A yoga mat is the most useful accessories that a yoga practitioner can invest in, for fairly obvious reasons. If you have a mat, it only stands to reason that you will need something to carry it in on the way to class. That's where yoga mat bags, in its many forms and incarnations, come in.
The Many Faces of Yoga Mat Bags
Yoga mat bags come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are tote bags and backpack-style bags with either drawstring enclosures at the top or side-loading zippers like a duffel bag. Some yoga bags aren't made only for carrying your yoga mat, but can also hold other things like clothes, keys, and even towels. For instance, if you don't mind having your yoga mat stick out of your yoga bag, you can find designs that emulate regular sling bags. That said, you can even use any old bag as long as your mat can fit comfortably inside it. Most yoga mat bags have extra zippered pockets where you can keep your phone or even your yoga journal. For the environmentally conscious, mat bags made from recycled or organic materials are readily available. These include eco friendly material like hemp, which is both durable and sustainable.
Make Your Own Bag
If you are ready to go the extra mile for a fully personalized yoga mat bag, you can even make one yourself. It's easy as long as you know your way around a sewing machine. Even if you don't, there are many easy to follow do-it-yourself instructions available on the internet. You can even find some ready to print patterns that you can bring to somebody who does know how to sew. By making your own mat bag, you have total creative control over what material it will be made of and what designs you want to put on it. There are many sources for materials that you can access both online and offline. It's a great way to make use of all those creative ideas that yoga is coaxing out of your brain. A one-of-a-kind bag that you make yourself can even help motivate you to go out and attend your classes. After all, you'll probably want to show your work to your yoga class companions.
Just like every other yoga accessory out there, a yoga mat bag is not a required accessory for you to gain the many benefits of yoga. However, it can be a very useful tool if you happen to have your own yoga mat. The sheer convenience of being able to tote around your mat and other belongings make it a worthy investment in the long run.
