FOUNDER: Nadja Ernst

Hi, I’m Nadja Ernst. Founder of Pure Touch, wife and mom of two children. Although my roots are German, I grew up in this beautiful country and am always still in awe of the nature around us and the beauty of the creation.

I have always been passionate about creating beautiful things, but have an even stronger passion for helping and supporting people in need. These two passions motivated me to start a second career as a social worker.

In September 2019, after reading an article about kitchen scrubs containing microplastics that eventually disintegrate and end up in our ocean, I decided to use my knitting and crocheting skills to make my own, eco-friendly and biodegradable kitchen scrubs and dish cloths. What started off in my home kitchen as a passion for environmentally friendly products and sustainable resources soon developed into a small business. The name pure touch was born, and I started selling products in a small local shop.

The name pure touch was inspired by the purity of nature and of the one who created it plus the almost silky, soft feel of our products. The cedar tree in the logo symbolizes the natural, strong and long-lasting yarns we use and the vision we have for the women and their families of our community – a beacon of hope and resilience.

My two hands quickly needed more hands to knit and crochet. Being a social worker, I felt the need to provide women in our vulnerable community of Ocean View with the opportunity to earn an income and thereby support themselves and their families.

In February 2020, this dream became a reality when Marie Mueller, who was already working in Ocean View, joined me. What started off as a small business now became much more than just that: a social enterprise selling beautifully handmade, eco-friendly products but with the focus on building relationships and a community of women that support each other, learn new skills and generate income for themselves within a business structure.

To know that pure touch products not only support the production and use of more sustainable resources like hemp and organic cotton, but that their production and sale also support and make a difference in the lives of other moms and women facing difficult circumstances really excites me. An added bonus: our products are reusable, washable, and naturally decompose – adding value and beauty to any home!

And so started the journey with the women in the community of Ocean View.