Exactly one week ago, To Write Love on Her Arms‘ (TWLOHA) founder and New York Times bestselling author of If You Feel Too Much, Jamie Tworkowski, launched a new clothing brand, NEEDS AN OCEAN. The surf-inspired brand, which is also inspired by Jamie’s recent move to Nashville, has launched with a small collection of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and stickers. Shop now here.
Tworkowski grew up and lived by an ocean for 39 years. His love of surfing is passed down from his parents who owned a surf shop on the coast of North Carolina. Surfing and the salt water are in his DNA. Prior to starting the non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms, Jamie was a sales representative for the iconic surf brand Hurley. Last December, after realizing he needed a change, he moved from Melbourne Beach, Florida to Nashville, Tennessee. Jamie shares, “I told myself that after hardly surfing at all in recent years, I would be okay without it. I would do my best to let it go. But something happened in the distance. Maybe it was the time and space to think about my story. Maybe it was that I could no longer take the ocean for granted. I ended up falling back in love. On recent trips to Florida, I’ve been surfing almost every day, doing the drive from my parents’ house in Indialantic to Sebastian Inlet, where I grew up surfing. Letting it go made me realize it’s a part of me.”
Launching NEEDS AN OCEAN is a full-circle moment for Tworkowski. It’s a return to his surfing roots. The hope is to create a unique brand for people who love the ocean, especially those who aren’t able to experience it on a daily basis. Additionally, he hopes to bring surf culture to his new home in Nashville.
Giving back will be a priority form the start. NEEDS AN OCEAN will be supporting three non-profit organizations: Gideon’s Army, Equal Justice Initiative, and Waves For Hope. For every shirt and hat sold in June and July, $1 will go to one of the three charities.
For more information, please visit https://needsanocean.com/. Follow along on Instagram and Twitter.