While traveling 23,000 miles across 35 states with a traditional wood-fired sauna in tow, Risto Sivula noticed a trend: Millennials were among those most game for a 30-minute sweat session.
“That’s what we experienced throughout the trip,” said Sivula, who took Finland’s best-known export on a tour of the U.S. The Traveling Sauna’s voyage concluded in Washington D.C. in December of last year to commemorate 100 years of Finland’s independence.
Along the way, approximately 1,400 people experienced the steamy sensation of an authentic Finnish sauna. Among them: the Dudesons, the group of Finnish daredevils who had a reality series on MTV. They stoked the temperature to a level most manufacturers would probably advise against — a stifling 270 degrees. The stunt garnered more than 2 million views on YouTube.
Sivula, who has since published travelogue chronicling the 2017 road trip, estimates that around 200,000 people were exposed to the ancient Finnish custom. If they didn’t opt for the full sweltering experience, they at least saw the mobile steam room, developed by Finnleo, rolling along the freeway.
But it was 20- and 30-somethings who seemed most eager to try the sauna’s detoxing and stress-relieving benefits.
“There is this younger generation … very interested in health and wellness,” Sivula added. “They discovered sauna and they want to incorporate it into their lifestyle.”
That’s good news for retailers as Generation Y is expected to make 46% of the U.S. household income by 2025, according the U.S. Census Bureau. While many of them might not be able to afford a sauna now, programs such as HotBox Mobile Sauna continue to stoke interest in the lifestyle product.
HotBox is the brainchild of Jackie Aude M. and Paula Wegman. They bought the Traveling Sauna at an auction to launch their own business that connects “communities through heat, health and communication,” according to its website. Basically, they park the unit at various locations throughout the greater New York metro area. HotBox is currently stationed in Red Hook, a hipster enclave of Brooklyn.
While HotBox attracts customers of all ages, the pair of young entrepreneurs note that the mobile sauna holds special appeal for millennials.
“Especially with all this newfangled technology, more people are realizing that taking a moment to themselves and for themselves promotes mental, emotional and physical well-being,” said Aude M. “The sauna especially offers a space to disconnect from tech and focus on the self.”
