I would discourage buying a teak bath mat solely because of the ecological implications. Teak is indisputably endangered and, because of the political condition of the regions where it grows, it goes largely under protected. I have to say I share your fondness for wood bath mats, but I'd say it's worth finding a more benign species or, if you have the energy, making it yourself from some exotic pallet wood.

Uhh. $300 for a bath mat? Aren't people starving somewhere....?

jameslear--

Good point, but Vivaterra (the source for the teak "mat") is an eco-sensitive company (that's their whole schtick), so I'm guessing their product is either reclaimed or from managed sources.

radioriot--

I like, in these round ups, seeing a splurge/high/indulgent/aspirational item, if only for the fact that it gives me an item to point to, in comparison and defense, when clients complain about a lower-priced item being too high priced! :)

anthropologie just introduced a bath mat shaped like a lotus flower (water lily, technically). i LOVE it!

I love the look of the bamboo mat - and both its keen-green appeal and economy - but does anyone know -- is it comfortable to step on? It also looks really small.

[I also get a voyeuristic pleasure of looking at the outrageous in these roundups]

I find wooden bathmats really impractical. First off, when wet, they are really slippery. Plus they don't absorb water which means the water just pools on top or drips through to the floor, meaning that you have to wipe up the floor after every shower. They look nice, but I'll take an absorbent fabric mat any day. Not on the list, but CB2 has a large textured heavy-duty mat in great colors for only $20.

Cost-Plus sells mats which are almost identical in color and style to the Pottery Barn ones for around $14, if anyone's looking at those. I loved the orange one I used to have.

It figures the one I was drawn to was $288, I guess I'll stick with my ugly faded one for now...