Textile Wellness: Germany’s Changing Bathing Habits

In German bathing culture, sauna-goers generally enjoy the wellness benefits of the sauna experience ‘textile-free’ (wearing no swimsuit). However, due to personal preferences or cultural backgrounds, communal nakedness can be a barrier for many guests, preventing them from regularly practising sauna.

Because of this, textile sauna is growing in popularity in Germany. Particularly suitable for sauna newcomers and visitors who are not accustomed to conventional German sauna culture, textile wellness allows more people to enjoy the health and wellness benefits of sweat baths. At Thermengruppe Josef Wund we are adapting our offer to meet these transitions and create a wellbeing environment that is accessible, inclusive and comfortable for everybody.

Modern German sauna culture, as practised throughout the German-speaking areas of Switzerland, Austria and South Tyrol, developed from Finnish sauna culture following the Second World War and has since taken on its own unique form. 

Textile-free sauna remains very popular in Germany and continues to define sauna practices in many Northern European cultures. Reasons for this include:

Temperature

Nudity allows all areas of the skin to fend off the heat by sweating.

Social and cultural

By removing clothes, sauna-goers feel as if they shed unnecessary status and the often-tense desire to be eternally young and flawless. This, in itself, is very relaxing. It creates a feeling of equal rights and equal respect in a protected space. It is believed that nudity helps us realise that we are vulnerable beings who are dependent on social connection, bringing us closer to our central needs and feelings. 

Hygiene

Since the end of the war, the German Sauna Association has been very active in favour of nudity - one of the most important arguments is that sweating in swimwear at high temperatures is unhygienic.

Though textile sauna has been common in other countries for a long time, in Germany, wellness operators are only now discovering the benefits of saunas in swimwear. Textile saunas are ideal for families with children and are an excellent addition for spas that offer warm bathing. Guests can leave their swimsuits on and relax in the sauna after swimming.

The number of textile saunas in Germany is growing rapidly. Last year, Thermengruppe Josef Wund built its first textile sauna at Therme Euskirchen, which was received with great enthusiasm by guests. Thanks to its location on the sandy beach with a view of the lake, it was a popular and well-attended attraction during the summer season. 

Textile saunas, and textile wellness in general, are trends that are expanding and rejuvenating the guest experience in German spas, especially among young people and those who are experiencing German bathing culture for the first time. For these target groups, topics such as mindfulness, healthy eating, the use of vegan and natural products, and a sustainable approach to the environment are increasingly important.

The event concept of Herbarium Festival, which took place in Therme Bucharest in June, fits fantastically with the trend of a more inclusive approach to sauna bathing. For this reason, we brought Herbarium Festival to Germany.

The festival was held from 25th to 28th October at Therme Euskirchen. Natural fragrances, sounds, ceremonies, lectures, special rituals, herbal plants and natural essences transformed Therme Euskirchen into a magical festival infused with nature, herbs and heat.

In addition to employees of Thermengruppe Josef Wund and guests from Therme Bucharest, Herbarium welcomed 30 national and international aufguss experts who put together a unique programme across four days. More than 300 ceremonies, sauna experiences and offers showed visitors from across the globe the effective power of nature. 

In addition to the fantastic aufguss ceremonies, the Therme Euskirchen team and the Thermengruppe Josef Wund management met with Therme Group guests, who had travelled all the way from Bucharest, for a relaxed chat around an open fire to discuss the cultural peculiarities of sauna and their personal experiences. This conversation allowed for an open dialogue on many topics including textile and textile-free sauna.