Not just yoga, but the mat matters too
Zul and Vidhi: Mat success
It all started just before COVID-19 hit, when Zul Luthufi went looking for a natural rubber yoga mat in Colombo.
“The mats I used before, I’d have to replace frequently because they disintegrated with high use,” he says.
Zul is a runner and uses a yoga mat for stretching as well as for meditation. He also occasionally practises yoga. He was looking for something safe and sustainable – a product that used non-toxic materials that came from a renewable source and wasn’t causing mass deforestation. It turned out that even though Sri Lanka exports high-quality rubber to the world, it was not possible to find a high-quality natural rubber yoga mat in the country.
A lawyer by profession, Zul decided that he was going to make the first 100-percent natural rubber yoga mat in Sri Lanka.
“I think there is a lot of potential,” he explains. “We are becoming a yoga destination, and a lot of people are organising retreats here. A lot of these people are also conscious about the food they eat, the places they stay… and the mats they use!” he adds with a smile.
Being entirely new to the industry, Zul had to ask around a lot before getting started.
“I contacted a lot of factories, and I searched online, and finally I found one manufacturer that was willing to come on board with my idea.”
It was a long and expensive process.
“It’s a little unfortunate, actually,” adds Zul’s life and business partner, Vidhi Todi, “because this high-quality rubber that is farmed in Sri Lanka often has to be exported for processing and then reimported for use in products like ours.”
Due to COVID-19-related import restrictions, getting the raw materials for the mats proved very complicated. The financial crisis that hit two years later then shot their costs sky high.
“I was new to the industry, so I didn’t have much say,” Zul says. He kept his head down, hopes high, and persisted. He worked with the R&D team at the manufacturers and the Rubber Research Institute to get his product fine-tuned. His friends who practise yoga as trainers and teachers tried out the first iterations and gave him feedback. Two years and three prototypes later, Zul had a product he was happy to sell. He started approaching investors, but post-financial-crisis investor confidence was low, and Zul had no success.
“The feedback I was getting was that I had to do this myself,” Zul says, matter of fact. “I think it was a good thing. I would have had to give up a big share of the stake at that point. And I myself wasn’t sure how much I wanted to let go. I had to prove this to myself. So, I went to the bank and spoke to the manager. I showed her the pitch deck and she believed in me, and she gave me access to the funds!” he smiles.
Tutti natural rubber yoga mats launched in January 2024.
Over the last year they have received overwhelming support from their customers in the form of written feedback and organic social media promotion. The “South season” being in full swing, the company has also seen an up in retail and wholesale since December 2024.
“We have had some customers compare our mats to say a Manduka or Jade,” Vidhi says, referencing popular international brand names for yoga mats made with natural materials.
“A lot of people have written to us and said they value the mat, that they have tried other mats but they like ours,” she continues. “We have got messages from yoga shalas that went with a different brand because of the price point and later regretted their decision, saying they plan to purchase from us in a couple of seasons. So, I think we just had to ride out that wave where customers would come back to us, knowing our quality. And we are seeing that now.”
Many resorts that purchased mats from Tutti for their studios, have since begun retailing for them as well. It is this mutually beneficial relationship that keeps them going.
“I feel we are ready to do more R&D now,” Zul says, adding that based on the feedback they have received they would like to explore a more affordable version of the mat, and maybe even some variations to the product.
“Eventually we want to step outside Sri Lanka. There is a big market out there because a lot of people, globally, are becoming more conscious about wellness and about what they are purchasing, and we are able to meet that demand.”
Searching for an ideal partner? Find your soul mate on Hitad.lk, Sri Lanka's favourite marriage proposals page. With Hitad.lk matrimonial advertisements you have access to thousands of ads from potential suitors who are looking for someone just like you.