Need to Know
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Cesena – As the host of this year’s Global Wellness Summit, Technogym presented its recent collaboration with Italian architect and furniture designer Antonio Citterio.

Exploring the idea that health and fitness now infiltrate every aspect of domestic life, the brand has concentrated on creating equipment that also functions as a desirable design-led object within the home.

‘Technogym strongly believes fitness is moving out of a home gym environment and into day-to-day living spaces,’ says Giulia Magnani, digital PR and content specialist at Technogym. She adds that its products are no longer limited to innovative and technology-driven pieces of equipment, ‘But they are also pieces of furniture and design.’

As explored in our new At-home Fitness microtrend, as consumers’ schedules become increasingly demanding they are seeking state-of-the art at-home gym equipment that affords them the same calibre of training as a high-end gym, while also being aesthetically pleasing.

London – Aromatherapy Associates demonstrated its environmentally friendly credentials at this year’s Global Wellness Summit with the launch of its Hydrosol Sheet Mask.

Made with a biodegradable material derived from eucalyptus wood, the mask is infused with essential oils such as frankincense hydrosol, a by-product of the essential oil distillation process that can be applied directly to skin, as well as turmeric root extract, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera to promote firmer and smoother skin.

While the mask’s packaging is not yet recyclable due to material limitations, the brand is working to bring an entirely compostable product to market in the near future.

As consumers become increasingly aware of the detrimental effect that their beauty regime can have on the environment, there has been a drive within the sector for Whole-system Thinking, whereby products such as face masks and cleansing wipes are reformulated in order to better support the planet.

Washington DC – Students from around the world were invited to present future wellbeing concepts at the Global Wellness Summit, with stand-out project Bellumo aiming to transform how we sleep.

The brainchild of Maria Mu, who recently graduated from Cornell University, Bellumo is a hanging mobile that can be positioned over the user’s bed. Accompanied by a Bluetooth-connected app, users are guided through various breathing exercises to help them relax, with the mobile slowly brightening and dimming as a prompt for them to inhale and exhale.

Designed to address the global sleep deprivation epidemic and its impact on consumers’ lives, the concept also aims to reduce the need for sleeping pills. As Mu cited in her pitch at the Summit, the majority of sleep-inducing products are medicinal, which can lead to user dependency.

With sleep now recognised as one of the key tenets of healthy living, brands are increasingly using technology to support consumers’ night-time needs.

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has released its latest report findings, emphasising the strengthening economic value of the wellness sector.

The GWI reports that a combination of longer life expectancy and an increase in non-communicable diseases are fuelling global interest in wellness, as consumers seek ways to achieve longer, healthier lives.

As Ophelia Yeung, senior research fellow at GWI, explains, the areas of wellness that will experience the greatest degree of growth will be those that touch consumers’ everyday lives. ‘The wellness market isn’t just growing, it’s extremely dynamic. We believe that the three sectors that represent the core spheres of life will see the strongest future growth – wellness real estate, workplace wellness and wellness tourism,’ Yeung told the audience at this year’s Global Wellness Summit.