Heat

Built for the heat

Cold

Made to cool down

Rest

For everything in between

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A message from the founder

Why Saunamekko exists

I wanted to sit in the sauna with my legs up on the bench, fully at ease, not thinking about what I was wearing. To breathe into that strange, luminous space where transformation actually happens — present with my own body, and with the people I love — without having to be naked to feel free.

That was the beginning of it. A simple question: why isn't there anything made just for this?

The answer I kept finding was clothing that didn't belong there — swimsuits that trap heat, synthetics that don't breathe, nothing that carried the feeling of the sauna back out into the day. So I made something that did.

Saunamekko™ grew from that need into something larger. An answer to the question everyone asks before their first sauna: what do I wear? An invitation — to anyone, regardless of size, shape, age, or history — to step into a practice that has offered people renewal for generations. A cleansing. A shedding. A communion with yourself, with others, with something quieter than daily life usually allows.

And beyond the sauna, a different way of thinking about getting dressed. Fewer decisions. Less laundry. No self-criticism standing in front of a mirror. Just simple, functional, beautiful comfort that carries you through the day without asking anything of you.

Buy less. Fret less. Be more.

Saunamekko has allowed me to be more of my authentic self — before, during, and after the sauna. Without having to be naked to feel that way. I hope it does the same for you.

- Karen Rue

A message from the founder

Why Saunamekko exists

I wanted to sit in the sauna with my legs up on the bench, fully at ease, not thinking about what I was wearing. To breathe into that strange, luminous space where transformation actually happens — present with my own body, and with the people I love — without having to be naked to feel free.

That was the beginning of it. A simple question: why isn't there anything made just for this?

The answer I kept finding was clothing that didn't belong there — swimsuits that trap heat, synthetics that don't breathe, nothing that carried the feeling of the sauna back out into the day. So I made something that did.

Saunamekko™ grew from that need into something larger. An answer to the question everyone asks before their first sauna: what do I wear? An invitation — to anyone, regardless of size, shape, age, or history — to step into a practice that has offered people renewal for generations. A cleansing. A shedding. A communion with yourself, with others, with something quieter than daily life usually allows.

And beyond the sauna, a different way of thinking about getting dressed. Fewer decisions. Less laundry. No self-criticism standing in front of a mirror. Just simple, functional, beautiful comfort that carries you through the day without asking anything of you.

Buy less. Fret less. Be more.

Saunamekko has allowed me to be more of my authentic self — before, during, and after the sauna. Without having to be naked to feel that way. I hope it does the same for you.

Head of Partnerships

Dori Graff has been part of the Saunamekko journey since its earliest days — back when Karen was imagining what would eventually become the original sauna dress. What began as a simple conversation about what to wear in the sauna quickly revealed something bigger: a beautifully simple idea that solves a real problem for sauna-goers everywhere.

In 2025, Dori officially joined Saunamekko to lead partnerships and growth, helping bring the brand’s vision to more people — and more saunas — around the world. Before Saunamekko, she spent more than a decade in the apparel and sustainability space as co-founder and CEO of a resale marketplace, where she helped build a more circular way to shop.

Learn about partnerships

At our core

The Saunamekko values

Presence

The sauna is one of the few places where everything else falls away — alone or among others. We design for that feeling — grounded, present, and entirely yourself.

Connection

Something happens in a small, dark, hot room. Walls come down. Phones stay outside. Whether it's your family, your friends, or strangers who won't be strangers for long — the sauna has always been where people actually meet. We make what you wear for that.

Beyond the heat

The ritual doesn't end when you leave. Neither does Saunamekko. Our pieces carry you from the heat to the cold to whatever comes next — and wear well into the rest of the day.

Merino, for a reason

Merino wool has regulated temperature, resisted odor, and outlasted every synthetic alternative for thousands of years. We didn't invent a better material. We just finally used it in the right place — so it moves with you, breathes with you, and disappears into the ritual.

The Finnish way

In Finland, the sauna isn't a wellness trend. It's where you're born, where you recover, where you gather." Saunamekko comes from that culture — and carries it forward.

Contributors & Origins

Lifestyle photography & video:
Aly Kat, Minneapolis, MN
Doug Beasley, St. Paul, MN


HIstoric Photo Credits:
Finnish Heritage Agency

Collections/photographers
Historical & Aho/Unknown
Ethnographic/Metsälä
Ethnographic/Poutvaara
Architectural/Laine
Ethnographic/Nikkilä

Saunamekko™ is a proud member of Sauna from Finland — a certification recognizing brands committed to authentic Finnish sauna culture and tradition.