Portugal
Yoga mats of Portuguese cork: natural grip that improves as you sweat.
Our story
Cork is the bark of the cork oak, harvested by hand in Portugal without cutting the tree down. It is light, naturally grippy and full of tiny air pockets, which is why it makes such a good yoga mat — and why the grip gets better, not worse, as your hands warm up. Cortiça works with Portuguese cork makers to turn this sustainable bark into mats: a natural cork surface over a stable base, so every downward dog holds firm, even when you are sweating.
Where it comes from
Yoga mats of Portuguese cork: natural grip that improves as you sweat.
The cork is harvested by hand from cork oaks in Portugal, then pressed into a smooth mat surface over a stable, cushioned base. It is natural, grippy and breathable, and needs no plastic to do its job.
Lay the mat flat and practise as usual. The cork surface grips more as it warms with your hands and feet. Wipe it with a damp cloth after practice and roll it up — it keeps its natural surface for years.
Yes — cork is durable and keeps its surface and grip for a long time. A good cork mat serves for years of regular practice.
The mat has a stable, cushioned base beneath the cork surface, so it offers comfortable support while the cork gives the natural grip.
Wipe the cork surface with a damp cloth after practice and let it dry. Cork needs no special cleaner — a little water keeps it fresh and grippy.
Very — cork is the bark of the cork oak, harvested by hand in Portugal without cutting the tree down. The tree keeps growing and re-grows its bark, making it a truly renewable material.
Yes — that is cork's gift. As the surface warms and takes a little moisture, it becomes more grippy, not less, so poses hold firm even in a hot or sweaty practice.
Cork is naturally grippy and full of tiny air pockets, so it grips better as it warms with your hands and feet, and stays breathable. It is a natural, comfortable surface for practice.
Notes from Cortiça — new pieces and the people who make them. No noise.
