We showcase the latest equipment and leading-edge technology for spas

Soleum Health Spa Sea Climate Chamber

Said to be the first sea climate cabin for outdoor use, Soleum’s self-contained chamber offers halotherapy, thalassotherapy, infrared radiant heat and colour therapy. Available in three shapes – an oval Egg version, a round Omega chamber and a double-sized Ellipse chamber – spas can select from moist brine or dry salt-inhalation options. The inhalation technology in the chamber can also atomise tea extremely finely, enabling the cabin to be used as a Teedarium.

Made in Austria, the Sea Climate Chamber can be controlled remotely, allowing operators to check temperatures and energy consumption as required. Coloured light emitted from the cabin ceiling and behind the benches can be customised via smart controls, as can the built-in sound system.

Liforme yoga mats

Liforme’s eco-friendly yoga mats offer beautiful design alongside high-quality, non-toxic, planet-friendly materials and GripForMe technology to improve the users’ stability.

The specially-engineered top surface wicks away moisture from users hands, while a patented waterproof barrier layer prevents moisture from making its way through the top surface and into the rubber base, making it much more hygienic and easier to clean.

Liforme mats help to improve solo practice, thanks to an intuitive and physiology-based AlignForMe design, which works as a navigational tool. They are customisable to allow seamless integration into any spa or studio setting and mantras or personalised wording can be added to create mats unique to each business. “Going to a spa is about taking care of your body and mind, so yoga is now an essential part of the spa offering,” says Liforme founder, James Armitage. www.liforme.com

BC SoftWear - flip-flop initiative

Spa textiles and footwear supplier BC SoftWear is engaged in a number of initiatives to increase the sustainability of spas and the products they use.

The brand has removed all individual plastic packaging from its slippers and flip-flops, replacing it with either biodegradable bags or paper, as well as creating a plastic-free, 100% biodegradable coir-soled spa slipper made from all-natural fibres.

BC SoftWear has also launched a unique new recycling plan to tackle the spa ‘flip-flop mountain’, partnering with waste management organisation First Mile to recycle and repurpose discarded spa footwear.

“Flip-flops are an essential part of spas – we supply approximately three million pairs of footwear per year – but they’re also a significant contributor to needless plastic waste,” says founder and CEO, Barbara Cooke.

The company is piloting the new scheme with select properties from the Exclusive Hotels Collection. www.bcsoftwear.co.uk

Warli Twilight lantern

The ideal complement to outdoor treatment areas, spa gardens, terraces and swimming pools, Warli’s Twilight lantern is a portable luminous LED lantern made from stainless steel and blown opal glass, with fine handmade engravings.

Perfect for outdoor use, Twilight is enriched by satin colours with a corrugated effect in dark bronze, light grey, white and bordeaux. Available in three sizes, the lanterns offer eight hours of lighting at full power and are designed to automatically turn off at dawn.

Designer Paolo Zani says he chose to make the stylish lamps from glass and stainless steel due to their ability to resist atmospheric wear and tear.

“Twilight was born from a thought on how to bring light into outdoor spaces,” says Zani. “The light had to be a portable object that could decorate and illuminate different situations, for example a pool or humid areas such as the spa and hammam.” www.warli.it

Opatra Dome

The Opatra Dome facial skin analyser measures the surface and subsurface of the skin using state-of-the-art digital imagery. Using RGB visible and PL polarised light along with UV spectrum imaging technology, AI and image analysis, it captures multispectral photos of the face, allowing therapists to identify fine lines and wrinkles, spots, texture, porphyrins, UV spots, moisture levels and pigmentation.

The device creates customised reports for use in client education and treatment planning, allowing spas to develop more targeted treatment programmes and track progress over time.

Opatra Dome can provide ten facial problem reports in only 25 seconds, and also predicts skin development over the next three to five years, allowing clients to see their ageing trends ahead of time. Spas can import custom products and treatments into the software with comprehensive suggestions and customised solutions. www.opatra.com

Hetki Finnish outdoor sauna

A maker of authentic Finnish outdoor saunas, Hetki delivers both ready-made, premium saunas and a customisable option whereby spas can select the colours, materials, type of benches, lighting and heater to suit their overall design concept. There is also the option to select either a traditional wooden or a glass-panel door as well as a double-glazed window.

The minimalistic Nordic design is made in Finland using traditional fine-grained logs and is transported ready to use. The frame of a Hetki sauna is built from spruce grown in northern Finland, where a short growing season due to the cold climate makes the timber dense, strong and long lasting. The timber is harvested from sustainably managed, certified forests.

Spas can select to have an electric heater that can be controlled remotely with a smartphone or tablet, a wall-mounted light or an atmospheric bench lamp as well as a heat-resistant sauna sound system www.hetkisauna.com

Sommerhuber Lounger One Plus

The ceramic heated Lounger One Plus from Austrian thermal specialist Sommerhuber is ergonomically designed with an organic aesthetic and delicate contours. The electrically heated surface can give off heat evenly over a number of hours and is available in 15 different glazes.

Made from the company’s own Heat Storing Ceramics that radiate warmth, variable temperature control allows for a recommended surface temperature of 34°C, which is known to soothe the autonomic nervous system through the upper layer of skin. The gentle ceramic radiant heat promotes relaxation and recovery.

With only two transverse joints, the Lounger One Plus is easy to clean and meets stringent post-pandemic hygiene requirements. A built-in USB port can be used to charge phones, laptops and reading devices, and the body and headrest can be colour-coordinated with the glaze to suit any spa’s decor. www.sommerhuber.com

Tom Raffield Tillow and Kanna lighting

Originating in a workshop set in six acres of ancient woodland in Cornwall, Tom Raffield’s lighting designs are inspired by nature and hand-crafted using sustainable wood using a pioneering form of steam bending.

Raffield’s latest collections, the Tilow wall light and Kanna Drum Pendant, offer a timeless, natural way to illuminate the spa environment.

“Each piece we create has been on an experimental journey – individual, organic and carefully considered,” explains Raffield. “We source everything from sustainable woodlands and coupled with the low-energy steam bending technique it’s a very ecological process with little wastage.”

Since discovering the age-old technique of steam bending wood while studying for his degree in 3D Sustainability & Design, Raffield has become one of the world leaders in his craft, allowing him to create intricate curves and twists that mimic organic natural shapes.

Said to represent the first strong branch that is born from an oak tree, Tilow (pictured) is an arc of oak that grows up and out to create dramatic downlighting or an ambient soft atmosphere. Available in two sizes, Tilow can be tilted to direct beams of focused light in any required direction, and can be fitted with either an exposed bulb or a Tom Raffield lampshade.

“A spa and wellness space should be populated by natural, organic forms and materials that bring biophilic design inside,” says Raffield. “The benefits of surrounding ourselves with nature are numerous, aiding relaxation, decreasing stress and even recuperating our physical and mental ability. Delivering spaces that keep this connection to nature in mind means people work better, live better and feel better.”

The Kanna Drum Pendant is an elegant tier of oak or walnut, the plywood inner structure of which supports a simple layer of timber, secured with brass screws to create a soft pool of downlight. www.tomraffield.com

Majestic Towels Bust and back support

Majestic Towels’ wipeable Bust and Back Support with face hole offers the highest levels of hygiene to protect clients during treatments. Its unique design relieves pressure points on clients’ breasts when they’re laying on their front and also supports the alignment of the spine when they’re reclining on their back.

Produced from high-grade memory foam, the product moulds to each individual client’s body shape using weight and body temperature to ensure a perfect fit, then returns to its original shape after use. It eliminates the need for rolled towels to provide targeted support when a client is in a reclined position.

Meeting industry requirements for exemplary hygiene levels, the zipped wipe-clean cover is anti-fungal and antibacterial, incorporating technology that eliminates odours caused by yeast, fungus and bacteria.

Available in white and steel grey, additional covers can be purchased separately. www.majestictowels.co.uk

FAS Pendezza - Every-body Attico weights

Adding a touch of design flair to functional objects in the spa, the Every-Body collection of Attico hand weights (from 0.5 to 2kg) are inspired by the columns of classical architecture. Made using FSC-certified beech wood, the range would make a unique addition to gyms, studios or spa wellness spaces.

The gradation of different colours in each hand weight reflects the colour beech wood assumes in relation to its drying temperature – the higher the temperature, the darker the wood becomes.

Designed by Basaglia + Rota Nodari, the abstract sculptures can be complemented by the brand’s Persiano mat. Intended for either relaxing on after exercising or for decorating a spa terrace or garden, Persiano is characterised by eccentric graphics and trompe-l’oeil to blend with any room within the spa. www.faspendezza.it