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The business and culture of sauna, covered well.
A country of 1.37 million people now exports saunas to 60+ countries. With labor costs 60% below Finland, UNESCO-certified sauna heritage, and design talent that is turning heads globally, Estonia is challenging a century of Finnish dominance.
Elise Lindgren · Apr 12, 2026Inside the industry, it's no secret that Sauna360's pre-built sauna rooms are made in China. A federal safety recall, customs records, and executive interviews document the full sourcing picture — which is more global than the brand websites suggest.
James Chen · Apr 12, 2026On June 27, 2025, Underwriters Laboratories published ANSI/UL 60335-2-53, the first U.S. adoption of the international sauna heater safety standard. It is the most significant regulatory shift in North American sauna history. Here is what it changes, what it doesn't, and why your building inspector might not care yet.
The global sauna equipment market, estimated at $905 million in 2024 by Grand View Research and projected to reach $1.56 billion by 2033, is large enough for both categories to thrive. Consumer data, clinical research, and channel dynamics paint a nuanced picture.
Outdoor sauna installations are outpacing indoor builds across North America, driven by post-pandemic outdoor living investment, social media visibility, and increasingly accessible price points. Barrel saunas lead the category, but custom outdoor builds and modular designs are gaining ground.
HUUM has standardized its internal air tunnel technology across the full HIVE heater line, a quiet but significant engineering upgrade. The air tunnel improves airflow through the stone chamber, reduces heat-up time, and shields heating elements from direct stone contact, extending their lifespan.

Homecraft, Canada's oldest sauna heater maker (Surrey, BC, since 1988), has released the TKE2-2 WiFi controller for its C- and H-Series electric heaters. The WiFi-enabled touchpad brings app-based remote control and scheduling to a heater line that serves a large share of North American residential installations.
Finnish heater manufacturers are gearing up for 2026 with a mix of technology upgrades and traditional design refinements. Mondex is refreshing its popular Teno and Kalla heater lines with improved heating speed and energy efficiency, while Narvi doubles down on its heritage approach to loyly quality.
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Elise Lindgren · Mar 15, 2025 · 7 minThe urban bathhouse operator told CNBC it expects to hit $120 million in run-rate revenue by year-end, with roughly 1,000 customers per day across its New York locations.
Anna Virtanen · Jun 12, 2024 · 9 minFinnish longitudinal data showing a 40% reduction in all-cause mortality for frequent sauna users, combined with a sauna equipment market approaching $1 billion, makes the investment case.
Marcus Hale · Feb 23, 2025 · 8 minThe sauna equipment market is growing at roughly 6% annually, attracting significant investment, and reshaping wellness and hospitality. Yet it has lacked a dedicated editorial voice with the depth and credibility it deserves.
SaunaNews fills that gap. Independent reporting on the manufacturers, products, projects, and market forces shaping the category — for the people who build, sell, design, and follow the sauna world.
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