Sex toys are going green

Sex toys are now available in green materials, safer for users and the planet. Image: Gwen Mamanoleas / Unsplash

Fans of intimate accessories, be aware that the vibrating yellow plastic duck is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Sex toy brands are reinventing their product lines to respond to environmental issues, now offering their premium products in greener, recyclable and sometimes even biodegradable materials. In the lead up to World Environment Day on June 5, why not choose a more natural accessory for helping you reach the height of pleasure?

Doing something good for yourself can be seen as a positive action, but it can be even better if you do it in an environmentally friendly way. Like many industries, including fashion and cosmetics, sex toys are rethinking their production models in order to reduce their impact on the environment. Because, until now, erotic toys have been largely made of plastic and silicone, and components have even included phthalates—those polluting materials and chemical compounds that can, on top of it all, be sources of allergies and other irritations. And that's before we even talk about the batteries that need to be replaced regularly—or not—depending on the use of the toy.

Such observations have prompted many brands in this domain to reinvent themselves and unveil greener alternatives. Not content with offering safer devices since last fall thanks to the introduction of the first international standard dedicated to sex toys—ISO 3533—manufacturers are also betting on materials that are much more respectful of the planet.

Natural materials like wood

The idea may seem a bit scary, but in fact wood is an ideal alternative to plastic when it comes to combining pleasure and sustainability. In fact, Thierry, a carpenter from Vosges, France has been making sex toys with wood from the famous forests of his region since 2010. It may seem like a surprising idea, but it's winning over fans around the world. At Bobtoys, the name of the store where you can find these adult toys, each object is designed from local wood species—ash or beech—by hand, like erotic sculptures. No chemical substances, no plastic, and definitely no battery: these sex toys allow users to reach pure bliss without harming the planet, and at a lower cost since prices start at around 40 euros. And those with special wishes can even order a customized toy.   

At Sensual Desire shop, professionals have also chosen wooden sextoys made in France to accent the idea of natural pleasure. Founded in 2014, the brand is carried by a furniture maker who offers a whole range of natural erotic accessories, guaranteed to be free from phthalates, nanoparticles, and other endocrine disruptors. Designed in a workshop located in Angoulême, southwestern France, each adult toy is made of fine woods such as cherry, walnut, maple and olive. And the whole thing is—once again—very accessible in terms of prices with a range of erotic toys starting at about 50 euros—and not having to worry about their durability.

Bioplastic, the alternative of the moment

But since not everyone feels comfortable with a wooden object, sex toy brands and manufacturers are also turning to other alternatives that are respectful of the planet. And bioplastic, while some may not see it as such an eco-friendly material, appears to be the most popular solution among industry players. Womanizer is one of the brands in the news in recent months with the launch last year of its very first eco-friendly sextoy, Premium Eco. This pulsating air clitoral stimulator was designed from biodegradable Biolene, a material developed by the brand, composed of corn starch. And the intimate accessory can also be easily recycled since it can be completely dismantled. An ecological pleasure that can be acquired for the price of US$199.

Many other brands of adult accessories are now banking on bioplastics, such as Blush Novelties, which offers an eco-friendly version of its Gaia sextoy with Biofeel, a starch-based bioplastic that is both recyclable and biodegradable, or Natural Pleasure, which offers a vibrator made of recycled biosourced plastics, except for the motor, housed in a package made of recycled cardboard and paper. These two objects cost around 20 US dollars each.

Meanwhile Ohhcean has worked on a whole range of sex toys made from plastic collected in the oceans. Help reaching the ultimate pleasure while cleaning up the planet... Two birds with one stone, in short. In partnership with Tide Ocean (#tide), a company specialized in upcycling, the brand already offers three vibrating intimate accessories that provide pleasure without polluting Mother Nature. Initiatives that prove that sexual bliss can be perfectly compatible with respect for the environment... A green revolution that is still in its infancy.