I have read somewhere that for yoga practitioners, a good yoga mat is like a security blanket, or a magic carpet that whisks them away to a place where stress doesn’t exist. But here’s a curious thought: what if you could actually wear it on your feet?
Sanuk recently showcased its vegan- and vegetarian-friendly Yoga Mat collection in an intimate press junket dubbed “Fashion Detox.” Held at The Farm at San Benito, a prestigious health and wellness haven in Lipa, Batangas, the event proper consisted of a mini-fashion show with models wearing the latest casual flip-flop and wedge sandal designs, along with an exhibition by Sinha Bahia Capoeira Manila.
In keeping with the theme, the members of the media were also treated to an overnight “detox session” consisting of mandala flower arranging, Integrative Medicine and spa services, yoga and power walking, cooking demos at the Alive! Restaurant, and artfully prepared vegan cuisine.
It’s not a sandal, it’s a… yoga mat?
Known for being functional yet stylish, Sanuk sandals supposedly brought the comfort factor up a notch when the makers started using the same material as yoga mats for a footbed. I didn’t really know what difference the material made until I’d attended my first-ever yoga session at The Farm’s amphitheater.
Muscles trembled, bones groaned and sweat glands went into overdrive as our Vinyasa instructor, Yoga For Life cofounder Paulo Leonido, directed our bodies to contort and stretch every which way. In between barely stifled grunts, I was quite surprised (and secretly pleased) to find out that I didn’t have the flexibility of a peanut after all—not bad for a person who’s been sedentary for the last century.
Now I know why you can’t just use any rubber mat as a yoga mat; yoga really does cause you to perspire profusely, so you needed a special non-skid or nonslip mat to help you stay in balance. You also lie on the mat from time to time, so it has to be nonabrasive and comfortable as well.
Lastly, from what I understood, yoga is all about freeing your mind and body from the stresses of the outside world, achieving inner peace and wellbeing. This philosophy is probably what’s behind Sanuk’s slogans that were posted along the paths to our villas, like “That is your foot on a cloud” and “Restore your soul through your sole.” It might seem like a tall order for footwear, but you can’t deny that stepping into a pair of Yoga Mat sandals feels pretty darn good. Happy feet equal happy vibes, indeed.
New styles from the Yoga Mat collection are available at all Sanuk outlets. Sanuk is exclusively distributed by the Primer Group of Companies.