Family’s healthy lifestyle changes inspire new business in Oberlin

Dave Fetter is an unexpected champion of natural handmade soaps.

From the outset, you’ll notice his calloused hands and well-worn work boots, earned over nearly 30 years on the factory floor, according to a news release.

Fetter’s boots continue to earn their patina as he manages the construction of the 1,200-square-foot warehouse he’s opening next year in Oberlin with his wife, Michelle, the release said.

The couple’s business, Elegant of Essence, sells a curated range of natural, organic and zero-waste personal care and household products, according to the release.

“It’s hardly the type of product you’d expect Dave to sell, but he isn’t ashamed to promote the benefits of natural soap and biodegradable cleaning products at flea markets and craft fairs where they routinely sell out,” the release said.

Michelle Fetter, in search of a remedy for their daughter’s eczema, first came up with the idea to start Elegant of Essence in 2011.

She found that natural and organic soaps and personal care products helped her daughter, so she dedicated herself to learning more and educating others, according to the release.

“We lived in Florida at the time,”  Michelle Fetter said in the release. “The plastic waste and debris that collects on beaches and in the ocean is shocking.

“It hit me that the same products that improved our daughter’s skin condition, made with natural ingredients and without plastic packaging, also benefited wildlife and the environment.”

Dave Fetter’s kidney cancer diagnosis in 2020 underscored the importance of choosing personal care products and household cleaning products that do not contain hazardous ingredients, according to the release.

The Fetters adjusted their lifestyle and buying habits to keep their family safer and reduce exposure to chemicals that could impede Dave Fetter’s recovery, the release said.

Dave Fetter credits choosing natural and organic products for slowing the progression of his cancer.

Now in recovery, he and his wife are taking Elegant of Essence to the next stage with the opening of their Oberlin store.

They said in the release they are excited to help other families make simple, healthy lifestyle changes and avoid the harsh and potentially harmful chemicals in conventional personal care and household products.

“I’ve definitely seen a shift in recent years as consumers make healthier choices for their homes and bodies,” Michelle Fetter said. “Each person’s choices can make a difference.”

You can find Elegant of Essence at the Christmas Craft Show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at the New Russia Township Lodge, 46300 Butternut Ridge Road in New Russia Township.

Elegant of Essence also recently launched its online store nationwide at