We first found Metta Mats throughout final winter’s Moovment Fest. Metta Mats have been a fellow sponsor of the occasion, and their dedication to neighborhood was virtually as putting as their yoga mat designs. We needed to be taught extra concerning the Metta Mats model.
Metta Mats was based by David Whitehurst and Jonathan Walker (however his pals name him Jonny) – two highschool pals from Roanoke, Virginia.
After graduating from Virginia Tech, David and Jonny launched Metta Mats in 2015.
Jonny shares the way it all started: “We each observed there have been no art-adorned mats with nice surfaces for yoga. David’s ardour for product growth and my ardour for yoga got here collectively to create a yoga mat that was as stunning because it was practical.”
Learn on to be taught extra about this model, and the yoga mats they’re placing out into the world!
We Evaluation Metta Mats
With over 5 years of manufacturing, Metta Mats declare to have perfected their craft. In response to their web site, “Metta Mats are the results of years of experimenting. We spent years perfecting a singular floor made from protected supplies to guard the paintings we placed on our mats and supply grip and help for every type of yoga.”
With a declare like this, we needed to apply on these mats for ourselves!
What Makes Metta Mat’s Yoga Mats Distinctive?
Handmade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the primary attention-grabbing facet of what makes Metta Mats stand out from the group. Along with being made by hand within the US, these mats are ethically and sustainably made – two factors that we search for in any product that we assessment.
In response to their web site, Metta Mats believes in “sweat-shop free manufacturing. We buy our manufacturing supplies from firms with file of ethically sourced supplies and we make every mat – in addition to our different merchandise – with our personal fingers in Philadelphia in a light-hearted and protected work surroundings.”
They use a singular three-layer system for every mat that begins with a comfortable 3mm base of 100% pure tree rubber (which is renewable and recyclable). The center layer is the HD no-fade paintings design, protected by the highest layer which Metta Mats calls their “metta floor” that multitasks to seal the paintings and provide you with a strong grip in your apply.
Grip Is Key for Any Yoga Mat – So How Did Metta Mats Stack Up?
Grip is a key query for any yoga mat you contemplate investing in. The grip floor of any mat made by Metta Mats is unquestionably a uniquely totally different really feel from some other yoga mat we’ve reviewed.
Mat floor stats: it’s waterproof, grippy and sturdy, but mushy to the contact. Suppose sticky mat-level grip however with a extra textured really feel. These mats don’t require a break-in interval like many others do, and are grippy proper out of the packaging. We additionally observed that the mats develop into a bit softer and grippier with continued use. In order that’s a win-win.
Suppose sticky mat-level grip however with a extra textured really feel.
The mats are designed to keep up grip moist or dry, so whether or not you’re chilly or sweaty, the grip stays constant.
In reality, our testers discovered that when your fingers are a bit sweaty, the mat grips even higher. (Nevertheless, our testers sweat so much throughout sizzling yoga and advocate preserving a towel available when you’re a sizzling yoga practitioner that tends to sweat excessively too.)
Artist focus
Since Metta Mats is thought for his or her artist focus, we needed to see one for ourselves, so we examined out the Calibri design (which suggests hummingbird in Spanish) by Martina Hoffman from Metta Mat’s Artist Collection assortment.
We’ve examined out different yoga mat manufacturers that collaborate with artists, however have traditionally seen this on microfiber or towel-infused mats. And since microfiber mats work finest for decent yoga particularly, we have been joyful to see a extra versatile mat materials getting used for artist prints.
Artwork uplifts and evokes us. To have the ability to apply on such stunning paintings is an actual deal with, and pulls that inspiration onto the mat and into our apply. The elegant hummingbird paintings grew to become our drishti and meditative gaze, and we cherished our time training on the Calibri mat.
Execs of the Artist Collection Mats
No PVCs, poisonous supplies, or harsh chemical compounds are used within the manufacturing of those yoga mats. Metta Mats is dedicated to recycling each used part potential, and we worth their dedication to sustainability.
We have been impressed to search out how fantastically detailed and prime quality the print seems on the mat (rather more detailed and better high quality than artwork transfers on microfiber mats by comparability). Up shut, every wisp and coloration swirl is completely transmuted onto the mat for a ultimate product that really seems like a murals.
Metta Mats makes use of dye sublimation printing. Every mat’s floor is utilized by hand and the ultimate step is curing them in daylight which in flip creates the grippy really feel we described earlier. We thought this course of was fascinating sufficient to share!
The vivid particulars of the paintings is unparalleled. Any artwork lovers on the market will love these mats, which make them an awesome present thought.
Nevertheless, the most important professional is arguably the giveback program that Metta Mats has created for the artists they function. 25% of each artist sequence mat offered goes again to the unbiased artists whose paintings is featured on the mat. You may even store by artist. Metta Mats believes in supporting artwork and free expression, and we help that! 🙂
Cons of the Artist Collection Mats
Since we in contrast the Artist Collection by Metta Mats to microfiber artist-designed mats that we’ve reviewed up to now, a con for Metta Mats is that it can’t be machine washed like microfiber mats can. Metta Mats must be hand washed with vinegar or different pure family merchandise (keep away from important oils) and air-dried.
And simply as not each yoga self-discipline is for everybody, each artist isn’t for everybody both. Some practitioners could favor sure designs over others (if that’s you, you’re in luck as a result of Metta Mats has a large selection of artists and designs to select from on this sequence – 121 to be precise!).
In that very same vein, others could favor to skip the artwork totally in pursuit of one thing extra functionality-focused. For these practitioners, we’d advocate testing Metta Mat’s Alignment Mat sequence. With a stunning slew of coloration mixtures and even a traditional black for the final word minimalists, there’s an alignment mat to fulfill everybody’s wants.
Pssst! The Alignment Mat was additionally featured in our 2021 Vacation Reward Information
Picture: Metta Mats Alignment Mat
Ultimate Particulars to Know About Metta Mat’s Yoga Mat
Who’s a Metta Mat good for? We’ll break it down by class: Artist Collection and Alignment Collection. The Artist Collection mats are good for artwork lovers and seasoned practitioners who desire a sturdy, long-lasting mat that’s a pleasure to take a look at and apply on. These mats are priced at $120.
The Alignment Collection mats are perfect for newbie practitioners, those that wish to deal with their alignment, and in addition yoga instructors in search of a top quality instructing mat that’s good for demonstrating poses on. These mats are priced at $108.
(Enjoyable truth: Metta Mats based mostly the gold and turquoise Alignment Mat on YogiApproved founder Ashton August’s favourite colours!)
Boring however necessary:
- Mat dimensions: 72” lengthy; 26.25” large; 3.5 mm thick
- Weight: 5lbs
- Waterproof and UV proof
Metta Mats: Our Ultimate Takeaway
We love the distinctive inventive prints from the Metta Mats Artist Collection line, together with their ongoing help of the artists with their giveback program. We additionally admire the wide range of design choices to select from. The Alignment Collection mats are an efficient, useful, and accessible information to discovering correct alignment in any pose.
But a yoga mat is barely nearly as good as its efficiency, and Metta Mats handed with flying colours in that division too. Most significantly, we respect Metta Mats’ dedication to moral, native manufacturing and sustainability.
For these causes, this mat is 100% YogiApproved™. If you wish to be taught extra about this model, you’ll be able to try Metta Mats right here.
Metta Mats is at present providing 20% off sitewide utilizing code: HOLIDAYS2021.
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Full-disclosure: manufacturers could compensate us for the manufacturing of evaluations like this one. Nevertheless, if a product doesn’t reside as much as our requirements, we won’t assessment or put it on the market. That is our sincere opinion of the product.