Santa Fe, NM -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/17/2016 --An extremely versatile yoga mat designed to cushion the knees and body during floor exercises, yoga, and pilates, has been launched on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Kneebi is being hailed as "the world's kindest yoga mat", since it protects knees when exercising on hard floors and can be spread out when performing moves or poses that require a much wider surface area. It is easy to roll up, takes up minimal space when not being used, and is as portable and convenient to carry as a traditional yoga mat.

Kneebi is the brainchild of designer and Yoga practitioner, Snowcha, who came up with the idea when she experienced discomfort in her knees during even basic yoga poses. "I connected with my fellow class mates, most of whom are over 50-years old. Most of them used multiple mats or just put up with the pain. So I decided to create my own solution!" says Snowcha.

Kneebi can be used in two ways:

1. When the wings of the mat are folded in, they provide double padding for the knees, but they are thin enough not to interfere with balance.

2. Spread the wings outwards for wide-legged poses, power practice, or stretches.

The name Kneebi comes from the Japanese word for double; knee and nibai.

Kneebi is perfect for yoga beginners or advanced practitioners and is suitable to use at home or in an organized class. It is slim enough to fit in a crowded area and is a more hygienic alternative to direct exposure to public surfaces or gym floors. It measures 183 cm X 60 cm, or 120 cm when the wings are spread wide open, with a maximum thickness of 5 mm. Kneebi is easy to roll up and carry and weighs approximately 3 to 4 lb.

The Kickstarter campaign has a goal of $15,000 by December 15, 2016. Backers can pledge to receive rewards, including a t-shirt, a Kneebi yoga bag, and a Kneebi yoga mat. T-shirts start at just $20 and feature the slogan The World's Kindest; Kneebi." The Kneebi yoga bag is a cotton canvas bag specially designed to carry the mat comfortably and discretely over the shoulder, and has a poly-liner and an inside zipper pocket.

A perfect gift for those who work out, Kneebi is expected to be available in the following two-tone colors: black and charcoal grey, berry and turquoise, mauve and pink, navy and charcoal grey, dark red and pink, pink and soft blue, and teal and mint.

Durable and flexible, Kneebi has high-performance grip on both sides and a textured surface designed to be anti-skid. The production process is toxin-free from beginning to end, and Kneebi is eco-friendly, 6P free, 100% latex free, and odor free.

For more information or to pledge for a Kneebi yoga mat, visit the Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/181132212/the-worlds-kindest-yoga-mat-kneebi-double-padded-a