WHAT SETS US APART

At ShareHeat, we preserve the depth, wisdom, and integrity of sauna tradition - a tradition that goes back thousands of years across Finland and Northern Europe. Saunas were never just luxury retreats or wellness trends, they were everyday rituals, places where people were born, healed, and gathered.

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THE ROOTS OF SAUNA CRAFTSMANSHIP

Traditional saunas were built from natural, breathable materials drawn from the local environment - solid timber like spruce, pine, or aspen; moss or wool insulation; and simple designs that allowed heat and moisture to flow freely. No plastics or synthetic barriers. Ventilation was essential, supporting the body’s natural processes.

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WHEN MODERN BUILDS LOST THEIR WAY

In recent decades, modern construction introduced vapour barriers, plastics and synthetic insulation materials that retain heat but block the sauna’s breathability. These changes led to stale air, trapped moisture, mould risk, off gassing and exposure to toxins when heated.

Many modern saunas, even custom-built ones, mimic tradition in appearance but miss its living essence - like the difference between a hāngī and an oven.

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ROOTED IN PLACE: OUR MATERIAL CHOICES

Instead of cedar, we use thermally modified pine - a timber abundant in Aotearoa and familiar to both our landscape and our bodies. In line with sauna tradition, we build using materials sourced from our local environment, fostering a deeper sense of connection and belonging. Cedar, though valued elsewhere, isn’t native to New Zealand and carries a strong, unfamiliar scent when heated. Our choice of pine honours the wisdom and tradition of building with what is naturally around us.​

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A LIVING, BREATHING SAUNA

Our sauna is free from plastic linings, synthetic insulation, and toxic vapour barriers. Instead, it breathes. From the timber cladding to the airflow design, we return to foundational principles of breathability and passive ventilation - creating a clean, oxygen-rich space where your nervous system can relax and restore.

We use New Zealand sheep’s wool insulation and build to the Forever Breath™ Standard, a health-based building approach that ensures materials allow moisture to move naturally through the walls. This reduces condensation, prevents mould, and supports a drier, healthier structure, essential when heat and humidity are at play​​​​

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“A draughty sauna is a good sauna.”

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BUILT WITH PURPOSE

Modern science confirms what ancient sauna cultures understood intuitively: real wellness comes not from sealing things in, but from letting things move. A sauna that breathes allows its guests to do the same.

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“A sauna must breathe, just like its guests.”

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More than just sweat and heat, sauna is a ritual of release, connection, and renewal. At ShareHeat, we honour this tradition by crafting a sauna with presence, integrity, and care, a space built to share heat and foster genuine restorative health, connection and wellness