What is Body-Safe: Part 2 – Materials Matter

Looks like you've stumbled upon one of our first-ever anal play 101 articles! We've put together the most comprehensive guide ever (we mean it!) on body-safe sex toys.

Thanks to today’s digital age, we as consumers are more conscious than ever when it comes to shopping for the safest products for our health and environment. Materials matter, and words like “organic,” “free-range” and “fair trade” now play a key role in the buying decisions of shoppers. When it comes to sex toy shopping, it’s especially important to be savvy about what is going into your body.

Sex toys are made from an array of materials in factories all around the world. Unfortunately, unlike food containers, eating utensils, and other consumer items, there are no consumer safety regulations to ensure the safety of sex toys. Responsible pleasure products manufacturers self-regulate by thoroughly testing their products before releasing them.

However at one point, phthalates — a chemical that’s believed to have adverse effects on the reproductive system — were used to soften the plastic in sex toys. Phthalates can make a sex toy porous, making a toy susceptible to harboring bacteria. Toys containing phthalates will usually have a plastic scent so it’s important to read the packaging and pay attention to the safety icons, or ask the store’s staff. Stay away from phthalates!