Ever wondered how you can keep the planet safe and your life sexy as hell?
With each passing year, vibrators and sex toys are becoming more popular and less of a taboo, with toys made for all sorts of uses. Alone time, couple time, times when you’re just bored. Designs as well have become more creative and targeted for a specific part of your body for any gender.
Fun Fact!: Did you know why a lot of vibrators come in the shape of rabbits? It’s not just for the ears! Years ago when sex toys were becoming popular in Japan, there were obscenity laws that did not allow products to be shaped like actual penises. In order to loop past the law, companies began to design them in the shapes of cute animals instead, and rabbits are the one that stuck.
We’ve all heard of eco friendly garments including lingerie to keep your sexy time green, but is there such a thing as eco friendly vibrates and sex toys?
I decided to take a deep dive into the world of toys, vibrators and all things pleasure to find out…
Conventionally, sex toys would be made out of soft or hard plastic like, vinyl, latex, silicone, cyberskin, jelly rubber, or elastomer. Using these materials does create complications when it comes to recycling, with the jellies and rubber containing phthalates, a component that creates a toxic impact on the environment.
Don’t get us started on the batteries… most sex toys using disposable AAA batteries. These bad boys pile up in landfills year after year, just like your exes jumpers (we’ve all been there don’t worry).
Cue *klaxon sound*
Despite the growing market for sex toys, the industry is not in fact regulated, meaning there are no guideline laws of what materials are used in vibrators or packaging! And we’re expected to get down and dirty with goodness knows what?! Ewww no thanks!
Fear not eco lovers, for your orgasms can be both sexy, safe and planet friendly!
Some companies pride themselves in creating eco friendly vibrators to combat this problem. For example Higher Desire have created a range of premium products including massagers, dildos and plugs out of wood.
Beech please!
They use materials such as beech, willow, black ash, and oak, giving it a whole new meaning to ‘got wood?!’ – no, just me?!
Creator Alison Harding designed these toys to be coated with two layers of lacquer to create a smooth finish and leaves zero chance of splinters (ouch that could be one hell of a sex injury!) They’re also easy to clean and very hygienic. Higher Desire also produces a range of biodegradable plastic called BioFeel that can be recycled and even composted. – Now that’s more like it!
Going for wood also eliminates the idea of rechargeable batteries – making the toys ready whenever you are!
Lingerie also provides its own set of problems, with bra and underwear piling up in closets unused and eventually thrown away. – Yes even that sexy set you’ve been rocking, in the back of your drawer for the past couple years. It’s time to say goodbye!
Awesome, queer owned and green companies such as TomboyX owned by married couple Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez, have created a wide range of apparel, including lingerie specialising in cute boxer briefs for women in a inclusive range of sizes. Using non-toxic fabrics and sustainably harvested fabric, from XS to 4X, their colourful collection has something for everyone.
There are plenty of ways out there to make your kinky activities more R rated Green and less toxic red. The most important thing is to go after the eco friendly materials out there like wood, glass, and silicone. WIth lingerie, find out where it’s coming from and how it’s made. When more care is put into the garments, the longer they are made to last. Or the best way to be completely eco friendly is to, you know, just use your hands.
Written by Prishant K Jutlla
Featured image by Gabrielle Rocha Rios on Unsplash
