Are Your Sex Toys Safe?

Sex Toys Going Green 

Naughty by Nature

Emily Gertz

So you're an Enlightened Green Con­sumer. You buy organic food and carry it home from the local market in string bags. Your coffee is shade-grown and fair-trade, your water's solar-heated, and your car is a hybrid. But what about the playthings you're using for grown-up fun between the organic cotton sheets - how healthy and environmentally sen­sitive are they?  Here's more on the greening of sex toys.

 

Dildo

"The term dildo is thought to derive from the Italian word diletto, meaning delight."

"In the West in the seven­teenth century, dildos were manufactured mainly in Italy; in the eighteenth century, the French designs became popu­lar.  In the first half of the twentieth century, the best dildos were consid­ered to be those made in Japan - a repu­tation that still endures in some minds. 

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    How Intimately Do You        
  REALLY Know Your Sex Toys? 

If you scrutinize your sex toys with eco-conscious eyes, you may be surprised to find that some are made with materials that are potentially hazardous to your health.  But before you start sorting, here’s a helpful sex toy material primer.  The kind folks at EarthErotics.com, currently the only adult boutique entirely “Doing it Green,” share this information with us, along with their hopes that your play time will be safe and sensational.

Silicone

Silicone is a skin friendly and non-toxic sex toy material. 100% silicone contains no polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and is phthalate free. Phthalates are controversial "plasticizers" used to soften PVC vinyls. Phthalate exposure has been linked to obesity, cancers, low sperm count, and fetal reproductive system effects. For these reasons, phthalates have been banned in European children's toys. Not only is 100% silicone phthalate-free and PVC-free, but it is also non­porous, so germs have nowhere to hide and can be completely sterilized. It is important to note that products labeled "silicone" are not necessarily 100% silicone and are often silicone composites. When shopping for a non-toxic silicone toy, make sure the pack­aging says 100% silicone instead of just "silicone."

Elastomer

Elastomer is a PVC-free compound that does not contain phtha­lates, and is a rubber based material. No solvents are used in their manufacture. During production, elastomer is removed by high vacuum so there are no residual hardeners. This type of material is ideal for manufacturing a variety of textures.

Glass 

Glass Wands are healthy, environmentally friendly, and support small business.  From an environmental perspective, there is no better sex toy material than glass. Glass is made by the same ocean from which we evolved. It is all natural, chemical free, and biologically inert. Inevitably, nature's technology has been culti­vated by man, which allows glass to be shaped and molded into an array of artistic and functional items. Even dildos! For your health, glass wands are great. Unlike plastics, glass wands are non-porous and can be completely cleaned and sterilized after use. The rigidity of glass makes them essential for effecting g-spotting. They can be warmed up, cooled down, and even thrown in the dishwasher. Aesthetically, artisan blown glass is stunningly beautiful! Every glass wand is one of a kind, which allows you to choose a unique piece that is right for you and your body.

Jelly Rubber

Earth Erotics does not carry jelly rubber or PVC composite toys. Jelly rubber is a commonly used material by sex toy manu­facturers, because it is cheap and moldable. Jelly rubber toys are made from PVC and chemical softeners called phthalates. If vinyls do not have any softeners, they are basically very hard PVC plastic. There are different grades of vinyls, from food grade for your plastic food storage containers or baggies (which don’t give off a smell) to economical grade that are used in some lower end athletic shoes and other products. There are four indicators to determine whether you are purchasing a jelly rubber or PVC com­posite toy:
 

 Let the sorting begin.

 

 

 

 

(Dildo - continued from left)

The dildo has been a popular sex acces­sory for centuries in the East, but the private use of dildos among couples for sex plan did not become popular in the West until after World War II, when American servicemen brought them back from Japan.  It didn't take long for their popularity as a love-making accessory to spread throughout the rest of the West."

"Also known as the 'goat's eyelid,' the happy ring was first introduced dur­ing the reign of the Mongol emperors in the thirteenth century.  After a goat was killed, its eyelids and eye­lashes were removed together.  They were ... dried ... and steamed until they were firm enough to tie around the base of the penis.  The attached eyelashes were "ticklers" to stimulate the woman.  Modern versions of the happy ring, complete with ticklers, are available, but today they are made of plastic."

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