Thinking back to my first yoga mat...

My hands and feet would slip -- causing me to feel tense in my neck and tight in my low back + hamstrings. I bought a towel to help with the sweat, but it would bunch up during class and distract me. I learned about “repetition injury” and had seen its effects on my clients over the years – wrist, shoulder, back and knee pains were common complaints. This inspired me to draw some lines on my own mat to bring awareness to proper body mechanics; however, the lines would wash away with my sweat and I quickly realized the dimensions were not adequate for my height.

When I started shopping around for a new mat – it became obvious what I was looking for didn’t exist yet.

It took three years to design and develop the Align[MAT].
We were invested in the details:
• A grooved bottom side to create a secure foundation
• Top layer to absorb sweat, support grip, and easily wipe clean
• Natural rubber, free from - glues / latex / BPA
• Everlasting laser-engraved lines to support consistent alignment
• And dimensions to accommodate taller heights with room to stretch

In 2011, I remember hearing someone ask in a Business of Yoga Lecture, “Do you think yoga’s just another workout trend?” Our presenter responded saying, “It’s a 5000-year-old practice and it’s only gaining popularity. I think we are beyond it being just a trend.”

Five years later, I found myself teaching 18+ classes a week, facilitating multiple Yoga Alliance certified trainings, and selling out international retreats. Clients ranged from beginners to pro-athletes and they had similar goals – to cultivate a healthier mind-body relationship through movement and positive daily habits.

This diverse combination of students and teaching experiences gave me insight into the broad world of fitness accessories, and I started taking notes.

The TVLA details were inspired by a book called “LET MY PEOPLE GO SURFING”. The author is the founder and owner of Patagonia, Inc. a respected businessman and responsible environmentalist. His book shared how he got started and it resonated with my own journey – make quality improvements to products used on a regular basis in my industry.

The Boulder yoga community lives their life outdoors, often with their four-legged friends. Keeping the environment top of mind from recycled packaging options to sourcing eco-friendly materials, and donating a portion of every purchase to the Boulder Humane Society monthly just makes sense. I think that’s why the Align[MAT]’s design gained genuine support on a national level with partners like Spartan Race, CorePower Yoga, and over 120 boutique fitness studios to date -- a huge win for our female-owned business.

As a small business, the foundation pieces of TVLA are simple: Colorado grown, female-owned, with innovative product designs dedicated to helping you build confidence, consistency, and connection to your mind and body.

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