May 30, 2008

Organic Happy Yoga Mat keeps yoga gear clean, fresh and healthy

Plainfield, MA – Yoga and Pilates enthusiasts seeking a natural and organic means to clean and restore their sticky mats and other gear have a new reason to blissfully inhale, exhale and relax.

The new Happy Yoga Mat Wash from Kathy’s Family is the latest addition to a popular collection of wholesome, trustworthy and hard working products. Developed by company founder Kathy Swanson and her yoga obsessed friends and inspired by her Aunt Marlene, Happy Yoga Mat Washis a USDA-certified organic castile soap that is made from renewable, certified organic vegetable oils, extracts and botanicals.

Happy Yoga Mat Wash features a mild, organic castile soap based formula that is antifungal and antibacterial. Like all of the Kathy’s Family products, this new organic cleanser is free of synthetic fragrances and dyes, preservatives, parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, phosphates, ammonia, butyl ethers, chlorine bleach, animal by-products, alcohol and detergents and it is not tested on animals.

Happy Yoga Mat Wash is made from certified organic oils of coconut, olive and jojoba, tea tree, lavender and citrus essential oils, organic aloe vera and rosemary extract. Together, these natural and organic ingredients clean sweaty odors and chemical residues and provide an energizing and uplifting citrus scent.

“Yoga mats and accessories get awful stinky now and Zen,” jokes company President (and yoga enthusiast) Kathy Swanson. “And, unfortunately, many of the mats and balance balls on the market today have chemical residues on them,” adds Swanson on a more serious note.

By removing residues from the manufacturing process as well as sweat, dirt and other impurities, Happy Yoga Mat Wash extends the life of a yoga mat while maintaining its non-slip surface and keeping it clean and hygienic. The vegan formula leaves only a light scent after use and cleans, disinfects and deodorizes by successfully breaking down the sweat and toxins released from the body during a yoga session.

The fresh scent of the Happy Yoga Mat Wash is not overpowering and is of special benefit to chemically sensitive and immune system-impaired individuals who often react negatively to laundry, dish and other common detergents.

“It is extraordinarily mild, hypoallergenic and non-reactive to sensitive skin and can be used either for a light, daily cleansing or for a periodic, deeper cleaning,” notes Swanson.

The non-toxic, biodegradable cleaner can be used on all watersafe surfaces including: balance balls, foam blocks, chairs, neck pillows, sandbags, eye pillows, blankets, gear bags, stretching straps, cushions and other yoga and Pilates accouterments. It serves as an effective antibacterial cleaner for rental mats and exercise equipment. Swanson even keeps it on hand to help avoid germs on shopping cart handles and public doorknobs.

To eliminate nasty germs and keep a yoga mat fresh and fun to lie on, simply spray a damp cloth or paper towel 3-4 times with Happy Yoga Mat Wash and lightly scrub. Then wipe with a clean cloth and air-dry.

Happy Yoga Mat Wash comes packaged in a 4-ounce light weight travel bottle that fits conveniently in a small bag, a 32-ounce studio size and a gallon refill. The suggested retail price is $7.95 for the 4-ounce spray bottle, $16.95 for the 32-ounce container and $51.95 for the gallon refill.

It can be purchased online at www.kathys-family.com and at health food and natural product stores. It will also be sold where Yoga or Pilates are taught or where mats and equipment can be bought. More information can be obtained by calling the company’s toll-free number, (866) 634-0008.

By using labels filled with witty anecdotes, descriptions of Kathy’s family members on the farm in Minnesota, and products made with wholesome and sensible ingredients that shout “good for you”, customers not only get a great natural product, they also become participants in the lives of a large farm family from the American heartland. Happy Yoga Mat Wash labels feature vintage cheerleading photos of Kathy’s Aunt Marlene in positions that resemble the “sun salutation” and “lotus” positions. The Happy Yoga Mat Wash is a lot like the Swansons: honest, hard working, trustworthy and down to earth. They do what they say they do and they work.