Outdoor & Wellbeing
Vision 2026 update
Outdoor & Wellbeing
Dependency on nature
4.4 billion people live in cities, a number set to increase to 70% of the population by 2050. Urban life offers many benefits but often lacks a direct connection to nature, away from the noise and bustling atmosphere of the city. However, as urbanization continues, people are increasingly recognizing their deep dependency on and connection to the natural world. They are seeking remote destinations for travel, wellness programs, or physical therapy, understanding that time spent outdoors is crucial for their overall well-being.
People want to experience the outdoors to feel better, seeking activities that not only elevate their state of mind but also influence their daily routines. Preparing and training for a run goes beyond personal goals, focusing on holistic health and connection while also nurturing a commitment to healthy environments and caring for the earth, ensuring that the beauty and vitality of nature are preserved for future generations. This growing awareness underscores the intrinsic link between human health and the health of the planet, highlighting our dependency on nature for not just physical well-being but also mental and emotional balance.
The focus on well-being, both physical and mental, has grown over the past 15 years, with increasing recognition of nature's healing power. As the WHO has defined stress as the health epidemic of the 21st century, people are turning to activities that improve their physical and mental health. The therapeutic benefits of outdoor activities such as walking, running, and hiking are becoming a more integral part of healthcare, offering a holistic solution to modern problems.
This report tracks the rediscovery of the great outdoors and views the developments affecting sports, the outdoors, and well-being as a whole. It provides insights into what brands can do to improve people’s health and well-being and offers inspiration to support people in their exploration and enjoyment of the outdoors.
Download the PDF of the report here
Banner, Deeper than Dance
Right, Photo by Sabrina Bloedorn, ÉÉ Seoul store, Photo by Xiaohongsu, Purple Mountain Observatory
Content
1/The Healing Power of Nature
6/Living With Less
2/Digital Detox
7/Public Space as a Necessity
Retail Spaces
3/Our Bodies and the Natural World
8/The Social Outdoors
Brands to watch
4/The Extreme Outdoors
9/At Your Own Pace
Colour Directions
5/Looking Back
10/Elevating Senses
1/The healing power of nature
Nature deficiency
Research shows that around 90% of people (including kids) spend almost 22 hours indoors every day. Spending long periods indoors can cause psychological stress, anxiety, restlessness and depression.
Connecting with nature can significantly improve our wellbeing. Spending around 120 minutes a week in nature has proven health and wellbeing benefits, from reducing stress to boosting the immune system. Exposure to nature and early morning sunlight has a positive impact on mood, mental wellbeing, the body’s circadian rhythm and sleep quality.
Left to right, Short film by Columbia with Jiang Qiming, T-shirt at Birling Gap hiking session, Fairlight Cycles & bike packing bags by Wizard Works, Kyzylkum Nights Camp in Nurota, Uzbekistan
Mental therapy
A solid connection to nature means that you feel a close relationship or emotional attachment to the natural environment; this connection benefits physical and mental health. In healthcare, nature therapy or ecotherapy becomes a component of preventive health care, with activities such as a walk in the park, growing plants and hiking.
Reconnecting with nature can help us feel the reality of climate change and the urgency of climate action and encourage us to minimize harm to ourselves, others, and our world. Seeing the beauty and value of nature firsthand amplifies the impact of our collective climate action and environmental stewardship.
Reconnection
2/Digital detox
Technostress
Technostress is experienced due to regular use of digital technology. Getting away from the constant cycles of notifications and unnecessary digital interactions via experiencing nature is a reprieve. Embracing nature’s healing power away from intrusive technology can help us engage with a mindful flow state.
Most nature-based detox locations offer a 72-hour detox. The research behind the “three-day effect” suggests that immersing oneself in nature for three days or more can lower stress levels and improve cognitive functions. While we get so caught up in work, in our phones, and in our feeds, taking time to recharge in nature is increasingly important.
Left to right, Off-grid detox cabin by Unplugged, TERRA by Modem Works is a mindful wandering companion, WildSweden tours, outdoor cooking photo by The Nature
Analogue
Young people are craving new and unique real-life experiences. Paddleboarding, van life, and fishing are some recent popular examples. In-person interactions have psychological benefits, where the focus is ‘being’. “Our subcortical processing brain is able to be present and calm, while our neocortical thinking and acting brain can take a break.”, says therapist Stefan Walters.
Analogue interactions feed into our feelings of nostalgia and comfort when physicality can engage all of our senses and enrich our experiences. The calm outdoors, seen through a child’s eyes, sharply contrasts with busy city life. Parents are now arranging smartphone-free childhood groups and raising their kids in the “90s style” by playing in the elements, encouraging games for boredom, and doing slow activities such as cooking or fishing, giving them autonomy.
Science-backed, nature-based
3/Our bodies and the natural world
Natural exercise
Outdoor activities allow us to experience physical sensations from our surroundings. This interaction with nature helps regulate the nervous system, reduce stress, and improve overall physical and mental well-being. Movement in nature releases oxytocin in our bodies, which can help to strengthen our connection to the natural world and others.
Walking, running, swimming, dancing, climbing, and yoga are often regarded as the most natural forms of exercise for humans, all contributing to our humanity. The growing popularity of barefoot running manifests the idea of natural exercise. Natural running improves foot strength and balance, resulting in stronger, more flexible feet.
Left to right, Barefoot running photo by Josh Humbert, Blackpool Sands Sauna, Bahé uses conductive stitching to ground the wearer, image by Lonely Ghost
Positive frequencies
A more natural lifestyle and way of exercising increases sensory awareness and restores our connection with the Earth. Grounding is a literal form of touching the Earth that links the human body with its energy, aiding the body’s ability to heal and rebalance itself.
Neurotherapy specialist Anthony Carracino says that grounding can align us with the Earth’s magnetic frequencies, which connect us with the planet’s heartbeat. This frequency is believed to improve cognition, rejuvenate the body, enhance stress tolerance and improve sleep. Laying on the grass for fifteen minutes is a recovery method that allows us to slow the hectic pace of modern life. It has much to offer athletes and should be part of any fitness or athletic lifestyle.
Grounding
4/The extreme outdoors
The 1% of the 1%
Ultra-endurance sports are rising in popularity. The success of being part of the ‘extreme club’ feels elite for non-professional athletes. Pushing through the pain through the pursuit of sport can be a goal. It can make you feel good and successful, and have the energy to keep going.
People want to be more uncomfortable with themselves and get used to feeling uncomfortable. In some parts of the world, day-to-day living can be comfortable. Ultra-endurance sports force you to be at home with the uncomfortable. Developing stamina is one thing, but the majority of one’s strength comes from the mental fortitude and ability to deal with the rollercoaster of emotions towards the end goal. It doesn’t get easier for the athlete, but they just get faster.
Left to right, Trans America Twice by Jonas Deichmann, East River NY swimming by Simon Usborne, Acqua trekking in Oman, Laura Watts finished the Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley three times
Mentality and recovery
Mental endurance becomes a lifelong skill and gives one hope, driven by purpose. According to exercise psychologist Dr Carla Meijen, “People are not motivated by their finishing positions but more by personal accomplishments.” Consistency, self-control, and knowing when to take a break are crucial when committing to endurance sports.
Overtraining syndrome can affect 60% of elite athletes, increasing the risk of dehydration, sleep deprivation, and mental burnout, which affects performance. Recovery looks different for all athletes. Newly developed technologies for recovery and nutritional healing are fundamental to supporting the mind to take the next leap of faith. Sleep also becomes an essential luxury. All in all, knowing that one has the gear to support them is motivation for future training.
Challenging adventures
5/Looking back
Preservation
Indigenous cultures have always acknowledged and respected the power and value of nature. Protecting reserves and developing sustainable systems have been incubated in numerous Indigenous communities worldwide. What may seem as a ‘new’ system of land management and material sourcing for some has been perfected for centuries. Considering ancestoral influences and the eventual health of the land is normal. Preserving the outdoors will also be in our futures, but will require a shift in our mindset. The future must also be accepted as a fact when planning for new collections, such as when designing the endlife of a product. A shared vision should be built where one can sustain generations to come also means to accept coexistence and immersion in nature.
Left to right, Taalrumiq is an Inuvialuk designer based in Canada, Walk Gently collection by Arc’teryx and Musqueam First Nation, Transspecies Kitchen by Andrés Jaque, Tibetan influencer Ding Zhen for Shang Cheng Shi Magazine
Survival skills
Our skills originated from a need to demonstrate our tribes and to survive. Heritage skills are part of an ecosystem of respecting material sources and living in harmony with nature. When we look back at ancient crafts, we recognise ourselves in our ancestors by how they cherish the value of resources and craftsman expertise.
Preservation of these heritage crafts is essential for the coming generations. Challenges with the climate and material use already exist but will continue to increase in the near future. Unforseen events may force industries to adapt their material choices for future products. Maintaining old knowledge and being in contact with the possibilities of local resources and territory is, therefore, necessary for sustaining livelihoods.
The survival of skills
6/Living with less
The essentials
Bringing less and choosing the right equipment is a crucial element of outdoor lifestyles. Even with low-intensity hiking, hikers can distinguish another’s personality through the materials they choose, the colours they wear, and the type of activity the garment is designed for. Finding ‘the’ jacket that can be flexible in conditions and easily packable can elevate the experience tenfold.
What are people choosing to bring? Picking the right things to enable movement across opposing climates is one thing, but bringing a treasured item that has travelled with the individual on multiple treks can solidify the relationship one has with the object’s value, its survivability and care-taking, brand loyalty, and respect to the environment.
Left to right, Photo by Emily Mandagie, Le Creuset Alpine Outdoor Collection, Snow Peal collapsible Coffee Drip, Photo by unknown
A romantic sense of freedom
The way people work can intensify their sense of isolation, regardless of whether they work remotely or in person. More than 40% of American remote working parents say they go days without leaving the house (Bright Horizons, 2023). There is no replacement for human-to-nature or human-to-human interactions.
There is a newfound desire to be close to nature and embrace a romantic sense of freedom, simplicity, and serenity. Healing escapes with beauty and slow lifestyles are rising among Japanese, US, and Chinese consumers. The emotional and experiential parts of life are valued more than ever. “Slow experiences” go beyond pure material goods and more towards supporting nomadic craftsmanship cultures through vast landscapes.
Outdoor lifestyles
7/Public space as a necessity
Social infrastructure
Cultural anthropologist Setha Low argues that we need to think intentionally about ‘public culture’. Current individualist cultures promote separation/private spaces that prevent the growth of inter-person interactions or diverse communal activity, e.g., festivals and sports events. These communal gathering zones protect our mental and physical health.
Every day, mundane encounters with strangers have benefits for mental health. Casual encounters, like playing with a stranger’s puppy or chatting with local baristas, don’t have to generate deep connections, but they can exist only in accessible public spaces. They invite us to take care of one another and understand our differences, grounding us in the world.
Left to right, De Kas Kantine communal garden Amsterdam, Why Public Space Matters by Setha Low (2022), Bassin de la Villette in Paris, Sentosa’s Sensoryscape in Singapore
Healthy city living
Urban public spaces are struggling to maintain their position in the modern city. We need park space to give us accessible green zones in the dense city and help us reconnect with our senses and recharge. Park space is essential in a modern city for multiple reasons: stress reduction, boosting immune systems via phytoncides, improving cognition and mood, and moderating the urban heat island effect.
Public parks protect the future of outdoor sports in the city by allowing space for running, cycling, skating, swimming, tennis, football, paddleboarding, or even sailing. Free park equipment can support various intensities of physical activity. Outdoor markets also offer a place to connect with and support the local community.
The outdoor city
8/The social outdoors
Home base
Casual run clubs have evolved into social hubs where the sense of community and connection drives their popularity, with running being just one aspect. These clubs blend the outdoors, being active with cultural elements. Merchandise such as baseball caps, running jackets, shirts, jumpers, and hoodies has become an integral part of the casual run club experience, further reinforcing a sense of belonging and shared identity among members.
The experience is further enriched by amenities such as physiotherapy treatments, coaching panels, and post-run cafés, establishing running as a third place for social interaction. As these clubs expand their reach and influence, they are likely to become an important part of global city social life.
Left to right, Athene women’s hiking Club, Rhythm Zero café x Bandit flagship at West Village Manhattan, Tracksmith’s Boston run clubs, Totoken at Nihonbashi Hamacho Tokyo is a ‘run station’ home for Hynm Run Club
To connect
83% of 3000 globally surveyed adults say they want to seek out experiences that bring joy and happiness (VML). The increase in loneliness is fueling people’s desires for connection and community. A stronger, diverse community can lead to personal health benefits and closer-knit societies. Brands can serve as a community builder to connect people with each other and contribute to the overall health and well-being of the members.
At the Athene Club, the founders believe that doing outdoor activities together promotes physical movement and connection as well as character development. Their social hiking trips now include runs, fossil hunting, swimming lessons and other skill-building activities.
Tribes, bases and teams
9/At your own pace
Pacing
While regular exercise is great for health, it doesn’t need to be hard, overcomplicated, or posted on Instagram. Even walking is equally as beneficial. In a digitally dominated world, creating meaningful movements and conversations with people is essential for continuous enrichment of experiences.
61% of Britons feel they are ‘stuck in a rut’, with 59% in need of a change in their lives. Taking that first step into movement can be the hardest part to feel ‘unstuck’, but it’s significant for developing a continuous and simple method for a healthier future. Slower running increases your capacity to run faster lengths while reducing injury and bodily stress, contributing to a lifetime of sports.
Left to right, Walk Club by Self Space, Gramicci and Steep Learning Groups’ in-store library with books on climbing, Clarity Active encourages exercise and conversations on mental health, Taking Off: Tales of Older Women Who Surf movie
Learning new things
In 2023, the average number of outings per American decreased to 62.5%, while participation from children 6 and up grew 4.1% (OIA). Seniors are also driving participation rates, at 49.7%. People are expanding into new territories of outdoor sports out of interest but want to slow down with frequency. The new participation market is growing to be more diverse in race and age, thus needing a variety of supportive methods to continue their sports.
Access to outdoor sports in the city may be difficult, but people are taking the initiative to connect and learn about new sports, techniques, and technologies. Innovation, sustainability practices, and policies for equal access can make outdoor sports even more accessible to all.
Personal rhythm
10/Elevating senses
Reflecting on peace and pain
Adding complexity and dimension to experiences can bridge the gap between connection and healthcare. Neuroaesthetics research is getting closer to that. We are learning more about how neuroart and technology can amplify with our senses. This allows us to improve recovery and communicate our pain or pleasure to others.
People desire holistic solutions and allow beauty to lead us forward. As John Bradshaw quotes, " Emotions are energy in motion. As energy, they have to go somewhere. To deny emotion is to deny the ground and vital energy of our life.”
Left to right, Submersive by Meow Wolf, Synaesthetic tool to visualise pain by Universal Everything, George Vlad recorded sounds in the Sahara for Dune 2, Chromasonic installation ‘Making Sense of Color’ at Google’s exhibit during Salone del Mobile Milan
Therapeutic experience
Neuroscience in spas and saunas can help visitors mentally and physically reset. Co-founder Corvas Brinkerhoff of Submersive spas is using neuroscience to reach elevated states, like awe and euphoria. Here, visitors can choose how they ‘travel’ from one space to another, with AI quizzes to suggest new rituals. Virtual nature in city environments can benefit one’s wellbeing and relaxation practices.
Traditional sauna rituals are associated with heritage, such as in Finland, Japan, and Estonia, but they are expanding across Europe and Canada. Recovery methods include geothermally heated mineral baths, salt baths, plunge pools, or sound baths.
Nature and the brain
Retail examples
Explore
The Arc’teryx Museum flagship in Shanghai lets consumers enjoy the charm of coastal Canadian mountainscapes and exploration.
Touring
LSKD’s BAF Bus takes the local fitness community to gyms, outdoor events, run clubs, charity fundraisers and more.
Service as a store
Canyon’s Factory Service location in Eindhoven (NL) accommodates new bikes, repair and warranty, spare parts, and fittings.
Relaxing
The Isle is a retail space and cafe for the Korean Innisfree beauty brand, infusing the indoor space with the relaxing natural elements of a green island.
Communities and services
Fandom
The Champion Sports Bar at Selfridges London combines fandom, vintage goods and classic sports bar food.
Sauna experience
Othership NY has built a community around an ice bath and sauna. It organizes guided group classes, including breath work, aromatherapy, and towel waving.
Breathwork
Random Studio and Nike created BreathLab. An AI model helped visitors track their breath to match their activity, using unique visuals.
Gatherings
PlayLab Inc’s LA store creates a space for intimacy and gatherings, putting community dialogue at level with retail space.
Brands to watch
Transitional
Ranra is a London / Reykjavík based design studio specialising in transitional outerwear designed for both nature and the urban environment.
Functional style
Japanese brand and wander combines design and style with the functionality and practicality of outdoor clothing.
Durability legacy
Hanwag has been making double-stitched mountaineering and trekking footwear since 1921, with a focus on the perfect fit, robustness and high-quality materials
Lightweight
The T2 Fast 15 by Tabisuke Tabizo is a fastpacking backpack designed for the Trans Japan Alps Race, an 8-day race of 415 km.
Community
Rooted in community, Purple Mountain Observatory wants to encourage a younger generation to engage with the outdoors, emphasizing the need for exploration in our lives.
Part of culture
The sustainable, colourful outdoor apparel brand Cotopaxi provides 5000 USD stipends for its employees ‘bucket list trips and participates in cultural collaborations within music and film.
Ones To Watch
Post-apocalyptic
FFFPOSTALSERVICE is a brand from Seoul that focuses on utilitarian sci-fi-inspired clothes for a post-apocalyptic world.
Survival
2XU and District Vision designed an exclusive collection for athlete Harvey Lewis to survive the Badwater Ultra Marathon in Death Valley.
Colours
Adaptive Terrain
The colours symbolize the deep connection between humans and the Earth, emphasizing that we humans are an integral part of its natural cycles. They reflect evolution, focusing on adapting and growing alongside the enduring elements of nature. The use of brown tones and natural materials embodies honesty and durability, symbolizing resistance to time and wear.
Left to right, Aerial view of a dried up reservoir bed in Central Sri Lanka as part of the Great Sandy River Project by Tashiya de Mel, Mayo I artwork by Ximena Maldonado Sánchez, Photo by unknown, Hyundai Inster interior, The Arrival, It costs nothing to keep it by Charlotte Henry, @940977084 on Xiaohongshu, Camong gear by Snowpeak, cap by Lonely Ghost, pony hair hiking shoes by Roa
Shared Memories
Experiencing the freedom of being out in nature allows people to relax and unwind. By taking care of oneself and connecting with others and nature, lasting memories that embody true joy and freedom are built. Bright colours inspire joy, energy and creativity. Vintage and retro clothing items, along with the reuse of materials, break free of conventions by combining them in new ways, blending nostalgia with the creation of new memories.
Left to right, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), One Architecture + urbanism, and Sherwood Engineers reimagined the San Fransisco Bay area’s Islais Creek as a social ecosystem, Farming game by Siddharth Jartare at Eindhoven Design Academy, Sustainability Dome by Solidify 3D Saudi Arabia, Garmin Fenix 7 Pro watch, Katharine Hamnett, Pause by Jean Shin, Icny Sport, Rayon Vert, Roku by Camper, MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack one-person tent
Natural Harmony
The palette is designed with nature and human well-being in mind, based on the principles of neuroscience, which emphasize the importance of sensory engagement, emotional resonance, and the calming effects of natural elements on the brain. The colours embrace a holistic connection with nature, they evoke a deep sense of comfort and well-being. This direction emphasizes the human senses, inviting awareness of the fresh air, the warmth of the setting sun, and the texture of the rock beneath one’s touch.
Left to right, Iwagumi Air Scape by Eness in Singapore, Vibram Fivefingers CVT LB minimal shoe, Snowhere speculative future film by Siddhi Ghodgaonkar, Wasteland Nomads by Windy Guo, Textiles by Gabriel, Fffpostalservice, Woven panel by Miranda Fengyuan Zhang, Inflatable tent by Ipoolgo, Yves Klein shirt, Social Housing for Youth by J. A. Chen Architects Associates
Elemental
The colours symbolize protection and efficiency, blending dark and medium greys with light blue and cream for a technical, efficient, almost sober look. This direction can have a survivalist, post-apocalyptic feeling to it. The materials are biobased and durable, emphasizing functionality and resilience for survival. The design focuses on strength and durability, combining design and practicality in challenging environments.
Left to right, Pollution Pods by Michael Pinsky, Kalpa video installation by Asif Khan Studio, Before Daylight by Vincent Beaurin, ÉÉ Seoul, A-Z Wagon Stations by Andrea Zittel, Clément Lechaptois photo by Arc’teryx, Pebble electric off-the-grid trailer, Peak Performance, Redesigning Microplastics by Falilat Omodudu, Sail cloth by Dimension-Polyant
You can download the PDF version of the report here
