Gurus Roots Mat is a fantastic sustainable, non-toxic yoga mat. Here’s why we still love it after years of use.
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Gurus Roots Cork Yoga Mat
Highlights: Naturally antimicrobial and doesn’t absorb heat. Cork layer offers an excellent grip for sweatier sessions. Mats are made with natural, sustainably sourced cork and rubber. Personally tested by our team for more than two years.
- Reversible cork and rubber sides
- Great for hot, sweaty yoga
- Perfect amount of cushioning for most yoga
- Stable and grippy
- Natural and non-toxic
- Cork is naturally antimicrobial
- Company partners with Trees For the Future to plant trees
- Durable but biodegradable at end of life
- Cumbersome and heavy to travel with
- Made in China
- Cork can crack if folded (roll this mat cork side out!)
At a glance:
Made in: China
Materials: Rubber (from India and Southeast Asia), Cork (from Portugal)
Measurements: 72 inches long by 25 inches wide
Weight: 6.25 lb.
Thickness: 5 mm
What we like
The Gurus Roots Yoga Mat is versatile thanks to its cork top layer and rubber bottom layer. You can use this mat whichever way up you like:
- Cork side – excellent grip for sweatier sessions (spray it with water for extra grip right from the get-go!)
- Rubber side – ideal for cooler, calmer practice.
Cork naturally absorbs moisture, meaning that you won’t need to use a towel on top of this mat. That makes it even easier to take your practice with you when you travel.
However, this mat weighs in at about 6.25 pounds, despite being quite thin. This is still lighter than most regular rubber mats, though (the Manduka eKO is 7 pounds, for instance).
Gurus offers two cork mat options:
- Roots Yoga Mat – made with a natural rubber base layer and cork
- Sprout Mat – made with cork and TPE (a synthetic material made from petroleum).
Unsurprisingly, the Roots Mat makes the Leaf Score cut, but the Sprout does not. If you want a sustainably made, non-toxic yoga practice, choose the Roots Mat at checkout.
See also: The 6 Best Eco-Friendly & Non-Toxic Yoga Mats
Cork is naturally antimicrobial (making this mat a breeze to care for), and it doesn’t absorb heat, so you can use this mat for outdoor yoga in the sun (cork side up). Just be sure to roll this mat instead of folding it, so you don’t risk cracking the cork.
Our experience
We have been using the Gurus Roots mat for more than two years and still love it. This mat offers a good balance between comfort and stability as it is firm but forgiving on the joints.
The mat looks and feels great. It absorbs heat and moisture, so even sweaty, hot, Bikram yoga sessions are a breeze (sort of) with this mat. It’s also nice to know that cork is naturally antimicrobial, meaning the mat isn’t harboring bacteria and doesn’t smell or need much in the way of cleaning. (We give it a quick wipe down with a soft cloth and water every so often.)
The only downside (other than it often being out of stock) is that it’s a little heavy as a travel yoga mat. That said, it’s lighter than any other rubber mat we’ve used and lighter than other mats that can provide the same level of comfort (though with less grip).
Sustainably made
Gurus mats are made with natural, sustainably sourced cork and rubber, some of which is tapped right on the family farms of the company’s creators in Kerala, India.
The company is somewhat committed to environmentally-friendly practices, although it does use synthetic TPE in its Sprouts Mat.
Gurus is a partner with Trees For The Future. This non-profit plants trees with rural communities in the developing world, enabling them to restore their environment, grow more food, and build a sustainable future.
For every Gurus product purchased, Trees For The Future plant a tree.
Vs. the competition
The Gurus Roots Yoga Mat is one of the best eco-friendly yoga mats around. It has been our top pick for many years, thanks to its versatile rubber and cork construction and eco-friendly origins. It also looks, feels, and performs fantastically.
Similar yoga mats do now exist though and aren’t quite so plagued with the out of stock troubles of Gurus. Some of our favorites include Scoria’s cork and rubber mats, which come in a range of gorgeous designs and which we’ve also tested (View on Scoria), as well as the b.halfmoon cork and rubber mats (LeafScore readers can get 15% off using this link to b.halfmoon).
See also: Top choices for non-toxic and sustainable cotton, wool, rubber, and cork yoga mats.
Gurus Roots Cork Yoga Mat
Highlights: Naturally antimicrobial and doesn’t absorb heat. Cork layer offers an excellent grip for sweatier sessions. Mats are made with natural, sustainably sourced cork and rubber. Personally tested by our team for more than two years.
Is there any way to get a custom made cork yoga mat/rug cut 6 ft x 6 ft to put in a bedroom/ yoga studio?
Hey Tammie, good question! Not that we know of, no, although some cities may have flooring specialists who could make this kind of custom yoga mat.
Hi, I read the article about toxins in yoga mats and was really struggling to find a good quality toxin free mat. I couldn’t find anything on this mat particular. As you reviewed this mat and are aware of the (potentially) toxic materials of yoga mats, would you say this one is free of them? Thank you for all of the research!