Noel Asmar

The Noel Asmar Group, a specialist in uniforms for the spa industry, has won the ISPA Innovation of the Year award.

The company was nominated for its range of sustainable athleisure uniforms which are made from recycled plastic bottles.

This is the brand’s first foray into sustainable design and to create the fabric, reclaimed plastic bottles are crushed, pelleted, spun into cloth and then treated with an eco-friendly finish that makes it odour resistant, moisture wicking and anti-bacterial.

Available in a range of styles and sizes, the uniforms are comfortable, durable and breathable, and can be worn during the delivery of most spa treatments.

Group founder and creative director Noel Asmar says: “It’s an honour to receive this award at a time when sustainability and planet health is at the forefront. The Noel Asmar sustainable uniform collection is simply the beginning – so much more must be done.”

KEYWORDS: NOEL ASMAR

Asmar received the award at ISPA’s annual conference

Athleisure uniforms are made from recycled plastic bottles

Anadi Martel

The Jaavu Spa at Amilla Fushi, a luxury Maldivian resort, has introduced Sensora Light Therapy, a new multi-sensory immersive experience that combines light, sound and vibration therapies.

It was developed by physicist Anadi Martel, who’s studied the therapeutic effects of light for more than 40 years, and features an advanced colour-light system that’s designed to re-charge the brain’s electrical field, as well as positively interact with various bio-rhythms such as brainwaves, breathing and the heartbeat.

Reported benefits include deep relaxation, enhanced alertness and a reduction in chronic pain. It’s also believed to help with insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and depression.

“Sensora offers a pure light experience of exquisite beauty, bringing peace to the mind and balance to the autonomic nervous system,” explains Martel. “It supports the body’s homeostasis and has been clinically proven to help the brain rest, effortlessly reducing stress and inducing deep relaxation,” he adds.

KEYWORD: SENSORA

The latest spa installation is at Amilla Fushi in the Maldives

Mike Bruggeman

OM4, a US-based organic skincare brand, has created what it calls a new ‘gender neutral line’ with an emphasis on inclusivity.

Called HAIA, short for Happy As I Am, the unisex range is separated into five mini-collections with their own range of products, each bearing an affirmation such as ‘I am confident’, ‘I am bold’, ‘I am worthy’.

Formulated to promote a healthy skin microbiome, the products feature extremophiles, microorganisms that exist in extreme conditions, and mesonutrients, antioxidants found in superfoods, as well as plant stem cells.

The company has also developed an app offering personalised advice and skincare recommendations. It features animated characters, designed to reflect the brand’s diverse target audience.

“Our goal was to create a clean and inclusive skincare brand to help change the idea of living up to the social norm and remind you to love exactly who you are every day,” explains CEO Mike Bruggeman.

KEYWORD: HAIA

The unisex brand has been formulated to promote a healthy skin microbiome

Dominik Kuprecht

NOHrD, sister brand of WaterRower, has developed the NOHrD Bike, that could be used in spas wanting to offer fitness equipment with a design-led aesthetic.

The bike was in development for six years and was something of a passion project for NOHrD CEO and lead designer Dominik Kuprecht, who says he was driven by a mission to create an indoor cycle that fuses functionality with style.

The bike is made from sustainable hardwood and boasts a number of high-tech features, including advanced planetary gear technology, adaptable resistance, wear-free braking and an eddy brake current to ensure smooth pedal action.

Kuprecht says: “The needs of the customer is at the heart of everything we do. When developing a product, my priority is to deliver a machine that gives the user a best-in-class workout experience, only then do we turn our attention to creating something that’s also visually stunning.”

KEYWORD: NOHRD

The bike is made from sustainable hard wood

Jörg Demuth

Urb’n Nature, a skincare brand owned by The Organic Spa Company, has expanded its Zero Waste collection of hotel and spa amenities to include a range of environmentally friendly slippers.

Unlike traditional spa slippers, which are single-use and made from plastic-based materials such as PVC, Urb’n Nature’s are designed for multiple-uses and are made from natural, sustainable materials, such as responsibly-sourced cotton, cork, wool, palm leaves and coconut.

The slippers are available in a range of styles and colours and can be customised to include the spa/hotel’s logo.

Jörg Demuth, chief product officer at Urb’n Nature, says: “Hotel slippers are usually made from plastics, which can take up to 500 years to degrade. Urb’n Nature’s slippers are recyclable and compostable because they’re made from natural fibres. They’re designed to be used multiple times and reduce the need for single-use items in spas.”

KEYWORDS: URB’N NATURE

Different colours and logos can be added to tie in with a spa’s brand

Materials include cotton, cork, wool and palm leaves

Guido Bierther

Airnergy, a German company specialising in oxygen treatments, has launched AvantGarde, a breathing station, offering ‘healthy forest air’, for the spa market.

The AvantGarde, which will be sold under Airnergy’s Spiroyal brand name, uses a patented process to produce purified air. Founder Guido Bierther says the air can be used to optimise cell oxygen utilisation and to promote mitochondrial cell activity, leading to regulated metabolism and increased energy release.

It’s designed as a complementary addition to spas and can be easily combined with existing treatments to enhance the client experience.

The breathing station, described by the company as a ‘small work of art’, can be adapted according to a spa’s decor thanks to a wide variety of finishes including marble, granite and mother-of-pearl.

Bierther adds: “Airnergy offers detoxification, regeneration, vitality and anti-ageing in its original form – air. Everything is nothing without air.”

KEYWORD: AIRNERGY

Oxygen therapy is becoming popular in spas

Dr Assia Clément

French spa brand Thémaé has created a treatment and accompanying body scrub inspired by Asian tea ceremonies.

The 90-minute treatment, called Freshness Ceremony Tea in Asia, begins with the body scrub to leave the skin smooth and nourished. A back massage to alleviate tension follows, before a green tea body wrap is applied. A green tea facial to refresh and brighten completes the ritual.

The scrub, called Gommage Thé En Asie (Tea In Asia), is formulated with papaya enzymes, black rice extract, coconut and sugar to offer manual and enzymatic exfoliation. Other ingredients include an antioxidising 4 Tea Complex to reinvigorate, while cranberry and jojoba oils leave the skin hydrated.

Dr Assia Clément, director of operations, says: “This is our latest innovation. This sensorial body scrub, enriched with tea polyphenols, combines innovative ingredients to provide double exfoliation.”

KEYWORD: THÉMAÉ

The launch includes a body scrub and 90-minute treatment

Chill CBD, created by Close herself, includes a body balm and ingestible oil

Naturopathica has developed a line of skincare products with CBD oil as its key ingredient.

Created by Barbara Close, founder and CEO of Naturopathica, the Chill CBD collection, consists of two products, the Chill Full Spectrum CBD Microdose Elixir and the Chill Full Spectrum CBD & Kava Balm.

An ingestible oil, the Microdose Elixir features cannabinoid-rich hemp flower extract and cold-pressed hemp seed oil to promote a sense of calm and aid restful sleep. While the CBD & Kava Balm is a body balm that relieves tension. It contains kava root and vetiver alongside hemp flower extract and hemp seed oil.

Close says: “CBD is a naturally occurring compound found in hemp, a plant with a rich history in herbal medicine.

“Our CBD is CO2 extracted – for maximum potency – and contains an array of cannabinoids, as well as beneficial vitamins and fatty acids. When combined, these elements deliver an ‘entourage effect’ for enhanced relief.”

KEYWORD: NATUROPATHICA

Judith Compton

Mala + Mantra, a jewellery and lifestyle brand, has launched a line of birthstone necklaces for retail in spas and resorts.

The Birthstone Gem Collection, which debuted in September, consists of 14 karat gold-plated bezel pendant necklaces for each of the 12 birthstones.

It was inspired by founder Judith Compton’s love for birthstone jewellery as a child.

“I’ve always been intrigued by the tradition and story behind birthstones,” she says. “As a child I held dear the pieces of birthstone jewellery my parents gave me.

The pieces are handcrafted in the Philippines by female artisans in a fair trade co-operative, which provides a sustainable way for the women to support themselves, gives them a safe working environment, and ensures they are compensated fairly for their work.

In other news, Mala + Mantra is hosting a retreat at Red Mountain Resort, USA, in November. Guests will learn how to meditate, make their own bead bracelets and write personal mantras.

KEYWORDS: MALA + MANTRA

The jewellery is handcrafted by women in the Philippines in a fair trade co-operative