hejhej-mats closed-loop yoga mats

The problem of plastic waste is a global climate problem - according to the "Naturschutzbund Deutschland", more than 10 million tons of waste is dumped in the oceans yearly. An alarming 75% of the 10 million tons of waste is plastic material. Yoga mats are one example of plastic products that often do not get recycled, thus, there is a need to rethink and redesign the materials of yoga mats which currently exist on the market. One way to address the rising amount of waste is through innovative design of products.

We at hejhej-mats provide a solution by creating closed-loop yoga mats. These yoga mats will be produced with production waste and only when no alternative, we use minimal virgin materials. This means that the whole foam of the yoga mat is out of recycled materials and solely the paper-thin top of our yoga mats is out of new material. While doing yoga, you have direct skin contact with the surface of your mat. People’s health is part of sustainability and this is why we use a material approved in the medical industry as our top layer for our yoga mats. We can guarantee you that your hejhej-mats yoga mat exclusively benefits your health and the environment in every way. Additionally, the design will enable the mats to be fully recyclable once it reaches its end of life. We will ensure that no waste will be produced and all materials can be channelled into production of new hejhej-mats. For hejhej-mats, waste is repositioned as a resource and all materials can flow in continuous product cycles. hejhej-mats, therefore, offers a sustainable solution in line with the circular economy.

Why is hejhej-mats different from other sustainable yoga mats?
The yoga mat market already offers a range of sustainable yoga mats which is good to help our planet and to advance a change in existing consumption patterns which is definitely needed. Nevertheless, existing sustainable yoga mats are largely produced out of natural materials such as natural rubber like kautschuk. We think we already have enough resources on the planet and we do not have to take new ones, even if they are natural. Additionally, the growing demand for kautschuk, results in the cutting down of forests for kautschuk plantations. We do not want biodiversity and nature to be sacrificed in the process, therefore, we want to use what our planet already has an excess off: waste. The foam waste we use for our yoga mats occurs in the production of mattresses, furniture and many more. Therefore, it is existing in excess and is easily accessible worldwide.

Our goals are

• Minimize the amount of waste on the planet by using waste as our resource
• Channel all hejhej-mats that have reached end-of-life into new production circles
• Zero-new-waste production for hejhej-mats
• Advocate the concept of circular economy within the yoga community
• Create a sustainable, non-slip yoga mat that comforts your yoga practice and your mind.

Who is the project for?
hejhej-mats is for anyone who care for the planet.

Supporting hejhej-mats means supporting the planet. With each mat sold, we directly contribute to minimize the amount of waste on the planet and help to save natural resources. With hejhej-mats, we aim to provide a waste solution for producers that work within the foam industry. With your support, you enable a young and innovative sustainable enterprise to grow and make the big step towards market entry. The support of our crowdfunding campaign also comes with direct benefits for you. With the further development of our product, we will develop a sustainable, non-slip yoga mat that brings you comfort throughout your yoga practice. Additionally, our campaign gives you the possibility to reserve yourself our yoga mat at a special price. Once regular retail starts, the mat will be sold for 119€ plus shipping.

• With the money from the crowdfunding campaign, we will be able to implement the finishing touches on our current prototype. The money would provide us with the possibility to continue our intensive research and development to achieve a high-quality product made of recycled material. (about 6,000€)

• We have tested the recyclability of hejhej-mats. To propel us further, additional research is needed to ensure that all components are 100% channelled into the production of new hejhej-mats and a fully functional return system. (about 4,000€)

• Additionally, we plan to use about 10,000€ as a deposit to produce our first collection of yoga mats for retail. As soon as we have finalised our prototype that our final product will be based upon, we want to be well-prepared with the necessary resources to advance directly to the first round of production.