Vegan-Friendly Sex Toys: A Guide



Australia is one of the fastest growing vegan markets in the world. We have no shortage of food, drinks, coffee shops, even dessert bars that pimp themselves out as vegan.

So, that’s your social life and your stomach sorted, but what about your sex life? Should we ever compromise on our beliefs to get our kicks? The answer is, quite simply, no.

With sex toy retailers realising that ‘Vegan’ and ‘Ethical’ categories are on the increase, and savvy consumers looking for more ethical offerings when they shop, we thought it best to call out some of the terminology to look out for and immediate actions you can jump on when keeping clean between the sheets.

Not stopping at Vegan/Vegetarian, we’ve also had a look into initiatives by retailers that tick the green boxes too. Ethi-cool or what?

Paraben-Free

You may have noticed ‘paraben-free’ labels popping up everywhere, especially on your beauty products, and perhaps your lubricant. Parabens were the most-widely used preservatives in personal care products, stopping fungus, bacteria and other microbes growing (especially in areas that are particularly moist, yum.)

Over the past few years, science boffs have been debating how safe these products are and whether or not they might actually be harmful to our health. There are various studies cropping up that suggest they may be harmful: we simply do not know to what extent yet.

So shop paraben-free when looking for lubricant. Look out for brand names such as Sliquid who produce hypoallergenic, vegan and eco-friendly products for both genders. The packaging is awesome too.

Lose the Leather

When we think of bondage kits, leather immediately springs to mind….but it doesn’t have to be this way. There are plenty of great alternatives for those that like to be trussed up, and most don’t realise that silicone is one of the greatest. But it really is!

Seriously durable, totally comfortable, velvet-smooth, hypoallergenic and vegan-friendly, it’s worth investing in some key pieces made in this sexy material. Bad Kitty specialise in bondage accessories for beginners which include nipple clamps, purrfect cat masks and our favourite, Silicone Handcuffs.

Also, consider going for ‘Wet Look’ instead of leather when looking for something slinky, kinky and slick. Vegan kinksters fear not, you can still look hot-to-trot without compromising on your beliefs. This look works for both men and women and what’s more, it’s super-flattering, (especially if you go for classic black) and easy to care for. Open-backed briefs are a great place to start if you do not want to go the whole hog right away.

Phthalate-free

In 2006, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency released a research report that stated that a proportion of sex toys on the market contained toxic chemicals including phthalates – a type of plasticiser. This means that they are technically used to make hard plastics soft and bendy.

Over time, the phthalates, (no, we don’t know how to say it either) break up and excrete harmful gasses and can have all sorts of detrimental effects on your body and hormones. Not good, basically. Rightly so, most respectable sex toy retailers have categorically binned products that could contain such things. Check ‘phthalate-free’ is clearly stated when you buy. Your body will thank you for it!

Choose USB

There’s a time and a place for battery-powered sex toys, but with technology constantly advancing in this space, USB-rechargeable pleasure products are pretty much now the norm. And what’s more, some of the more luxury products come with specially designed cases that mean you can discreetly charge up while say, at work, at the in-laws etc. So while you won’t be clogging up landfills, you will be getting YOUR fill.

Fair Trade: Not just for coffee

Fair Trade Condoms. Google it. Look out for the brand Fair Squared. We have it on good authority too that they are so thin, it’s like wearing nothing at all – that’s a thinspiration we can get down with. Did you know casein, a protein found in cow’s milk, is used in the manufacture of lots of different brands of condoms? These ones are casein free – therefore totally vegan friendly too.

Don’t compromise. There’s no reason to stop clean-living while you’re getting down and dirty.

Coco Cameron is a blogger and sex toy expert who writes for Lovehoney Australia. You can see a list of their best-selling products here.