Natural Fitness Equipment by Noveme
natural fitness gym equipment / sustainable fitness equipment / eco yoga mat / luxury gym DESIGN / noveme
For our views on sustainable gym equipment in general, see here and see here for our views on sustainable gym flooring.
Natural fitness equipment by Noveme
Positioning itself as ‘an investment piece’ for your luxury home gym equipment set-up, this yoga mat from London-based newcomer Noveme, founded by Diana Tavares in November 2021, responds to the growing demand for natural fitness equipment, a previously under-serviced segment of the gym equipment industry.
In the past, a sustainable gym product, if available, often equated to compromises in durability and aesthetics - the former could, to some extent, be worked around but the latter was a deal-breaker. Tavares however seems intent on balancing form and function here, deliberately aiming to create a gym equipment product of some beauty that ticks the eco-friendly gym equipment box and lasts for years, if cared for properly.
yoga and stretching on the noveme natural fitness mat
Soft to the touch, the natural cork top layer is undeniably more satisfying to have under one’s hands and feet than a (far cheaper) cork conglomerate alternative.
While it can inevitably be scratched or marked with a sharp fingernail, the mat feels sturdy and resilient, despite it flexibility.
There is something incredibly appealing to the senses about the wabi-sabi (beautifully imperfect) finish of a cork fabric like this, meaning no two mats will ever be exactly the same - unlike the industrial uniformity of most PVC yoga mats in lurid colours!
healthy materials in natural fitness equipment
That ultra tactile cork fabric was handcrafted from thin slices of Portuguese cork cut directly from the bark of the cork oak tree.
Underneath the cork lies a natural rubber base layer. When combined, these two equate to 5mm in thickness, weighing in at a modest 1.8kg based on a 185cm long x 65cm wide shape. That’s what some yoga brands would call a ‘long’ yoga mat but in this case is the standard model.
Noveme work with family-owned, small scale businesses in Portugal and limit their production runs to avoid overproduction and waste, minimizing waste and drawing down only what they need from Mother Nature’s resources.
the sustainable yoga mat
Sustainability credentials in this piece of natural fitness equipment focus primarily around the two key materials of cork and rubber however the Noveme business is completely plastic-free, from production to delivery.
Cork is extracted from the bark of a type of a quercus tree, a sustainable harvesting process that can be repeated every nine years after an initial 20 years of tree life.
Portugal is the largest manufacturer and producer of cork and the production process is highly regulated. Most of these oak trees are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and the bark stripping is done by hand, resulting in minimal environmental impacts.
To form most cork products, cork granules are collected, glued together with a binding agent, and sliced to their desired shape. 'Black' or 'expanded' cork meanwhile is from lower quality cork that is granulated, sifted and steamed at high temperatures and then moulded into shape using the naturally occurring resins.
Cork is a sustainable material that is naturally water-repellant, hypo-allergenic - meaning it does not absorb dust - and fire retardant. The whole mat is completely biodegradable meaning it does not end up in landfill at the end of its life.
storing and Caring for your Noveme cork yoga mat
After a week trialling one of the mats at home, we’ve found it to be remarkably easy to roll into a tube shape, unlike many other recycled or eco-friendly yoga mats we have used previously. It doesn’t try to unfold or resist being wrapped up, in fact it seems perfectly happy to be rolled and opened repeatedly, suggesting it should have good longevity over the coming months and years.
That said, as a completely natural fitness product there are some obvious considerations in terms of care, from not using the mat with oily hands to not leaving it exposed to long periods of direct sunshine (outside on a sunny terrace for example) or hot air (radiators or an HVAC).
who is the noveme natural yoga mat for?
Would we specify this natural fitness yoga mat for a commercial gym environment, or a hotel gym design for example? Probably not, unless there was a personal training studio area in which we could offer a thicker 10mm exercise mat that could be used in for gym workout routines in trainers, leaving the Noveme cork mats specifically for yoga and stretching (with no shoes on!).
Would we specify this eco friendly yoga mat for a sustainability oriented upscale yoga studio? Quite possibly, that would be the right ‘fit’ in terms of value system, aesthetics and quality. Due to the higher price point of this mat (RRP £195 incl. taxes) it will inevitably feel more at home in a high-end environment where it stands a fair chance of being treated with the respect it deserves!
Of course, the natural environment for this yoga mat is a residential home where it will likely be well looked after and cared for, perhaps on display in a corner of the living room or bedroom, waiting patiently to be rolled out once more.