Co-founders Osmani (left) and Abrishamchi (right)

A new range of drop-in meditation pods have been designed to provide urbanites with the space and tools they need to incorporate meditation practices into their daily lives.

The pods are available for both public and private spaces, including spas, hotels, homes, offices, shops and other areas, and include comfortable seating, and headphones. There’s also the option to select Inhere meditations via an audio player.

Inhere, the UK-based company behind the launch, was set up by neuroscientist Ghazal Abrishamchi and business woman Adiba Osmani.

“Inhere’s meditation pod creates a natural, organic space for calm, clarity and privacy for the individual even in the busiest of environments without any of the feelings of isolation or separateness,” says Abrishamchi.

“The sustainable sapele slats allow in natural light and air, while the noise-cancelling headphones and guided meditations transport the mind to a quiet place. The interior design invites and soothes, and the elegant exterior captures the attention of passers by.”

The duo collaborated with the Design & That studio to create the pods, which allow for natural light to flow in to create a breezy, light space.

KEYWORD: INHERE

Noise-cancelling headphones and guided meditations are optional

Slats allow in natural light and air to aid relaxation

Kerstin Florian says Anda was a passion project for her daughter

Kerstin Florian International has launched a natural and organic skincare line in memory of founder Kerstin’s late daughter, Charlene.

Called Anda – meaning ‘breathe’ in Swedish – the collection was a passion project for Charlene, who served as the company’s CCO before she sadly passed away in 2016. The much-loved industry figure was committed to wellness, positivity and self-love.

“I’m thrilled and humbled to be able to present Anda as my tribute to her,” says Kerstin.

Anda’s first three products include the Coherence Elixir, Vitalessence Serum-Oil and Super Nutrient Balm. While a facial and five additional items will be introduced imminently.

Both cruelty-free and vegan, the products are formulated to visibly improve the complexion, as well as the overall wellness of the skin.

In keeping with the brand’s ethos – ‘skin-friendly, animal-friendly, earth-friendly’ – Anda uses responsibly-sourced packaging, made from recyclable and sustainable materials.

Anda will be presented to spas as a stand-alone line, but it can also be offered alongside the Kerstin Florian range as a complementary collection.

KEYWORDS: KERSTIN FLORIAN

The eco-friendly skincare line uses high-performance, natural ingredients such as prickly pear

The eco-friendly skincare line uses high-performance, natural ingredients such as prickly pear

Zuuja co-founder Marisa Pepper

Charmaine Lang, founder of spa linen firm The Madison Collection, has teamed up with daughter-in-law and businesswoman Marisa Pepper to launch a new company specialising in loungewear for spas.

Zuuja was inspired by a spa visit, where Lang noted that journeys do not flow, due to a disconnect between the experiences on offer and the dress code.

The four-piece loungewear collection, inspired by athleisure wear, can be worn from the treatment room, to the pool and even the dining room, making the spa journey completely seamless.

Pepper says the luxury loungewear creates “ease from walking to wandering to lounging” and that it also offers “guests a momento... a reminder of their stay”.

Available as an in-room amenity and as a retail line, the unisex collection has been created with comfort and luxury in mind. It consists of two styles of shirts and trousers – a long sleeved v-neck, a boat necked short sleeved t-shirt, a harem pant and cuffed straight-leg trousers – in two colourways: white and mint.

From seed to sew, the collection is produced in Peru from GOTS-certified 100 per cent organic cotton.

KEYWORD: ZUUJA

The collection makes the spa journey seamless

Dafne Berlanga, VP of international business development

Oakworks has combined style and function with its new fully ADA-compliant Britta table.

It includes an array of features to make it more accessible and comfortable for disabled people. These include an electric lift system, hand and foot controls and Aerolux padding, plus a tilt function which can position users on their back at a 15-30-degree incline with their feet above their head.

The table is billed as ‘the most customisable table’ in the Masters Collection, and can be adapted to include a range of features such as heated tops and warming drawers, as well as the patented ABC System that ensures breast comfort.

Using Oakworks’ design tool, Studio, operators can also select the wood, upholstery, finish and laminates for a completely unique look.

Dafne Berlanga, VP of international business development, says: “The most luxurious and comfortable table on the market, Britta is a true accomplishment for Oakworks. With it we stand by our commitment to the world by using sustainable materials, and to our clients by investing in third party certifications that make our products the most reliable.”

KEYWORD: OAKWORKS

Stylish and functional: the accessible table has a wide range of design options

Mark Walton

Seaweed skincare firm Voya is to unveil a new company specialising in nutritional supplements.

Sea Õr will launch in 2019 with two products formulated with Orplex, a trademarked complex made from hand-harvested kelp seaweeds, and other health-promoting ingredients. The vitamin- and mineral-rich seaweeds are believed to contribute to cognitive, thyroid, skin and metabolic function.

The Body supplements can be used to promote colon health, reduce fatigue and support the immune system. While Hair, Skin & Nails supplements will help maintain healthy skin and hair, protect from oxidative stress and promote gut health.

“Sea Õr has been in development for over four years and we’re confident it’s a premium and scientifically-developed seaweed-based supplement,” says Voya MD Mark Walton.

“Entering into the supplements market was a natural next step. We’ve been working with wild Irish seaweed for over two decades and have gained knowledge of the extensive benefits of including seaweed in your diet. Seaweed contains a multitude of essential vitamins and minerals that are vital to health and wellbeing.”

KEYWORD: SEA ÕR

Voya hand harvests its seaweed in Ireland

Riccardo Turri

Starpool, an Italian wellness consultancy firm, has revealed a new design concept for saunas and steamrooms.

Centred around customisation and colour, the concept, called Colour for Soul, is billed as ‘a colour revolution’ for spas. It encourages operators to view their saunas and steamrooms as design features by offering these facilities in a range of five ‘emotionally charged’ shades: Deep Soul green, Intense Soul plum, Light Soul blue, Full Soul grey and Pure Soul white.

The colour palette, described as ‘an emotional catalogue of colour possibilities’, offers hues selected for their mood enhancing properties, as well as their elegance.

Riccardo Turri, CEO of Starpool, says: “I believe that the spa of the future will be increasingly bespoke, built around the needs and tastes of everyone. This is why we have decided to work with colour, a fascinating tool that is yet to be fully explored.”

KEYWORD: STARPOOL

The concept gives heat experiences a design edge

Five shades have been picked for their mood enhancing properties

Christian Sommerhuber

Austrian ceramics manufacturer Sommerhuber has launched a new space-saving spa lounger.

The Lounger Three Plus, is a freestanding ceramic lounger which offers a relaxation experience with a smaller footprint than Sommerhuber’s standard range. It measures 1.7m in length, with a width of 65cm and height of 89cm.

It’s ergonomically designed to cradle the body, and features an upright backrest, creating a comfortable position for reading, sleeping and other relaxing activities.

The ‘velvety-soft’ ceramic surface is available in 18 different glazes and generates a gentle infrared heat, controlled by a variable thermostat.

“The upright design of Lounger Three Plus enables one to read or work while benefiting from soft, healthy infrared warmth,” says owner Christian Sommerhuber.

“It’s shorter length meets many spa operators’ requirements for maximizing experience in smaller spaces,” he adds.

KEYWORD: SOMMERHUBER

The ceramic lounger is ergonomically designed to cradle the body

Sammy Gharieni

German spa equipment manufacturer Gharieni has unveiled MLR Select, the next generation of its classic MLR spa bed.

The bed has been created from both a design-led and high functionality standpoint. There are a range of upholstery options and three elegant base types – aluminium; wood, which can be matched with a spa interior; and static, for maximum stability.

The column base provides ample legroom for therapists when delivering treatments. The armrests can also be tilted or swivelled backwards to allow more room for head or neck therapies.

It has adjustable head, back and leg sections and the height and incline can be easily altered thanks to the two strong lifting columns.

Optional extras include eight memory positions, a locking function and Gharieni’s smart-thermo heating and vibro-wellness systems.

Gharieni founder and CEO Sammy Gharieni says: “The elegant and simple design, the lowerable armrests, and the adjustable head, back, leg and foot sections make the MLR Select an incredibly versatile spa table.”

KEYWORD: Gharieni

The bed has eight different positions, plus heating and vibrating options

The column base provides maximum legroom

Toby Marshman

Form Fitness, a London-based brand which aims to “take more carbon out of the atmosphere” than what goes into it during manufacturing, has unveiled a range of yoga mats designed to combat single-use plastic waste.

The washable mats are made from recycled natural rubber and plastic bottles. They’re also free from silicones and toxic glue, and are phthalate-free.

Their vibrant circular design prevents the need to turn the mat during a class, while the Form’s special grid has been printed on the surface to help improve alignment and consistency.

Toby Marshman, Form Fitness co-founder, says: “We wanted to create a product which not only helps you improve your performance and fitness, but also helps the environment at the same time.

“In a world of rapid environmental degradation, we believe every choice we make in life should aim to minimise our environmental impact.”

KEYWORDS: FORM FITNESS

A grid has been added to help improve alignment