BallerYoga has set out to make a yoga staple a luxury item, creating a practice mat out of full-grain leather versus the standard thermoplastic elastomer, TPE, which is greener than PVC.
In an effort to build a “premium tier to the yoga accessories market,” BallerYoga is constructing its $495-$1,000 mats at the same tannery as Wilson NFL footballs.
“The natural material outshines and outperforms the synthetic and rubber mats comprising 90 percent of the market,” said a representative from the company.
Fitness competitor Cedric Yau co-created the product with BallerYoga after he found the leather material eliminated much of the slipping and sticking that is common with other mats. “There is more to the leather construction of an NFL football than tradition. The pebbled surface combined with a proprietary tanning process allow footballs to be thrown at 600 RPM and caught,” he said.
Using a football material in its production will also help the company market to more non-yoga consumers, who can transition into the practice and its product through noticeable designs.
But the questions remains, for both football athletes and yogis alike, will everyday consumers shell out a grand for a yoga mat? SGB wants to hear your opinion. Tweet or Facebook us with your thoughts.
Photo courtesy BallerYoga
