WHAT'S GOOD | Yoga Design Lab

Testing out my gorgeous new mat from Yoga Design Lab. 

Ask any yogi whether great workout wear affects their practice, and they'll all admit it's a must. From pants that stay put to tops that don't get in the way of tricky poses, the gear plays a huge role in the whole yoga experience, right down to the mat. When it comes to hot yoga, the mat becomes especially important since slipping and sliding really messes with your flow. 

When Yoga Design Lab reached out to see if I wanted to test-drive one of their new mats, I was stoked. I had a flimsy Pepto-pink mat that I'd picked up on the way to my first hot yoga class and was in major need of an upgrade.  Yoga Design Lab just launched in Canada but has already shaken up the yoga scene in the States with a growing celebrity following and Harper's Bazaar calling the mats 'stunning works of art'. One look at the mat collection and it's obvious why the yoga world is struggling to catch its collective breath. 

Luckily, there's substance behind the style, too. The mats consist of a natural tree rubber base that's bonded to a sueded microfiber surface, solving one of yoga's biggest problems - slipping. These mats are designed to become even grippier with sweat, making them ideal for everything from hot yoga to power yoga to ashtanga. The Combo Mat construction is unique on the market and took over a year to develop. 

While the mats have it down in terms of design, it's the brand's story that really sticks. In 2014, Canadian surfer/yogi/hottie Chad Turner sold all of his things, moved to Bali and launched the brand.

"I was seated in the back of a packed yoga class while on vacation in Ubud, Bali. Looking around, all I saw was a sea of unoriginal, massed produced, solid colored mats. My thinking was, there must be a way of creating a highly functional product that was also aesthetically beautiful. So the journey began. Long story short, I sold my stuff in Vancouver, packed up a couple bags and moved to Bali with the goal of creating a stunning line of yoga products that inspire more people to get excited about yoga. Really looking forward to finally launching the brand in Canada. It’s a special moment for me.”  

I tried out my new mat a few times last week and cannot believe the difference a great mat makes. Oh, and bonus: the minute I brought my mat into class, my fellow yogis all had to know where I got it. Looks like our yoga class is getting an upgrade. See and shop the full collection on yogadesignlab.com now, and keep watching for exciting new collabs - the company has already teamed up with leading New York Designer Mara Hoffman for a series of limited edition collaboration mats coming out shortly. A must, right? Just consider it an essential (and beautiful) investment in your health.

Happy Fri! xx