Let’s say you’re at your local everything store or browsing the internet for some new silverware.  There’s a chance that at some point before you buy, you’re going to look and see what it’s made of, right? Everybody knows there are certain elements you should avoid contact with; lead, asbestos, mercury.  While we do tend to assume that an item sold for a specific task is regulated to be safe, this isn’t always the case. Sex toy materials range is quality and more importantly safety.

Industrial standards

 Sex toys have become exceedingly more popular in the last 20 years.  But how many people actually know what they are buying?  Believe it or not, there are no regulations on what can or can’t be used as sex toy materials.  In fact, the regulations are so relaxed, there’s not even standards on the processes and controls used to manufacture them.  This can be a dangerous situation when it comes to purchasing a device.  Some chemicals can cause sterility, cancer, or a whole bunch of other nasty problems. Some materials harbor bacteria in their porous surfaces, making them hard or even impossible to clean and disinfect.

There are plenty of materials out there that are commonly used for adult toys.  On the stroker side, the most common are TPE, Jelly Rubber, and Silicone.  In the case of dildos and vibrators, the sky’s the limit; plastics, metals, wood, and rubber are all common.  Rather than going out and getting a degree in chemical engineering or biology, let’s keep it simple.  Jelly rubber, TPE, low grade metals, all petroleum-based plastics, PVC, and anything containing phthalates should be avoided. However, platinum cured silicone, stainless steel, wood (if correctly treated) and some non-porous plastics like ABS can be considered safe.  Unfortunately, with the lack of regulation in the industry, most companies can say their product is made of anything.  It wouldn’t be practical to buy a product, then pay to ship it to a laboratory for chemical analysis to verify its contents.  

Don’t buy cheap toys

 So, what can you do to protect yourself?  Know what you’re buying and be well informed.  Find a company you trust to purchase your adult products from.  While most companies are honest about what they are selling, I would avoid any product that’s not made in the USA.  It’s unbelievable the number of cheap devices I’ve ordered on the internet that claim to be a certain material that aren’t what they say.  The most common being TPE and jelly rubber devices being marketed as silicone.  Silicone is the safest material (other than stainless steel) so companies that are using sub-par materials tend to label them as silicone.

Checking your toys

 There are a few ways you can check your sex toy materials.  If the device has a chemically or oily smell to it, it’s most likely not something you want to be putting in or rubbing on your body.  Another give away to an unsafe material is sweating.  Take your clean and dry device, and leave wrapped in a paper towel for a few days.  If the paper towel looks oily when you remove it, your toy probably isn’t safe.  You can try to apply paint to your device.  Once dry, rub the painted spot with your fingers.  If the paint sticks its most likely porous and you probably should throw it out.  

For soft devices that claim to be silicone, you can throw them in a boiling pot of water for about 20 minutes.  If they melt or deform, they are not silicone.  While this list can’t rule out ALL toxic plastics or rubbers, it’s a good place to start.  Most of the cheap sex toys I’ve gotten off amazon have failed one, or all of these tests.

What we offer

 Here at The Alien Love Co, we strive to bring you the safest products on the market. When sourcing materials, we run them through a battery of tests to insure they are skin safe.  Our devices are all manufactured in the USA with US sourced platinum cured silicone.  We do all our manufacturing in a food safe environment with food safe equipment.  All of our devices are inspected for any contamination from the manufacturing process.  Each device is then put through an autoclave prior to being vacuum sealed to ensure a safe, clean product. If you are interested to learn more about how we keep you safe, please contact us.