While there are plenty of yoga mat and accessories out there that are sustainably made, Suga takes a new approach to making its yoga mats.
In order to give a purpose to the many old wetsuits that would otherwise end up in a landfill, Suga recycles them into usable yoga mat materials. What makes this hybrid of surfing and yoga particularly unique is that the mats are made from neoprene, which is naturally a closed-cell foam that's ideal for keeping sweat, dust, bacteria and other unwanted particles at bay.
In order to bring these unique yoga mats to people on a larger scale, Suga is now part of a crowdfunding project on Kickstarter that hopes people will see value in its eco-friendly approach to yoga mat production.
Upcycled Wetsuit Yoga Mats
Suga Keeps Old Wetsuits Out of Landfills by Turning Them into Yoga Mats
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Yoga Mats - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Develop new methods of recycling and repurposing materials to create sustainable and eco-friendly yoga mats.
2. Closed-cell Foam Technology - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Explore the applications of closed-cell foam materials in other industries such as fitness equipment or household products for their sweat-resistant and bacteria-resistant properties.
3. Crowdfunding for Eco-friendly Products - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Utilize crowdfunding platforms to launch and promote eco-friendly products, helping to raise awareness and secure funding for sustainable ventures.
Industry Implications
1. Fitness Equipment - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Incorporate sustainable materials, like upcycled wetsuits, into fitness equipment design to reduce waste and promote eco-friendliness.
2. Outdoor Gear - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Integrate closed-cell foam technology, as seen in wetsuit yoga mats, into outdoor gear products such as backpacks or sleeping mats for enhanced durability and hygiene.
3. Eco-friendly Fashion - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Collaborate with sustainable clothing brands or designers to repurpose old wetsuits into fashionable and eco-friendly garments, reducing textile waste in the fashion industry.