I have long used a black yoga mat of unknown origin (probably from Target or somewhere similar) in my daily yoga practice. I do sun salutations every morning and go into my studio for hourlong classes of Bikram, barre, Vinyasa flow and Yin at least five days a week. Thats a big range of experience, from sweating buckets to mostly lying around and stretching with a blanket over me.

Ive been in this consistent practice for about two years, and my trusty cheap mat has served me well through all of it. So Ive often wondered, why do people spend so much money on high-end brands? Am I really missing out by not shelling out $100 or more for a better mat?

The answer, after a bit of research, seems to mostly be a yes.

It all comes down to the products used to make them. The majority of low-end yoga mats are made with polyvinyl chloride foam (PVC), a material that can lead to a lot of issues with your mat down the road.

Heres why, along with a breakdown on what could make the investment worth it if you love yoga:

Theyre more eco-friendly