Author Archives: tomuno

What does Brene Brown have to do with Tomuno’s customer service?

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Brene Brown - The Power of Empathy

The Power of Empathy

Someone I know who I care about and respect very much turned me onto Brene Brown. For anyone who has not heard of her I highly recommend they Google her TED Talks.

This may sound quite cheesy but alas I am a cheesy fellow ha ha. Her recommendations on vulnerability have honestly made a big difference in my life. It is quite a scary thing to expose oneself, but it is something that is, in my opinion, vital for meaningful relationships.

But as to how it guides customer service? What in the world does Brene Brown have to do with customer service? Even before I heard about her, my philosophy about interacting with customers has always been:

1) I am lucky that they chose me in the first place and
2) Empathy. I always try to look at things from the customer’s perspective.

It is a bold statement to say that a company tries to live up to what Brene Brown suggests about empathy. And I am not sure we accomplish this every day with every encounter. But I honestly feel we do definitely try.

Rob,
Owner, Tomuno

BRENE BROWN YOUTUBE CARTOON:
When I first saw her TED Talk to be honest it was a bit complicated and I had a little difficulty understanding it all. I am embarrassed to say this cartoon was what actually crystallized it for me ha ha. Why not take a look at the cartoon version of her talk today?

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Brought to you by Tomuno. Check out Tomuno at Amazon today: Amazon.com/Tomuno

Unheated Yoga Mats? What’s the Deal?

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Hot vs. Unheated Yoga Mats

Hot vs. Unheated Yoga Mats

My name is Rob. I am the owner of Tomuno, an eco-friendly, community-focused business located in Boston, MA.

I often get asked why do we label for unheated yoga? What’s the deal ha ha?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on my answer as I do wonder if I am giving the best answer to yogis?

The reason why we label our yoga mats for unheated yoga is as follows:

Tomuno is just trying to sell yoga mats the way yoga teachers told us to. We are primarily sold though yoga studios nationwide. There is an ideal setup for unheated yoga and a completely different one for hot yoga:

HOT YOGA: Yoga teachers say you need a hot yoga towel and a cheap ‘smooth’ PVC mat so your towel does not bunch up. Why buy a nice mat if it is hidden under a towel? In addition, the salt from sweat and abrasive yoga towels grind through yoga mats in hot yoga. Why not save your money?

UNHEATED YOGA: A towel would feel weird and they don’t work (they need to be wet). For unheated yoga, you want a ‘nice’ mat that is very grippy.

There are several types of yoga mat raw materials but the major 3 are: PVC/PER, TPE, and Rubber Tree Sap. Rubber is the most expensive raw material but in our opinion it is the grippiest. This is why it dominates the top of the yoga mat category and why it commands such a price premium over plastic mats. Millions of yogis can’t be wrong!

Sincerely,

Rob
Owner, Tomuno

Brought to you by Tomuno. Check out Tomuno at Amazon today: Amazon.com/Tomuno

How do I clean my Tomuno natural rubber yoga mat?

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My name is Rob. I am the owner of Tomuno, an eco-friendly, small business located in Boston, MA. Natural rubber yoga mats are not for everyone. Unlike plastic yoga mats they require special care & cleaning. I always love hearing from yogis. If you have a specific question please post a question here and I will do my best to answer?

CARE/CLEANING RECOMMENDATIONS
Please note that our mats are specifically designed for UNHEATED yoga and not recommended for hot yoga usage?

Straight out of the box:
1) Please allow a few weeks for the mat’s grip to ‘break in’ fully. Washing your mat (pls see below) can accelerate the grip.

PLEASE AVOID:
1) If you use massage oils or body lotions, please shower before practicing yoga.
2) DO NOT DRY OR STORE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT.
3) Please avoid all yoga mat sprays, washes, and soaps made with ‘essential oils’, tea tree oil, etc. Some oils, by definition, cause slipperiness or corrode rubber.
4) Please do not put in a washing machine.
5) Please do not use harsh chemical cleaners or abrasives.

FOR DAILY CLEANINGS: wipe with a soft cloth and water.

FOR OCCASIONAL DEEP CLEANINGS:
1) PLEASE WASH with a minimal amount of mild soap OR a 50/50 mix of organic cider vinegar and water (1/4 cup combined). Simple soaps like Ivory are best. ‘Moisturizing’ soaps, organic soaps, essential oil soaps may cause slipperiness and be hard to rinse.
2) PLEASE RINSE thoroughly (but please never soak). Rubber is very sponge-like. Minimal amounts of soap will make rinsing easier. The vinegar wash is easier to rinse than soap. A soapy mat will be slippery.
3) PLEASE AIR DRY your mat IN THE SHADE. Drying may take 24-48 hours.

TROUBLESHOOTING SLIPPERINESS
The main reasons why yogis report slipperiness are:
1) Wiping ‘essential oils’ on yoga mats. Some oils cause slipperiness.
2) Leaving soap in the mat after washing.
3) Accumulation of skin lotions and massage oils on mat over time.

Well, I hope our mat helps your yoga practice.

Amazon product reviews wanted! Please help an eco-friendly business grow.

Rob
Owner, Tomuno

 

Want videos that show the difference between plastic and rubber yoga mats?

Visit the best yoga mat review filmed by an industry insider today!  Visit our video review today at:  Best Yoga Mat Reviews of 2017 Video Edition