# Upcycled Wetsuit Yoga Mats Suga Keeps Old Wetsuits Out of Landfills by Turning Them into Yoga Mats By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2015-12-11 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/suga References: [business.transworld.net](http://business.transworld.net/news/suga-yoga-mats-made-from-recycled-wetsuits/) & [kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/suga/suga-yoga-mats-made-from-recycled-wetsuits) While there are plenty of yoga mat and accessories out there that are sustainably made, Suga takes a new approach to making its yoga mats. In order to give a purpose to the many old wetsuits that would otherwise end up in a landfill, Suga recycles them into usable yoga mat materials. What makes this hybrid of surfing and yoga particularly unique is that the mats are made from neoprene, which is naturally a closed-cell foam that's ideal for keeping sweat, dust, bacteria and other unwanted particles at bay. In order to bring these unique yoga mats to people on a larger scale, Suga is now part of a crowdfunding project on [Kickstarter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coffee-carriers) that hopes people will see value in its [eco-friendly approach to yoga mat production](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unifi). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.4/10 - Popularity: 20% | Activity: 75% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Sustainable Yoga Mats:** Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Develop new methods of recycling and repurposing materials to create sustainable and eco-friendly yoga mats. - **Closed-cell Foam Technology:** Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Explore the applications of closed-cell foam materials in other industries such as fitness equipment or household products for their sweat-resistant and bacteria-resistant properties. - **Crowdfunding for Eco-friendly Products:** Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Utilize crowdfunding platforms to launch and promote eco-friendly products, helping to raise awareness and secure funding for sustainable ventures. ### Where This Applies - **Fitness Equipment:** Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Incorporate sustainable materials, like upcycled wetsuits, into fitness equipment design to reduce waste and promote eco-friendliness. - **Outdoor Gear:** Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Integrate closed-cell foam technology, as seen in wetsuit yoga mats, into outdoor gear products such as backpacks or sleeping mats for enhanced durability and hygiene. - **Eco-friendly Fashion:** Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Collaborate with sustainable clothing brands or designers to repurpose old wetsuits into fashionable and eco-friendly garments, reducing textile waste in the fashion industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Limestone-Based Sustainable Wetsuits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wetsuits-2.md) - [Galaxy-Themed Vegan Yoga Mats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vegan-yoga-mat.md) - [Surfboard Waste Blocks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/surf-block-maui.md) - [Moss-Colored Yoga Mats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/topselling-yoga-mat.md) - [Heat-Reactive Yoga Mats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aurora-colorchanging-yoga-mat.md) - [Upcycled Camping Gear Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/upcycled-camping-gear.md) - [Wetsuit Rental Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wetsuit-rental-program.md) - [Eco-Friendly 3D-Printed Surfboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paradoxal-surfboards.md) - [Recycled Carbon-Made Jackets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lululemon-3.md)