Why Tea Colour in rubber is the better choice for your yoga mat.
- Laura Uí Fh
- Jan 5
- 2 min read
Tea coloured (natural) rubber is preferable to black rubber for a yoga mat for more than one reason. At Dara Mats, we chose this superior type of rubber. It is costlier to make yoga mats with this rubber but quality comes first at Dara Mats. Here are a few reasons why we chose it:
1) Fewer added pigments and fillers
Black rubber is typically made black with carbon black (a reinforcing filler/pigment). That’s not automatically “bad,” but it is an extra additive. Tea coloured/natural rubber can be formulated with fewer pigments, therefore using natural and minimal additives.
2) Odour
Darker and black coloured rubber can be associated with a “strong rubber smell” due to heavier compounding and additives. Tea coloured rubber still can have a scent, but as a lighter colour it has fewer chemicals. Like any product with fewer additives, there is no strong overwhelm. In fact, the composition chosen by Dara Mats for their light rubber was in part due to the lack of smell detected.
3) Heat and sun behaviour
Darker surfaces absorb more radiant heat. A black mat left in a sunny window or in a car can get noticeably hotter to the touch than a lighter coloured mat. Tea coloured rubber avoids this and also may reduce heat related tackiness changes.
4) Dirt shows up
Black mats often show pale salt marks, dust, and scuffs very clearly (the contrast is high). Tea coloured rubber tends to show a softer, more “blended” patina over time so it can look better for longer. Anyone who drives a black car will tell you how dirt shows up more so than a beige coloured one! (Speaking from experience here!)
5) Aesthetics, it looks better!
Tea colour reads as earthy and warm, another reason we opted for this type of rubber. To be more in line with our soothing landscape designs. Black is classic, but it can sometimes read as more “gym/utility” depending on the overall design. We wanted serene and soothing for our yoga mats.
6) Design
We believe a lighter rubber base helps certain colour palettes feel truer (less darkening at edges, less harsh contrast). A warm natural base, for us, supports softer artwork.
