Practicing yoga is a great way to bring more mindfulness and calm into your busy life. And finding the right yoga mat for your needs is often an essential for your practice. If you are sustainably conscious, a good earth-friendly yoga mat may be at the top of your list when selecting a new mat.

In this week’s Sustainable Spotlight, we chatted with Sarrie, founder of Satori Concept, an eco-friendly yoga brand that creates cork yoga mats from sustainably-sourced cork and recycled rubber. The brand is inspired by nature and harmony, and mats feature design elements like flowers, gardens, rivers, and mountains. 

The mats are not only beautiful and made from natural materials, but they are incredibly comfortable to practice on. I had the chance to try the Om Instruction Cork Mat, and I appreciate that these mats have extra length (72 inches) and 4mm of thickness to provide just the right amount of cushioning. The mat is also non-slip and doesn’t curled up around the edges. I love the soothing design on this mat, and it even has alignment markings to help you with your poses.

“The brand name is inspired from Satori, meaning awakening to our true nature. We believe nature exists both within and without, both in the peace of our inner selves and the nature living around us all. This concept flows into the natural imagery featured on our mats like Peaceful Mountain, Blossom Lotus, or Garden of Flower.” shares founder Sarrie. 

We chatted with Sarrie to learn more about the unique sustainable yoga brand:

Can you share a little about the story behind the brand? 

Satori Concept was founded in 2019. We want to provide more eco-friendly yoga products which inspire people to be more mindful. After doing our research, we found the cork material is a perfect material for a yoga mat. Our yoga mats feature designs that remind people of the simple beauty of nature around us. We believe the simplest things can elevate your practice — rituals like surrounding yourself with fresh air and doing asanas outdoors bring a sense of harmony. We are inspired by the simplicity of things around us, like flowers, gardens, rivers, and mountains. 

Is there anything you want people to know about the materials used in your mats and how the materials are sourced?

Our cork yoga mats are made from sustainably sourced cork and recycled rubber, being non-toxic and TPE-free. When you touch the cork surface you will see that they’re soft to your skin. Also, the rubber base makes the mat stable on any floor surface and helps to improve your yoga practice. 

What role does sustainability play in your product offerings?

Cork is a 100% natural material which is biodegradable and naturally antimicrobial. Moreover, no trees are cut down to make these yoga mats. In fact, harvested cork trees sequester 3-5 times more CO2 than non-harvested cork trees.

 What do customers love most about your yoga mats?

Our customers love the soft and sweat-absorbing cork surface combined with stability from the rubber base. We also have great feedback from our customers about our designs, each mat design has a meaning and story. 

Can you share a little about the new launch and new designs? Do you have a favorite design?

In October, we will launch a new mat named "Garden of Flower," which has a subtle mix of flower colors. We were inspired by magnolia flower which represents love for nature (it is a colorful version of magnolia). To be honest, this is my favorite mat design ever, it has a vibrance that brings up positive feelings whenever you look at it. I have not folded the mat since the first time I received our test sample. 

What’s next for Satori?

We will continue to inspire our community with more "connect with nature" mat designs. We also collaborate with some other partners and yogis to promote yoga events and challenges. We hope to bring more positive energy to everyone around the world, especially during this challenging time.

For more information, visit thesatoriconcept.com and follow @thesatoriconcept on Instagram.

Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram: @zillizy