Repurposing Old Yoga Mats: Shelf Liner

Yoga Mat Shelf Liner

Sadly, most yoga mats are made from difficult-to-recycle materials such as vinyl or PVC (plastic resin code #3). Thus, I recommend to my yoga students to repurpose or upcycle them instead. Some of them wanted a tutorial and thus I made a few. To read more ideas on how to upcycle yoga mats go to my blog post: https://www.mistedforest.com/post/upcycling-and-recycling-old-yoga-mats

For this project you will need the following

1. Tacky or Elmer's Glues
2. Hot Glue and Hot Glue Gun
3. Sharp Scissors
4. Cardboard
5. and paint brushes
6. Pencil
7. Sharpie

optimal - heat resistant gloves

Before repurposing your mat, consider how you will cut it up and use it. Mats can be washed in the washing machine on delicate setting using tap cold or cold water. Regular detergent should be fine. No need for fabric softener.

You may partially dry them mat on delicate in your washer then hang dry for the rest of the time.

Measure the Shelf you are making a liner for then cut the cardboard to fit the shelf. You might need to do in pieces like shown or be able to get a way with one piece. Mark areas where there are odd shapes with a pencil.

1. Place cardboard template onto the corners of your yoga mat, to avoid the most material waste.
2. Then draw a line around the shape.
3. Lastly cut out the shape.

If you are Gluing the cardboard to the bottom of the Yoga mat to make the liner extra strong this is where the glue comes in.

1. First spread the tacky or Elmer's glue across the bottom of the cut out mat piece.
2. Then use the hot gun on the corners and edges
3. Carefully flip it over onto the cardboard and press down to stick.
4. Watch your fingers I burned myself the first time on accident.

If you did the last steps right then your shelf liner should fit like a glove. If it's too big, use a pencils to draw where it needs to be cut and try again.

Smooth out the edges to remove and folds or wrinkles

To get more ideas on how to repurpose or upcycle your old yoga mats, read here: https://www.mistedforest.com/post/upcycling-and-recycling-old-yoga-mats