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, you'll find out why natural rubber doesn't (yet) really convince us as a material.
 
 
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 good, doesn’t it? After all, it’s a natural material extracted from the rubber tree. Plus, it’s elastic, durable, and—depending on the thickness—provides good cushioning on a yoga mat. So, everything seems great, you’d think. And that’s why we developed a few mats made entirely or partly from natural rubber.
 
 Some of our beta versions
 

The first problems we identified were already related to the material itself. In some cases, it was very difficult to obtain verifiable certificates confirming that the material was truly 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 already 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 especially important with a yoga mat that there are no distractions during your practice.

Unfortunately, abrasion was also an issue with one of the mats. For example, we developed a beta version in which the surface was made of cork and the rest of the mat was made of natural rubber. Under heavy use, abrasion occurred. It’s important to note that it’s not just plastic, but microparticles in general that have a significant negative impact on our environment and the world’s oceans. For that 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 beginning—there are also many very positive aspects. The following factors are prerequisites for this:

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

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 as we work to develop a sustainable yoga mat solution that also meets our criteria. In terms of design, too, we hadn’t yet reached our ideal vision. You’ll find out in the next part how we then took a decisive step forward. See you then!
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