Top 5 Best Cork Yoga Mats – Ultimate 2023 Buying Guide

Have you heard about the best cork yoga mat?  A sturdy cork yoga mat helps prevent slippage and is made with sustainable, odor-resistant, and antimicrobial materials. To avoid falling, tripping, and struggling while executing a specific pose, you may consider investing in one.

Unlike other mats, cork yoga mats are eco-friendly options, easy to clean and require low maintenance. When you sweat more while practicing yoga, a cork yoga mat helps you maintain balance and traction. Since this mat does not contain any chemicals, it’s ideal for environmentally-conscious shoppers. 

However, more and more manufacturers offer cork yoga mats nowadays, so choosing the best option can be tricky. Don’t worry; we have some helpful buying guides that we’d like to share with you below.

Continue reading the rest of this post to learn more about the advantages and versatility of cork yoga mats.

To assist you in your cork mat shopping journey, let’s check this list of cork yoga mat reviews:

5 Best Cork Yoga Mats – Reviews 2023

1. Gaiam Cork Yoga Mat

For yoga beginners and professionals, this cork mat is worth checking out. It does a great job of warding off unwanted odor and dirt during exercise or yoga sessions. This is all thanks to its antimicrobial property that helps keep germs and bacteria at bay.

This mat is a perfect companion for those who are into heated or hot yoga sessions. With it, there’s no need to worry about losing your balance. It’s exceptional for ensuring better grip and traction, so workout and yoga sessions become even more exciting.

It’s soft, lightweight, and it’s effortless to grip when it’s slightly dampened. Taking it anywhere is convenient because it’s easy to transport and store even when traveling. To remove the unpleasant smell once unwrapped, please follow the instructions on the user guide.

On the cons, this cork mat tends to become brittle once exposed to direct sunlight for an extended time. So, please avoid doing that to make this mat last.

Pros

• Helps ward off unpleasant odor and dirt
• Highly recommended for hot or heated yoga sessions
• Ensures more exceptional grip and traction
• Softer, lightweight, and effortless to grip
• Perfect for beginners and professional yogis

Cons

• Becomes brittle when overly exposed to direct sunlight

---

2. YOGA DESIGN LAB Cork Yoga Mat

This Mandala-designed cork mat gets grippier the more you sweat. It features a sustainable and renewable cork top layer. It’s easy to clean and does not require high maintenance. You can clean it using mild soap and water and then hang or lay it flat to dry naturally.

Featuring a springy ride build, it can serve as a cushion that safeguards the joints. Likewise, this yoga mat is dependable in enabling yogis to have complete support and remain stable while practicing yoga. It’s non-slip, convenient to carry around, and features a symmetrical design that provides guides for alignment.

It’s a perfect mat that is ideal to use for home, gym, and yoga studios. On the downside, expect to encounter a slightly strong smell when you get this mat out of the box. Fortunately, the unpleasant smell disappears over time with proper use and care.

Pros

• Features a sustainable and renewable cork top layer
• Helps users remain stable with maximum support
• Effortless to clean and not high maintenance
• Gets grippier as it gets wet
• Designed with unique Mandala style

Cons

• Has a slightly strong smell once unboxed

---

3. SEMPER SANUS Large Cork Yoga Mat

This long and wide cork yoga mat is spacious enough for tall men and women. It’s designed with self-cleaning quality, so it’s not tedious to care for and maintain. It’s skin-friendly and unrolls incredibly flat, so it doesn’t bunch up.

Additionally, this durable Pilates and yoga mat is durable for strenuous activities and ensures a superior grip. In the same way, it features real natural, anti-skid, and eco-friendly rubber backing, so users remain safe and stable.

As a result, you’re worry-free executing more challenging yoga poses and intensive workouts. This ultra-flexible, strong, and thick cork mat can be a great partner in yoga and other workout sessions.

Be that as it may, this mat is a little heavier to carry around. So, users might need a belt or bag to carry it more conveniently.

Pros

• Ultra-flexible and unrolls incredibly flat
• Features real natural, anti-skid, and an eco-friendly rubber backing
• Provides ample space for tall men and women
• Durable, easy to clean, and ensures superior grip
• Ideal for yoga, Pilates, and other workout activities

Cons

• A little heavier to carry around

---

4. Yoloha Aura Cork Yoga Mat

This yoga mat features eco-friendly, toxic-free materials and foam backing. It does an exceptional job of ensuring optimal support and comfort during yoga practice or workout sessions. For yogis looking for mats that can promote balance and better grip, this cork mat is ideal for that purpose.

This cork mat won’t fail yogis and fitness enthusiasts as it provides better knee and wrist support. It comes with an extra thick and non-slip design; it’s easy to care for and dries faster. Since it’s lightweight, it’s not a burden to bring anywhere your yoga and workout sessions take you.

However, the major gripe you’ll encounter with this cork mat is its costly price tag. It seems priced higher than other brands. Anyhow, in terms of quality and performance, it’s unbeatable, so the high price isn’t a deal-breaker.

Pros

• Ensures optimal support and comfort for different practices
• Features an eco-friendly and toxic-free foam backing
• Extra thick, non-slip, provides knee and wrist support
• Helps promote balance and better grip
• Lightweight and easy to transport

Cons

• More expensive than other available options

---

5. NMEPLAD Cork Yoga Mat

This non-slip and double-sided cork mat gets more traction when it absorbs moisture. It allows more comfort, support, and safety during yoga practice and workout activities. This item is worth considering for yogis searching for portable, sturdy mats manufactured using toxic-free materials.

What’s more, it features a natural thick rubber backing so users can enjoy better stability and performance. It provides sufficient body support to sustain stability during pose transitions.  Its wide, long, and unique style makes it roomy enough to move smoothly while practicing and working out.

This cork mat is one of the most preferred options because it’s ideal for all yoga styles. On the flip side, it is not as lightweight as other options out there. Luckily, it’s not that inconvenient to carry around since it comes with a yoga belt and shoulder strap.

Pros

• Allows more comfort, support, and safety during practice
• Portable, sturdy, non-toxic materials
• Features a natural thick rubber backing
• Unique style, wide and long
• Ideal to use for all styles of yoga

Cons

• A bit heavy

---

Buying Guides For The Best Cork Yoga Mat

We all deserve to get the best products whenever we go shopping. So, to achieve this, we need to be insightful of the features we need to inspect when buying cork mats. Not to mention, when comparing options, we strongly suggest checking cork yoga mat pros and cons.

What are the factors you need to consider when purchasing a cork yoga mat?

When buying a cork mat for your yoga classes, you should take the following factors in mind:

1. Size

The dimensions of the cork mat are a vital factor to look at. Go for mats that are wide and long. This way, you’re more comfortable since you have ample space while executing the yoga poses. Always make it a habit to refer to the size chart for yoga mat.

2. Materials

Premium quality, durable and sustainable cork mats are better options. Search for mats that are organic so that your comfort and safety are guaranteed. Cork mats that are certified by SGS are great buys.

3. Natural Backing

Choose mats that are manufactured using recyclable and biodegradable materials. Cork mats designed with natural backing materials can ensure more excellent grip because they’re adept at sticking to different surfaces.

Cork mats are also free of toxic chemicals like PVCs, phthalates, adhesive glues, and silicones.

4. Thickness

As for the recommended thickness, the ideal is four to six mm. Thick mats are better options because they lie flat on the floor, giving the body more additional support. Please note that mats that are too thick will only make your execution harder as your body sinks.

5. Affordable cork yoga mat

When we say “affordable,” this does not mean choosing the cheapest or costliest option. It’s more practical to choose cork mats that are a bit pricey but premium quality. Premium quality cork mats are not prone to flaking or peeling, so they can last long.

What Is A Cork Mat Used For?

Cork mats are excellent items you can use for hot and warm yoga sessions. They are generally slightly slippery until you moisten them a bit. Dry hands on a dry mat tend to be more prone to slippage.

So, to avoid this, we strongly suggest dampening the mat a bit using a spray bottle. This way, you can ensure more excellent traction.

Why Should You Purchase A Cork Yoga Mat?

Cork yoga mats are worthwhile investments because they’re reliable in retaining traction, essential for yoga sessions. They can resist mildew, bacteria, and mold, so cleaning them more frequently is unnecessary. Best of all, they are not smelly and can retain their woody smell.

FAQ’s

1. Is a cork yoga mat a better option?

Yes. Cork mats are better options compared to standard mats used for yoga. What makes cork mats more excellent alternatives? Let’s check out the following reasons:

• Cork mats can resist sweat, odor, bacteria, mildew, and mold. Their natural properties make them ideal for impeding the buildup of microorganisms. As a result, they are not exhausting to clean and maintain, unlike regular yoga mats.

• Cork mats are more environmentally-friendly options since they are toxic-free and made from oak tree bark that regenerates. Manufacturers harvest the bark in a responsible approach that avoids tree-cutting. Hence, they’re sustainable, biodegradable, recyclable, and renewable. It’s worth noting that harvested trees are excellent at taking in more carbon dioxide five times than non-harvested ones.

• Cork mats have anti-slip and excellent support features. The cellular framework of cork mats serves as a natural cushion that provides maximum body support while exercising. This material is sleek, comfy, and gentle on your joints.

• Aside from this, cork mats are sturdy and suitable for arduous yoga sessions and exercises. They also ensure better grip, particularly when you sweat out during yoga or workout sessions. Thus, if excellent traction is what you’re searching for, cork mats can ensure you that. To allow the mat to stay in place, consider spraying a bit of water. Not using a towel while exercising or during yoga sessions is perfectly fine because cork mats absorb moisture.

• Cork mats are more lightweight than regular mats. Due to this, they are ideal for people who are always on the go. You can transport and store high-density cork mats easily.

It’s worth mentioning that this feature makes them better alternatives than rubber mats.

Would you like to discover more if the cork yoga mat is an ideal choice for your yoga practice? Then, you might want to watch

for more info.

2. Are cork yoga mats slippery?

You’re more likely to slip on a cork mat if you don’t add a bit of moisture to it. This is why some yogis utilize a spray bottle to solve this problem.

Most yogis practicing hot yoga consider cork mats ideal for their sessions because they become grippier when they sweat out.

The gist here is that dry mats and dry hands are not ideal when using cork mats. Slippage is more likely to happen if you don’t moisten things slightly.

3. Are cork mats ideal for hot yoga?

Yes. Cork mats are ideal for hot yoga sessions. When this mat becomes a bit wet, it acquires more traction, so you get a better grip while executing poses. It does not remain cold during hot yoga sessions, but it’s slightly cooler than other yoga mats.

This is because it doesn’t take in as much heat as TPE and rubber materials do. With a cork mat, you won’t need to use a towel while performing hot yoga. Hence, it allows you to concentrate on your yoga poses.

4. How are cork yoga mats made?

Cork mats are derived from the outer bark of oak trees. Cork mats are considered sustainable because the bark grows back when you strip it to make mats. Manufacturers clean, treat and dry the bark to make it appropriate for the production process.

Cork mat manufacturers also utilize recyclable rubber materials that serve as the base of the mat. Meanwhile, they use plant-based inks when adorning cork mats to ensure that they are free from any chemicals.

5. Does cork smell?

Since cork mats are derived from oak tree barks, they naturally have a woody smell at first. However, this natural woody smell vanishes as days pass by. Some people spray it with scented essential oils that somehow conceal the smell and uplift their mood.

6. Are cork yoga mats pricey?

In general, the price of cork mats largely depends on the quality of materials used. But, as compared to other regular mats used for yoga, cork mats are a little expensive. One of the reasons is that they are made using organic materials, so they are safer options.

Furthermore, cork mats are built to last, easy to clean and maintain, and eco-friendly.

7. How do I care for my cork yoga mat?

The delightful news is that cork mats don’t require high maintenance. You don’t even need to clean them more often. All you need to do is spray them with vinegar and water solution once a week.

Let the solution dry on its own or wipe it with a cloth to absorb any undesirable odor.  In doing so, your mat will be clean and fresh on your next yoga class.

Warning: Please avoid scrubbing your cork mat with an abrasive sponge or stiff brush. Doing so will damage it.

8. Are cork yoga mats better options than foam?

Foam and cork mats have pros and cons. Foam mats are lighter, less expensive, and sleeker than cork. On the other hand, cork is ideal for better grip as you sweat more and excellent for hot yoga sessions.

Final Thoughts

As you read, the best cork mats are worthwhile investments for yogis and fitness enthusiasts. This is because they are far better options than regular mats in terms of quality and uses.

While they’re a bit expensive, they can last for an extended time. More importantly, they can ensure better grip and balance during workout and yoga sessions.

The Yoloha Yoga Mat appears to be the best cork yoga mat among the five products reviewed above. It’s priced higher than the rest, but you will be satisfied by its quality, practical features, and exceptional performance.

When it comes to promoting balance, optimal support, and better grip, the Yoloha cork mat won’t fail you. It’s also durable, which makes it ideal for any yoga style and workout activities.

Read more: Top 10 Best Yoga Mat For Hardwood Floors