REFERENCES: OPENS NEW TAB

Holistic health:

How ceramics and glass contribute to our physical and mental wellbeing

By Margareth Gagliardi

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The relaxing sound of a fountain. A blue marine pool. Freshly made yogurt. The silky softness of a body cream. An enticing citrus scent. Holistic health relies on the five senses to provide a broad approach to physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.

Since ancient times, ceramics and glass have contributed to holistic health. For example, from the functional side, analysis of artifacts from 20,000 years ago confirmed that human beings have for millennia used clay containers of different shapes and sizes, such as vases, bowls, and dishes, to safely store, mix, cook, and serve foods and beverages.1 They also used clay vessels to store beauty products, such as the miniature ceramic bottles that archeologists discovered from 5000 B.C.E. containing traces of cerussite and beeswax, two components of early cosmetics.2

Additionally, ancient people used ceramics and glass to communicate historical and religious ideas and to express emotions. For instance, decorative ceramic and glass mosaic tiles can be found in the homes, temples, mosques, and palaces of the Roman and Byzantine Empires and Umayyad Caliphate.

In current times, ceramics and glass have gained increasing importance in the wellness sector due to their unique aesthetic and functional properties. During the last century, technological advancements, engineered materials, and innovative processes enabled new techniques aimed at enhancing aesthetics and rejuvenating health.

Recently, the wellness industry has shifted away from being a domain for the most privileged by introducing a variety of options to reach out to broader and more diverse demographics. For example, companies are marketing affordable materials and devices that can be used at home, in addition to offering customized plans that meet the needs of a given individual.

Figure 1

Figure 1. Glass and ceramic materials have many applications in the health and wellness industry.

a) Sport, fitness, and recreational activities: wear-resistant and lightweight components, platforms for augmented and virtual reality.

b) Nutrition and weight management: cookware and tableware, countertops and backsplashes.

c) Beauty and personal care: cosmetic ingredients and containers, massage tools.

d) Traditional, complementary, preventive, and personalized medicine: bioactive and biocompatible implants, displays, vials.

e) Mental and workplace wellness: sound therapy, aromatherapy, art therapy, games, religious objects.

f) Wellness tourism and real estate: mosaics and antibacterial tiling, glass panes, heater components, biohacking.

The health and wellness industry was hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that hardship ultimately generated an even stronger consumer interest in aesthetics, nutrition, health, sports and fitness, mental wellbeing, and rest and relaxation.

People are pursuing a better lifestyle by giving priority to regular physical exams, improved personal care, better diets, exercise, and outdoor activities. As a result, the global health and wellness market reached nearly $5.3 trillion in 2022 (Table 1),3–13 and it is projected to grow at a 10.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach $10.0 trillion in 2028.3,4

This article reviews the main applications of ceramics and glass in the health and wellness industry (Figure 1), and it describes how ceramics and glass help fulfill the current needs of this sector.

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