Australia's sauna enthusiasm is skyrocketing, with Google searches for 'sauna' surging from 120,000 to over 500,000 monthly in the five years to June 2026. Yet most saunas require swimsuits, a practice that critics say is unhygienic and counterproductive. Kate Hennessy argues it's time to follow European norms and embrace textile-free sessions.
The hygiene argument for naked saunas
Synthetic swimwear can disintegrate in heat, leaving fibers on benches or in ice baths, while wet pants trap bacteria. Mandatory rinses after sweating are less effective than full showers. Naked sweating ensures uniform perspiration, and sitting on towels—mandatory in nude saunas—is more hygienic than swimsuit-clad guests leaving sweat pools.
Gender equity and comfort
Women are disproportionately required to cover up. Outlier Blue Mountains Sauna runs nude sessions to address Australia's 'desperate need of a new sauna culture,' but few have followed. Most chains, like Xtra with 13 new locations, stick to swimwear. Founder Anthony Simonetta says, 'Something tells me that our broad customer base is not ready for it.' Yet Australians are hardly prudish, as beachwear shows.
European models: Vabali and German etiquette
Berlin's Vabali bathhouse, where nakedness is compulsory, offers 10 saunas, steam rooms, pools, and gardens. A spokesperson explains, 'It's less about nudity and more about equality and letting go of external roles. Consistency is essential.' Germans view nudity as practical, not sexual, and enforce strict etiquette: sitting on towels, silence, and cooling-off cycles. Ralf Ostendorf of Visit Berlin notes, 'Nudity is often viewed as a practical consequence, not the main feature.'
Body positivity and a great reset
Naked saunas promote body positivity and mental reset. Hennessy recalls a nude dance performance at Sydney's Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2017: when re-pitched as a nude-only audience, tickets sold out in a day. She says, 'The bumpiest part is disrobing; from then on, it's without awkwardness or anxiety.' Naked time is distinct from daily life, offering a profound reset.
The path forward
Hennessy urges sauna operators to act before etiquette is entrenched. Offering both swimsuit and nude options could normalize textile-free sessions. 'Be bolder, I say. Build it and they will come,' she concludes.
