Why I Started Kin: A Wellbeing Rebellion

Laura founded Kin in 2020, tired of a wellness industry that put perfection before people and profit before planet. Her aim was simple: make things that support the practitioner, whoever they are.

Laura & Scrappy, Kin Yoga Mats founders

The Underground Years

"I started out teaching in warehouses and community halls, anywhere we could unroll a mat. No Instagram-perfect studios, no matching outfits. Just people doing real work, one breath at a time.

It taught me what matters. Hold warrior three in a hot room, sweat running, and your mat either has you or it doesn't. There's no middle ground."

The Awakening

"During a teacher training intensive, I watched dedicated practitioners struggling for no good reason; Yoga mats bunching in transitions. Hands slipping at the worst moment. The industry had drifted into lifestyle branding and forgotten the craft.

That night, I decided to build the mat that didn't exist: one that performed like the practice deserved, and looked good doing it."

The Philosophy

I started Kin with 3 rules:

1. Performance first. If it doesn't make the practice better, it's gone.
2. Timeless, not trendy. Classic and long-lasting, not cheap fast fashion. Beautiful colour, no appropriated spiritual symbols.
3. Respect your intelligence. No platitudes, no lifestyle nonsense, empty promises. Just honest words about what we made and why.

The Testing

Before we launched anything, I put prototypes through hell. I gave early versions to the most demanding teachers I knew - the ones who'd tell me exactly what they thought.

Version after version, I refined the formula. Grip that activated with moisture. Surface texture that felt natural, edges that stayed clean after months of abuse. Substantial, trustworthy rubber bases.

I didn't stop until I'd built something I'd be proud to practice on every day.

No elitism. No grand promises. No spiritual awakening guarantees. Just this: We built a mat that works better. Try it.

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The Response

Turns out, people were hungry for something real. Teachers who'd been compromising for years finally found gear that matched their commitment. Students discovered what it felt like to practice without fighting their equipment and slipping all over the place.

Some of the best feedback came from an unexpected source: Beginners. They told us these mats made them feel like real yogis from day one, because the mat actually helped them.

That's when I knew we'd succeeded.

What's Next

Yoga mats and accessories are just the beginning. This is about building kinship among those who believe wellness should be functional, inclusive, joyful, and real. It's about creating space for authenticity and realness in an industry often lacking it.

Kin Yoga Mats: Built by a Yoga teacher, for everyone. No bullshit, just better practice.

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