There is something wrong with the sex toy industry. I didn’t notice it right away. I started reviewing toys and I (like many people) believed what was written on the side of the box. I saw something saying what it is made out of and I believed it. I questioned why some silicone products were smooth while others were tacky but I didn’t think I had anywhere to turn with these questions. The differences to the naked eye on these materials is subtle. Basic sex toy materials include: Silicone, VixSkin Silicone, Silicone/Rubber Mixes, TPE/Elastomer, Jelly Rubber and Phthalates, Hard Materials (hard plastics, acrylics, Lucite, glass, metal, ceramic), TPR (Thermo plastic rubber). The hard part is telling these materials apart. Right now there is no regulating agency that assures that what a company says the materials is and what it really is. That means that a toy company can say something is pure silicone and not even contain silicone. Click here for more about what the regulation really is.
Did you know a sex toy with certain materials can make some people break out, can give people migraines, can cause yeast infections, can make some people sick? Yes, certain toys can be dangerous! Have you heard the stories of toxic toys?
Do you know what a phthalate is or why it is dangerous?
The good news is that you don’t have to know. Hell, to be honest I don’t even want to think about this stuff. As a sex toy reviewer I worry about recommending a product that is safe for you (and me). It really bothers me to hear about someone who bought a toy thinking it was safe, and that it made them sick, that they didn’t know any better.
Thankfully, there are people that care enough to test sex toy materials. There are companies willing to make their toys out of the best materials to keep it safe for play. (check out this post for a list of the companies that offer safe products). In this day and age there should be a regulating agency making damn sure what we buy is actually made of materials are safe for oral, anal, and vagina consumption. Is that too much to ask? I don’t think so.
Be part of the movement that calls for change!
Dildology.org is a movement for change:
The sex toy industry is on the rise, yet it remains largely unregulated. Dildology.org intends to provide material verification services and maintain a public database of the results, adding transparency and oversight to the industry while educating the public about the science behind pleasure products. We stand on our own, uninfluenced, and we are dedicated to protecting the health and wellbeing of the dildo-loving population at large through education (and maybe a little entertainment).
I am so excited to tell you that Dildology.org will be testing a large range of sex toys and publishing the results so we can know, really know, what the toys are made out of. The first toy they tested was the Jimmyjane Hello Touch, which passed and you can see the results here. The next product they plan to test is the James Deen Realistic dildo from Doc Johnson. From the Dildology.org site:
We will:
- accept monetary donations.
- accept product donations from third-party retail stores and wholesalers.
- purchase products from third-party retail stores.
- choose products to test based on community feedback.
- send products to accredited labs for testing.
- compare the material composition of products to the manufacturers’ claims.
- share the results of lab tests with manufacturers.
- record the results of the lab tests in our wiki.
- make our wiki available to the public.
- provide other educational resources to the public.
We will not:
- accept product donations directly from manufacturers.
- test second-hand products – only those acquired directly from retail stores and wholesalers.
- test any product manufactured more than one year ago.
- publish opinions about products or manufacturers – only facts.
- falsify data, for any reason.
- suppress or fail to publish the results of any test.
The reason for this post….
Dildology.org needs funds to get started. They are well on their way to the goal of $1500 for start up costs. The actual goal is $20,000, but lets start small. Think BIG, but start small. YOU can be part of this.
The perks for donating:
- $15- Receive a 15% off coupon code redeemable at SheVibe.com( or 10% of at Lovehoney if you live in the UK or Europe)!
- $25- Receive lesser reward AND a Dildology spyglass crossbone sticker when we reach our goal!
- $50- Receive all lesser rewards AND an official DILDOLOGIST t-shirt when we reach our goal!
- $100 or more- Receive all the lesser rewards and you’ll also be listed on the Dildology.org site publicly as a sponsor! *Plus as a bonus Dangerous Lilly will give you a one-on-one private toy consultation*
Please check out Dangerous Lilly’s post for details about other bloggers who support Dildology.org and details about donating. If you want to donate straight away click the graphic below…
You don’t have to donate $15, you can donate $2 and still be part of this. if everyone donated even just $2 we would be well on the way to getting manufacturers to take notice and start being honest about their products.
You can also share the cause on social media:
That totally counts and I am sure they will appreciate it very much. Thanks for your consideration!
Together, we are making history in the sex toy industry and together, we WILL create positive change
