Yes, you can recycle your yoga mat via an online or local recycling service.
Yoga mats do not last forever and eventually become flat. Once the mat is flat, the item no longer supports your weight and may work against you when you are performing various yoga positions. Like other exercise equipment, there are various ways of recycling your yoga mat and giving the object a second life. Recycling your yoga mat helps keep it out of a landfill and can even helps other people, if you donate the mat to a charity or other group.
Instructions
Cleaning the Mat
1. Use a funnel to guide 1 cup of warm water and 1/2 cup of dishwashing soap into a 16 oz. spray bottle. Wear latex gloves to keep your hands dry.
2. Lay the yoga mat on a clean, flat surface. Spray the mat thoroughly with the soap mixture, then wipe the mat clean with a soft cloth or rag.
3. Dry the mat with a terry cloth towel, or allow it to air-dry by hanging it on a drying rack or outside on a clothesline.
4. Roll the mat up and place it in a tubular shipping tube, available at the post office, office supply store and shipping service outlet.
Recycling via "Recycle Your Mat"
5. Open your computer's Internet browser, then click the "Recycle Your Mat" link in the Resources section of this article to access a service that accepts and recycles yoga mats.
6. Enter your zip code in the box next to "Please enter your zip code:." Click the down arrow next to "Radius" and select the distance you want to search from, then click "Search."
7. Click "File," "Print" and "OK" to print the search results page. If no recycling centers show, write the following address on a mailing label:
Recycle Your Mat
1323 SE 6th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214
8. Write the recycling center's address from the search results page onto a mailing label.
9. Peel off the label's backing and attach it to the tubular shipping tube. Take the tube to your area post office or mailing center for mailing.
Recycling via "The Bolder Mat Company"
10. Open your computer's Internet browser then click the "The Bolder Mat Company -- Renew and Recycle" link in the Resources section of this article to access a service that accepts and recycles yoga mats.
11. Click one of the email links to contact a yoga mat recycling center if you live in Arizona, California, Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Virginia or Washington. The center will email you a mailing address to which you can send your yoga mat. If you choose this option, you may proceed to Step 5.
12. Email customerservice@theboldermatcompany.com if you do not live in one of the states listed in Step 2 to find out if there is a recycling center located in your area.
13. Write the address of the recycling center from the search results page on a mailing label.
14. Peel off the mailing label's backing and attach it to the tubular shipping tube. Take the tube to your area post office or mailing center for mailing.
Recycling via Area Charities/Nursing Homes
15. Contact your area's animal shelter or animal rescue group and speak with a representative about donating your yoga mat for use in lining the animal's crates.
16. Write the animal shelter's or rescue group's address on a mailing label or on a piece of paper.
17.Peel off the mailing label's backing and attach it to the tubular shipping tube. Take the tube to your area post office or mailing center for mailing. Alternatively, you can drop off the yoga mat at the shelter or rescue center yourself, if it is convenient for you to do so.
18. Take the yoga mat to an area nursing home, for use as a floor mat that keeps the residents from slipping when exiting their beds, if no recycling centers are found in your area.
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