The ancient practice of yoga in India was originally carried out on kusha grass, on hard bare ground, or on a deer or tiger skin rug. Due to the scarcity and cost of such rugs, they are now rarely used even in India. With the introduction of yoga to the west, many practitioners used cotton towels or mats on hardwood floors.

Rubber mats were introduced as an intermediate material to prevent cotton mats from slipping on wooden floors. Slippage of hands and feet was prevented by throwing a mist of water on the mats at the respective places of the positions.

In 1982, while teaching yoga in Germany, Angela Farmer used the rug base cutout for towel size during yoga classes; she later returned to her London home with the material.

Angela's father, Richard Farmer, contacted the German pad manufacturer and became the first "sticky mat" retailer. The first purpose-made yoga mat was made and sold by Hugger Mugger Yoga Products in the 1990s.

In 2002, the first "green" mat was made by EcoYoga and sold through Yogamatters in Great Britain. Yoga mats are increasingly serving the purpose of reducing the risk of injury and some insurance companies require that you perform yoga on a non-slip mat in order to be covered.