The Thankspressure Rug features bumps and grooves on a patterned surface to alleviate pain and treat common ailments. Designed by Sangmin Oh, a graduate of Design Academy Eindhoven, the tapestry uses acupressure to help users' health. In addition, the project treats six common ailments by encouraging users to engage in dance.
The dance steps ensure that the user steps on acupressure points scattered throughout the textile. Sangmin Oh, the founder of Osangmin Studio, created the rug with raised pebble-like bumps, which acts as various dance steps. These steps alleviate headaches, eye strain, stiffness, stomachaches, constipation, and period pains. Produced in collaboration with TextileLab, the rug is accompanied by a step-by-step instruction book. Oh combines eastern acupressure with western sports dances to create a beneficial textile.
Acupressure Healing Rugs
The Thankspressure Rug Uses Acupressure and Dance to Treat Ailments
Trend Themes
1. Acupressure Textiles - The combination of Eastern acupressure and Western textiles creates an opportunity for new innovative textiles that serve both a functional and aesthetic purpose.
2. Dance Therapy - The Thankspressure Rug shows how dance therapy can be combined with other therapies, leading to new ways to use physical activity as a form of therapy.
3. Smart Textiles for Health - Thankspressure Rugs demonstrates potential innovation in the creation of smart textiles designed to help people to self-manage their health at home.
Industry Implications
1. Health and Wellness - Health and wellness industry has the opportunity to innovate by incorporating Eastern acupressure and dance therapies into new products to aid disease treatment and pain management.
2. Textile Industry - The textile industry can explore the use of acupressure and other holistic therapies in creating textiles that go beyond aesthetics and offer functional benefits for the consumers.
3. Fitness Industry - Thankspressure Rugs highlights the opportunity to integrate dance therapy into exercise plans, and the potential of smart textiles in offering personalized, functional practice.