Among all the mats available in the market, cotton mats are the most popular ones. Before buying yoga mats we should keep few things in mind. Are the mats serving the purpose for which they are bought? Are they easy to maintain? What is the life span of these mats? etc.

Cotton mats have many advantages over the others. They are extra soft and thick. They provide a perfect non-slip surface, which helps in doing yoga without the fear of getting hurt. These provide a nice padding around the knees and ankles for the yoga exercises. These are durable, portable, easy to maintain, washable and very light in weight.

They can be folded or rolled and stored conveniently in any corner of your house. Beautiful mat bags are also available to carry them to where ever you go. They are comparatively inexpensive, so easy on your pocket. These are available in different shapes and sizes and in a wide range of bright colours and pastel shades. It soaks sweat so your grip remains same on the mat so it keeps you from slipping even when you perspire. They are non-toxic and eco friendly. What more you can even enjoy a nap on it!!

To practise yoga in a safe and convenient way one should think of all the advantages and disadvantages of different types of mats available and then buy what is most suitable. With the long list of advantages, the cotton mats definitely have an edge above the others.

Yoga has been practised all around the world for thousands of years. Its regular practise rewards us with greater health and vitality and a perfect balance between mind, body and spirit. It brings true happiness, and makes you feel better from within. The breathing exercise and meditation helps you tune in, shape up and feel great all at the same time. Yoga is a cure to many ailments but it needs to be performed with care to avoid injuring oneself. Many times accidents occur while doing yoga exercises. Yoga mats should be used to avoid such circumstances as they provide cushioning and traction. These days’ markets are flooded with a variety of yoga mats. You find them in different colours, shapes and sizes. They are available in different materials also.

Some of the commonly available yoga mats are:

· Cotton yoga mats – these are mats made of cotton. They are thick and soft and give excellent support to your body while doing yoga. They are completely natural and have beautiful colour and texture.

· Eco friendly mats - These eco friendly yoga mats are made of PER i.e. Polymer Environmental Raisin. They are non-toxic, latex free, ecological and healthy. They are available in a wide range of colours.

· Tapas mats –these are stable and provide a non-slip surface. They give insulation from the cool floors.

· Rubber mats – these mats are made of natural rubber and are thin and easily movable. They provide good cushioning and resilience.

· Jute mats – these are latex free mats made of jute. They are made by meshing jute fibre with PER plastic.

· PVC mats – as the name suggests they are made of Poly Vinyl Chloride. They have a non-slip surface and are easy to maintain.

· Woven fabric mat – these are mats made of woven fabric which is thickly textured.

· Yoga towel mats – they are made of soft towel material, are easily washable and soak your sweat when you are doing yoga exercises.

Cotton yoga mats have also been a favourite with yoga practitioners because it tends to retain a lot of sweat and arrests any possibilities of slipping. Chances of mishaps during a particularly strenuous asana performed on an artificial mat are slightly enhanced, because the sweat tends to stick to the surface resulting in lubrication. Unlike foam, which is likely to slip on smooth surface, a cotton mat on the other hand rather clings to it. In fact if you sprinkle some water onto the cotton yoga mat before you start your yoga session it would do wonders to the grip too.

There is yet another practical reason why a simple cotton mat wins our vote. Cotton yoga mats are cheaper to purchase or order as compared to artificial mats. Its nothing fancy, just a pack of compact cotton layers, evenly packed and covered in a sewn cotton jacket.

Sure you’d say so what do you do with all the sweat trapped in the cotton yoga mat? Sweat runs right off plastic, foam yoga mats, aren’t there chances of catching some kind of an infection with all that sweat trapped inside the cotton?

But here’s what makes a cotton yoga mat special. All you have got to do is wash it. If you have a washing machine just rinse it in tepid water, because hot water would shirk the cotton fiber and make your mattress look lumpy. If you don’t have a washing machine, just dip it in a tub filled with tepid water and wash it, as simple as it comes.

Finally, if you are into yoga to get yourself as fit as a fiddle. Go organic, use a cotton yoga mat, which is biodegradable. Help the world get fitter too.

Life is best led naturally. Yoga is certainly no different. Finally yoga is the art, which teaches you to connect you with your innate most natural self. It’s not for nothing, that for generations now, yoga practitioners have preferred to choose the organic cotton mat to perform yogasanas over the artificial options.

But over the last few years the humble cotton mattress has seen competition heat up from other varieties of yoga mats. Mats have evolved over the years, in the same way yoga has over the years. Yoga mats are now made with specific materials suited for a particular brand of yoga. But despite such competition, the cotton Yoga mat has held itself in good stead.

You simply cannot ignore the fact that it’s organic. Over a period of time mattresses made of foam or other artificial substances like plastic are known to have resulted in allergies afflicted by the yoga practitioners due to the exposure of naked skin to the mats for long durations. Cotton poses no such problem vis a vis irritations or allergies as it is blessed with a much larger quotient of body tolerance.