our Australian-made yoga mat sprays which use our signature blends of Australian essential oils to lightly moisten your mat before practicing. When used with a damp cloth, this will infuse your mat with beautiful scents and initiate the suberin, providing excellent traction for the ultimate non-slip experience.
Cork Yoga Blocks: Essential For Heated Yoga
ZONE cork yoga blocks are made from 100% compressed cork, giving you a firm natural grip and stability. Yoga blocks are an essential prop for beginners and experienced yogis to help overall progression and support physical limitations.
Looking for a more focused, safer and healthier hot yoga experience? Explore the ZONE cork yoga range today.
