Eco-Friendly Sex Toys

What comes to mind when you hear the term "eco-friendly sex toy"?  Do you picture a plain wooden paddle? A very simple glass dildo?  Or do you simply do what I do and think about Woody Harrelson? Well, to be fair the term really encompasses a lot more than all of the above.  You can also go ahead and rid yourself of any thoughts of discomfort or condom covered cucumbers as well. 
First and foremost the term eco-friendly sex toys really means paying attention to the materials that are used to make the toy. The top 3 question to ask when caring what your sex toys are made of are:
1-Are the materials this toy  is made of phthalate-free?
2-What are those materials?
3-Is this toy rechargeable?

You may also be asking yourself right now, why does any of this matter?  Well, the sex toy industry is literally a mulit-billion dollar industry.  The ripple effect that an industry that large can have on the environment and on human health is notable.  That is why the first question to ask is whether or not the toy is phthalate-free.

Pthalates are chemicals commonly used in the sex toy industry to soften plastics and their effect on human health has been linked to hormonal disruption, reproductive health and in animal studies even the health of organs like the kidney and liver.  Now multiply the impact of a small use of phthates that one sex toy might contain on the environment or human health by several billion sex toys per year.  That is exactly why despite phthalates being used in countless industries, from cosmetics to perfumes, the U.S. government has already imposed some bans on phthalate use in children's toys and Greenpeace has asked the E.U. to ban the use of phthalates in sex toys as well. 

The next question to ask is what is the toy made of?  Sex toys made of natural materials like glass, wood, metal or materials considered extremely safe like 100% medical grade silicone tend to be the best if you are really looking for an eco-friendly toy.  But what if your toy isn't made from any of the above? The important thing to
know then becomes the question posed above, which is if your toy is phthalate free or not.  Also important when shopping for a sex toy is not to be fooled by toys that simply use the word "silicone."
A number of companies still use a silicone/rubber mix and these toys are not necessarily phthate free. A toy only has to be 10% silicone to be able to call itself "silicone" legally.  That is why it is best to stick to toys that say that are made of one of the materials above or specifically state they are phthalate free.  A number of other sex toy materials like hard plastics or TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) may sound like they might not be the safest but actually do tend to be phthalate free.


Lastly, is your sex toy rechargeable?  At the very green end of the spectrum is
a clitoral strap on vibe called the MicroKitty that is solar powered but since most toys aren't solar it is great to either choose one that does not require batteries or of course commit to using rechargeable batteries in your toys. Again, when you think of billions of toys a year....and then billions of batteries used to power them, it starts to become obvious this can make a difference.

Of course the message to manufacturers that the materials they choose  will effect their sales is the real power consumers hold to make the industry change and it has already started to, with companies like Couture Toys, Lelo, Vixskin, Tantus, Fun Factory and more already producing only phthate free sex toys.  And and the end of the day it's a pretty pleasurable way to be pro-environment, that and the fact that when Woody Harrelson does show up at my door I want him to know how eco-consious I have been.