Where it all began…..
We’re Antreas and Erannan, the founders of Niku-Naku.
We’re Finnish-born brothers raised in Ireland. We grew up with a blend of both cultures, and while we’ve always had an appreciation for the craic, we know that nothing beats an authentic Finnish sauna. As dads living in the UK, we’re eager to introduce our kids to the quality of sauna we grew up with, but finding a proper löyly in the UK has proven to be a challenge!
As kids, we spent our summers sweating it out in Finland’s traditional saunas. It was the perfect balance of fresh air, cold lakes, and enough steam to make a kettle jealous. The Finnish sauna isn’t just about sitting in a hot room—it’s about reconnecting with nature, slowing down, and sweating out all of life’s nonsense. Every Finn incorporates saunas into their weekly routine, and why wouldn’t they? The benefits (link to benefits section?) of a good löyly are hard to beat.
Now, we’re on a mission to bring the authentic Finnish sauna experience to the UK. No gimmicks—just real wood-fired heat and incredible steam. Whether you’re a seasoned sauna-goer or just sauna-curious, come and experience the true quality of a proper löyly, just as any native Finn would expect. We promise—you’ll leave feeling relaxed, refreshed, and questioning why you haven’t been doing this your whole life?
Why Niku-Naku?
niku-naku adj. (Finnish) a playful term for naked, bare or stripped back.
At Niku-Naku, we are passionate about stripping back to the bare essentials of authentic Finnish sauna culture; living well, connecting with people and nature and enjoying the timeless tradition of a proper löyly.
In Finland it’s the norm to sauna naked. Don’t worry, we won’t be sharing this part of our heritage with you, but the name reminds us of the traditions that helped create our sauna experience.
The idea came from Erannan and we sprung into action to have it realised. With the growing popularity of sauna culture worldwide, we thought it important to share our personal experience of where it all began; the Finnish sauna. Something which we know the ins and outs of. Especially now as dads, it is important for us to bring our children up with the quality of sauna that we love so much.
Every detail of our sauna and the overall experience is carefully designed to capture the essence of a Finnish sauna; from the wood-burning stove, the hot water rinse to the heated changing room. The careful interior design that meets the strict design criteria of “löylynlaki”, and the careful selection of quality materials all play a part in making it an authentic Finnish sauna experience not to be missed.
The Löyly Philosophy
Lets talk löyly… What is it first of all?
It’s more than just steam. In a Finnish Sauna, löyly is the heat, rising vapor that forms when water is thrown onto the stones of a sauna stove. Löyly is what turns a hot room into a sacred space. It’s the soft wave of warmth that relaxes your body, clears your mind, and connects you to something ancient and essential. That’s why the most common sauna question in Finland isn’t “was it hot?” but “was the löyly good?”
The sauna is a space for everyone from all different backgrounds to come and unwind. Whether you’re an athlete needing to recover after a swim or a run or just finished your job and want to relax with friends, the sauna is the place to go.