Momentum is building in the sauna world.
You can feel it in the pace of new openings, the ambition of projects taking shape, and the people stepping into this work with fresh vision. What once felt niche has turned into a movement that’s reshaping how we connect, gather, and build. The time isn’t coming, it’s here. Over the past year, we’ve been in close conversation with dozens of sauna businesses across North America and beyond, and with hundreds more founders who are building, dreaming, or preparing to launch. We’re seeing the patterns up close…where people are investing, where concepts are gaining traction, and what’s quietly losing steam.
But the conversation did not start in 2026.
In 2024, we asked whether North America was falling in love with bathing culture again and why the timing finally felt right. Watch the conversation.
In 2025, we mapped where sauna was taking root and how geography, density, and culture were shaping the movement. Watch State of the Sauna Union.
And now, in 2026, the question has shifted.
The time is not coming. It is here.
In our latest webinar, Sauna 2026: The Trends Defining a Movement, Cedar & Stone Co-Founder Justin Juntunen and Education Development Manager Tom Lloyd shared what we are seeing up close across North America and beyond. Not predictions pulled from thin air, but patterns emerging from years of building, teaching, listening, and working alongside sauna founders and operators.
This session focused on what is solidifying, what is scaling, and what is quietly changing as sauna moves from niche revival to cultural infrastructure.
Below is a guided overview of what was shared and why it matters for anyone invested in the future of sauna.
From Niche to Movement
Over the past year alone, we have been in close conversation with dozens of sauna businesses and hundreds more founders preparing to launch. Patterns are emerging.
- Where capital is flowing
- Which models are holding
- What concepts are gaining traction
- What is quietly losing steam
Mapping the Sauna Market Trajectory
One of the core frameworks shared was a cultural and market lens for understanding where sauna in North America actually is. Not where we wish it was. Not where social media says it is. Where it truly sits in its maturation.
The Four Phases of Sauna in North America
Phase 1: Revival & Preservation
Mantra: Keep this alive.
Driven by DIY builders, elders, and cultural stewards, this phase preserved meaning and tradition but could not scale access. Money felt threatening. Purity tests were strong. Sauna lived at the fringes.
Phase 2: Early Adoption & Identity Formation
Mantra: Let’s do this right.
Mobile saunas, lifestyle businesses, meetups, and early monetization experiments took hold. Community formed, and with it, strong opinions.
Phase 3: Institutionalization & Normalization (Current)
Mantra: How do we scale without losing the soul?
2025 marked a turning point. Permanent locations, sauna villages, daily programming, urban density, staff, insurance, and capital all became part of the equation. Outcomes began to matter more than ideology. Sauna became infrastructure.
Phase 4: Cultural Integration & Pluralism (Emerging)
Mantra: Sauna is part of how people live.
Sauna as a third space. Fewer explanations. More embodiment. Multiple cultural expressions. Translation instead of gatekeeping. The question shifts from “Is this sauna real?” to “Which sauna am I going to today?”
This framework draws on classic market theory including Diffusion of Innovations by Everett Rogers and Geoffrey Moore’s work on growth and adoption, while grounding it in lived cultural observation.
Seven Insights Shaping 2026
1. Big Capital Is Here
Larger, well-funded teams are entering the space and scaling quickly.
Examples discussed:
- Bathhouse expanding nationally
- Othership operating multiple locations
- Therme Group securing over $1B in funding
The takeaway is not fear. It’s clarity. Capital is coming, whether we like it or not.
2. Small Spaces Still Have the Most Soul
Rooted, place-based sauna spaces continue to create the deepest impact.
Care, hospitality, and human connection remain irreplaceable. Newness fades. Relationship does not. Customer service never goes out of style.
3. Winning Business Models Have Emerged
Some experiments are stabilizing. Others are fading.
Mobile drop-off models are largely disappearing. Modular and mobile experiences still thrive, but unattended drop-and-leave concepts are losing relevance. Floating saunas are no longer novel. They are now operational challenges to be solved well.
Helpful resource: Understanding Sauna Business Models That Work
4. Scale Beyond the Bathhouse Is Arriving
The future is not limited to traditional bathhouse models. Large-scale, multi-use, and destination-level projects are taking shape, including $20M+ developments.
5. Gen Z Is Here and the Vibe Is Different
Younger audiences prioritize authenticity, connection, and belonging over polish. Aesthetics still matter, but they are not primary. Outdoor, people-first spaces are leading the way.
6. Programming Matters as Much as Architecture
Guided experiences, group facilitation, and intentional programming are becoming core revenue and impact drivers.
We are seeing sauna used for:
- Dating and matchmaking
- Business and leadership gatherings
- Storytelling, comedy, and lectures
- Cultural and community events
Even the largest operators are realizing that people educating people, in heat, changes everything.
7. The Industry Is Maturing
Clear lanes are forming.
Certifications and training programs are growing. Gatherings and organizations are taking shape, including:
- Culture of Bathing
- Cedar & Stone Sauna Business Accelerator
- North American Sauna Association
- Sauna Days, West Coast Sauna Summit, and more
This is what maturation looks like.
What Comes Next
Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, a few truths feel steady.
Sauna is social. The third space is no longer theoretical.
Sauna is scaling. Beyond boutique and beyond novelty.
Thermic bathing is plural. Finnish sauna is foundational, but many global expressions are rising.
The industry will become more diverse, more representative, and more expansive.
What has not changed is this: relationships still matter. This is still a small industry. Collaboration, education, and advocacy will be essential as the space grows.
What’s Coming Next
The conversation does not stop when the webinar ends. The ideas shaping sauna culture are coming from books, lived experience, and ongoing dialogue across disciplines.
Books for Our Next Webinar
These two titles will help frame our upcoming February conversations, including our session with author, Bill Gifford.
Outlive by Peter Attia
A deep exploration of longevity, healthspan, and how we actually live well over time.
Hotwired by Bill Gifford
A sharp, human look at heat, cold, endurance, and what happens when we push past comfort. This book sets the tone for where thermic bathing intersects with culture, performance, and curiosity.
Join Us for the Next Conversations
We are continuing this series with two live webinars in February, building directly on the themes of Sauna 2026.
If you want to stay close to where this movement is going, these sessions are for you.
Register for our upcoming February webinars, a part of Finlandia Foundation National’s National Sauna Week:
- From Finland to Instagram: How Sauna Lost (and can Regain) Its Meaning
- Science writer Bill Gifford, coauthor of the global bestseller Outlive, joins Justin Juntunen to discuss the science of sauna, separating fact from myth and exploring why the real health benefits of Finnish sauna may have more to do with its effects on the mind than the body. Other topics include the truth about “toxins,” the case against cold plunging, and why the Finnish approach to sauna may be healthier than the way health influencers portray sauna on social media.
- Designing Resilience: The Principles for Sauna Experiences that Change Lives
- Justin Juntunen is on a mission to invite one million people to build resilience through sauna. Speaking at National Sauna Week 2026, he will explore sauna through the lenses of culture, wellness, and design, reflecting on how thoughtful principles shape both structure and experience. As the founder of Cedar & Stone Nordic Sauna, Justin has led and contributed to some of North America’s most ambitious public sauna builds—from floating saunas to brick-and-mortar facilities to large communal saunas welcoming 100+ bodies at once. An expert builder and passionate advocate for evolving sauna culture, he will discuss the basics of sauna design and construction and what a good experience can mean for public saunas in this country, helping operators and guests alike understand how heat can strengthen well-being and community.
For Those Building in This Space
If you are a sauna business owner, an entrepreneur, or seriously considering stepping into this work, we invite you to join the Sauna Business Accelerator.
Built from supporting over 70 founders, this is a 12-month cohort-based learning program offering:
- Practical business education
- Coaching and training
- Accountability and peer support
- Real-world experience from operators doing the work
Rolling admissions are open each month. Learn more and apply here.
