Studio notes

Reflections on materials, rituals, care, and a slower way of living.
The complete guide to sauna hats: Benefits, materials, history and how to choose one
For many people outside the Nordic countries, wearing a hat inside a sauna seems unusual. After all, why would you put on more clothing in a room that can reach temperatures of 80–100°C? Yet if you step inside a traditional Finnish sauna, an Estonian smoke sauna or attend a modern saunagus ceremony, you'll often notice experienced sauna bathers wearing one. Because they understand how heat behaves. Read more...
What are we wearing? The hidden cost of synthetic fabrics
Most modern wardrobes are filled with synthetic fibres such as polyester, nylon and elastane. They are lightweight, stretchy, durable and particularly common in activewear and underwear - the very clothes we tend to wear closest to our skin. And while these materials can perform remarkably well, there is a growing conversation around what it means to live in them every day. Read more...
Natural or Synthetic Materials?
We think more about what we eat, where our products come from, and how they are made. But what about the clothes we wear every day? Clothing is something we spend a lot of time in. It sits against our skin while we sleep, work, move and rest. Yet the material is often one of the last things we look at when buying something new. That may be starting to change. Read more...
Why we’re rethinking what we wear
At EIR, we spend a lot of time thinking about the things we surround ourselves with. The materials we choose for our sauna hats, the cotton we wrap ourselves in after a cold plunge, and the objects we use as part of the rituals that help us slow down. We care about how things feel, where they come from, how they are made, and whether they are made to last. Read more...
Breathwork and meditation: A return to stillness
There is something about the breath that makes it difficult to stay anywhere else. When life feels full, we tend to move with it. From one thing to the next. A message, an email, a meeting, a thought, another thought. Even when we are technically resting, our minds can still be somewhere else. The breath is different. It is always here. Breathwork and meditation are two simple ways of coming back to that place. Not as another thing to add to the list, but as a small ritual of slowing... Read more...
What to wear in a sauna (and what NOT to wear)
What should you wear in a sauna? A simple guide to sauna clothing, etiquette and natural materials. Learn what works, what to avoid, and how to improve your sauna experience. Read more...
Hammam towel: Benefits, uses, and why it’s better than a regular towel
Hammam towel explained: benefits, uses and why it dries faster and performs better than a regular towel. Ideal for sauna, beach, travel and everyday use. Read more...
Sauna hat benefits: Why it matters for heat, comfort and longer sessions
Sauna hat benefits explained: how a wool sauna hat protects your hair, improves heat tolerance, and allows longer, more comfortable sauna sessions. Read more...
Sauna rituals: Saunagus, sauna infusion and the traditional aufguss ceremony
Discover the art of saunagus, sauna infusion, sauna ceremony and the traditional aufguss ceremony. Learn how guided sauna rituals support recovery, presence and contrast therapy - and what to bring to make the most of your session. Read more...
Sauna Hat: Why it belongs in your ritual
Heat rises. Without protection, your head absorbs a disproportionate amount of warmth before the rest of your body has had the chance to fully benefit. A sauna hat creates a simple buffer, helping maintain a stable body temperature and allowing you to stay in longer, supporting circulation and a deeper, more restorative experience. Read more...
How to cold plunge - a beginner's guide
The first time is the hardest. Not because it is dangerous, but because everything in you says no. The cold hits before you are fully in and the instinct is to get straight back out. This is normal. It is also exactly the point. Cold immersion works because it asks something of you. A moment of voluntary discomfort that, on the other side, leaves you feeling more awake and more present than almost anything else. Once you understand that, it becomes something you return to rather than something you endure. Read more...
How to care for your sauna hat and hammam towel
Natural materials are different from synthetic ones in one important way. They respond to how you treat them. Looked after well, they improve over time. Neglected, they deteriorate faster than they should. The products you bring into your rituals deserve the same care you bring to the rituals themselves. Read more...
Why we stopped using synthetic products close to our bodies
Most conventional textiles like underwear, towels, activewear, swimwear, are made from synthetic materials. Polyester, nylon, acrylic. Fabrics derived from plastic. When you wear them, they sit against your skin all day. When you wash them, they release microplastics into the water. When they wear out, they do not break down. Read more...
The Peshtemal (hammam towel): A tradition of bathing and craft
The peshtemal has its roots in the Turkish hammam, the bathhouses that sat at the centre of daily life during the Ottoman Empire. These weren't just places to wash. They were places to rest, to talk, to slow down. The peshtemal was part of that - worn around the body, used during washing, carried between the different chambers of heat, steam, and water. Read more...
Eir: A goddess of healing and quiet strength
In Nordic mythology, Eir is known as a figure of healing and care. Her name appears in ancient texts as one associated with protection, restoration, and knowledge of the body. While many gods are remembered for power and conquest, Eir stands apart. She is linked to something quieter. The act of tending, of restoring, of bringing balance back. Read more...
Rituals of care: Sauna and cold immersion
In Nordic life, moving between warmth and cold is a daily practice rather than a special occasion. Contrast therapy, the deliberate shift between hot sauna and cold water, supports healthy circulation and helps the body recover. It can meaningfully improve blood flow, helping muscles recover faster and leaving a lasting sense of energy without the crash. Read more...
Nordic rituals of heat and cold
For centuries, sauna and winter bathing have been part of daily life across the Nordic countries. In Finland alone, there are over 2 million saunas for a population of 5.5 million. Not a wellness trend. A way of living. Across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Baltic countries, families have long moved between heat and cold as a matter of routine, to reconnect with the body, with the seasons, and with each other. Read more...