The naturist economy, organized

A new network revives old questions about commerce, cooperation, and collective values

In April 2025, a handful of naturist entrepreneurs launched the Naturist Business Network (NBN), a new initiative aimed at connecting nudist-run businesses and fostering a shared economic ecosystem rooted in naturist values. Still in its earliest stage, with just a small cluster of members, NBN represents an experiment: Can the fragmented world of naturist commerce begin to organize?

The network describes itself not just as a directory, but as an ethical alliance—a place where naturist-aligned businesses, organizations, and creatives can find community, resources, and collaboration. In a subculture often defined by individualism and isolation, it’s a proposal that feels both ambitious and overdue.

What is a naturist business network?

The idea behind NBN is relatively straightforward: clubs, resorts, creators, wellness practitioners, artists, retailers, and service providers who share a naturist ethos often work in parallel, but not together. By uniting under one banner, they could benefit from mutual visibility, reduce duplication of effort, and create infrastructure that supports shared goals.

Jay Summers, a naturist podcast host and one of NBN’s founding voices, says the idea grew out of a desire to bridge silos. “Over the years, I’ve supported a lot of naturist projects, and I kept thinking, what if we weren’t doing this alone?” he tells Planet Nude. “Whether you’re just starting out or have been at it for years, there should be a space where businesses can meet as equals—with shared values and a shared vision.”

That vision includes mentorship for new entrepreneurs, ethical standards for inclusion and transparency, and eventually a robust member portal with toolkits, a vetted business directory, and opportunities for cross-promotion. “This year is about building trust and visibility,” Summers says. “We’re trying to lay the groundwork for something sustainable.”

A spotlight on Rowan Skincare

Among NBN’s early adopters is Rowan Skincare, a naturist-run business that makes body-positive skincare products designed to resonate with the clothes-free community. Founder Dave—who also helped co-found NBN—sees the network as an antidote to the constraints of operating in a niche market.

“Most of us are small businesses with finite resources,” he says. “By networking, we can leverage each other’s strengths, share access to consumers, and broaden our reach.”

That shared visibility, he argues, matters more than ever in a market filled with naturist consumers who want to spend their money with businesses that reflect their values. “Naturist businesses aren’t competing for scraps—we can be each other’s best cheerleaders,” he says.

Rowan Skincare is already seeing benefits from the connection. The business directory, still in its early stages, offers a sense of who else is operating in the space—and where collaboration might make sense. “We hope to launch our member portal soon, with everything from media kits to market reports,” Dave adds.

Business with a mission

While the network is small, its founders make it clear that scale is less important than purpose. For Gabriella, another co-founder and the voice behind the Crowned Nudi project, the network is about creating an ethical foundation for a naturist economy that too often operates without one.

“Small naturist businesses often work in isolation and face unique challenges—misconceptions, limited access to advertising, lack of connection,” she says. “But beyond that, many of them also want to do better. They want to be more inclusive, more representative, more connected. We just haven’t had the structure to support that until now.”

NBN describes itself as a values-based alliance. All members are expected to commit to a shared standard of ethical naturism and inclusion. Gabriella calls it an “ecosystem,” one where businesses support one another through mentorship, skill-sharing, collaborative events, and intentional community building.

“My hope is that NBN becomes more than a network,” she says. “I want it to be a movement—one that reshapes the naturist economy into something collaborative, inclusive, and sustainable.”

Echoes of TANR

If the idea sounds familiar, it’s because it is—at least in spirit. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Trade Association for Nude Recreation (TANR) brought together nudist resorts and travel businesses for coordinated advertising campaigns and joint outreach. The organization eventually faded, but not before demonstrating the power of collective effort in a culture that often leans toward decentralization.

Unlike NBN, TANR was composed almost entirely of landed clubs and destination businesses. Its emphasis was on mass-market visibility—ads in travel magazines, shared mailing lists, and a website that, for a time, ranked as a leading web portal for nude recreation. NBN has no official ties to TANR, and was not inspired by it directly, but the historical parallel is instructive. Where TANR focused on external outreach, NBN is more inward-facing—concerned with community resilience, ethics, and mutual aid.

The comparison also serves as a caution. TANR lost momentum when marketing costs rose and commitment waned. NBN’s founders are aware that their project, too, will live or die by its ability to sustain energy and evolve.

The road ahead

NBN is not a silver bullet for the naturist movement, but it’s a start—an attempt to build connective tissue in a space that often lacks it. Its founders don’t pretend to have solved the problem of naturist visibility or sustainability. What they’ve done is ask a simple question: What if we worked together?

Whether NBN grows into a significant force or remains a modest support system for its founding members, it’s rooted in a logic that’s hard to argue with. Naturism needs more than ideals if it’s going to serve and grow membership numbers. It needs infrastructure, connection, and a willingness to build together. 🪐