Understanding Sex Toy Plastics

UNDERSTANDING SEX TOY PLASTICS
A BASIC OVERVIEW

During the last few years, there’s been a lot of justifiable concern over potential harmful effects caused by the plastics used in the making of sex toys.  In addition, because these same materials are also used extensively in children’s toys, a considerable amount of research has been done, and it’s been determined that some plastics do indeed present health hazards, especially when in direct contact with the body’s internal chemistry.  This applies equally to sex toys such as vibrating stimulators or mouth gags, and children’s toys such as teething rings.  Legislation now restricts certain materials from being used in children’s toys, but sex toy materials continue largely unregulated. 

However, because of these growing health concerns, most sex toy manufacturers are voluntarily replacing questionable materials with existing and newly-developed alternatives, which has led to a proliferation of new acronyms, such as: PVC, TPE, TPR, PU & ABS.  The purpose of this article is to identify each of these materials, describe their characteristics, and evaluate their relative safety for body contact.

First though, a quick science lesson. My background is as an organic chemist, and without getting too technical, I think a bit of explanation is in order here.  Plastics are “polymers” - repeating chemical chains, formed by various chemical reactions, and interlocking with one another.  It’s a bit like weaving a basket; you can weave a lot of strands close together, and you’ll get a rigid basket, or you can weave the strands far apart, and your basket will be more flexible.  Plastics form that way, too, the closer the weave, the harder the plastic.  Just like in the kitchen, where, by varying the ingredients, you can make peanut brittle or taffy, caramel glaze or butterscotch, so different plastics can be formulated, combined, blended as “copolymers”, or treated with additives to produce characteristics, like: clear, flexible, strong, brittle, or hard. 

The ability to develop new plastics and copolymer blends has certainly allowed us to create new, more appropriate, more useful plastic products.  But in some cases, plastics additives continue releasing toxic compounds into the atmosphere long after products are made.  And since all plastics are manufactured by a series of complex chemical processes, sometimes toxic chemicals become part of the finished material, or remain as loosely-bonded residues.  These potentially dangerous additives and chemical components are health and safety concerns for all plastics applications, ranging from children’s toys, to car interiors, to sex toys.  OK, the chemistry lesson is over.

For sex toys, understandably, soft is good, and the first soft sex toys were made of natural latex or different types of rubber.  The development of synthetic plastics gave us new materials to choose from, but these early plastics were hard, and required chemical additives called plasticizing agents, to make them softer and squeezable.  This is how the early, very popular “jelly” sex toys were made – hard plastic was softened by plasticizing agents called phthalates.  Unfortunately, some of these plasticizers continued to release harmful chemicals, either by “out-gassing”, which is easily identified by the distinctive and familiar odor of some new plastic products, or even by direct transfer through skin contact.  Today’s health and environmental concerns focus mainly on phthalates used in these soft “jelly” plastics.

At the other end of the spectrum are the hard plastics, often used to make hard sex toys such as dildos and vibrators. Hard plastics are mostly inert, with insignificant chemical transfer, and are non-porous, so they don’t harbor bacteria.  They can be readily cleaned with disinfectant soap or alcohol. The sex toy community has largely settled on using ABS (see below) for hard plastic applications.

The next step in plastics evolution was the development of synthetic rubber materials called elastomers, which can be made soft without the use of potentially dangerous chemical additives.  Most elastomers are FDA-approved as safe for contact with food, and are generally body-safe.  The soft grip on your new kitchen utensils is an elastomer material.  Elastomers are widely used today in all sorts of consumer products, from medical devices to children’s toys, and are used widely to replace jelly rubber sex toys made with the controversial phthalate additives.

Of all the elastomers, though, the most body-friendly is silicone, and it’s used in everything from medical implants to baking pans. Silicone generally carries medical-grade ratings, and it’s the king of materials for sex toys, remaining neutral under all conditions.  It’s also the most expensive, so it’s used predominantly on high-end products.  Silicone, like the other elastomers, is also used to coat hard plastics and provide that desirable soft-touch feel.

To help everyone identify and understand the pros and cons of the various materials used in sex toys, including rubber, below I’ve decoded the acronyms, and provided brief descriptions of each material, starting with latex, the first soft sex toy material, and proceeding in order of development.  After reading through the descriptions, you’ll have a much better understanding of the materials your new vibrator is made from, and can then choose what suits you best.

THE PLASTICS

LATEX   
Natural latex, also called natural rubber, is produced by the Hevea basiliensis tree.  The sap of the tree is collected, then through complex treatments and manufacturing processes, the final material is produced, which contains both natural proteins and chemical additives.  Natural latex rubber is a durable, flexible material with a high degree of protection from micro-organisms.  Latex rubber is anti microbial, dust mite and mildew resistant, hypo-allergenic and flame retardant

Latex is used in variety of medical and health care products, including teething toys for children.  The first flexible sex toys were made from rubber, and it’s still widely used today.  Latex rubber has a characteristic scent (a bit like the odor in a tire store), and a slight taste that some people dislike.  Latex is body-safe, except for the ~10% of people who have latex allergies, with reactions that display effects similar to flu symptoms.  In the worst cases, the allergy can even cause anaphylactic shock – so if any symptoms do appear, stop contact with the product immediately (1).  Latex is porous, and cannot be completely sterilized.

PVC & JELLY RUBBER
Polyvinyl Chloride
PVC is third-most prevalent type of manufactured plastic, and depending on the formulation, can exhibit a wide range of hardness and strength.  One of the most prevalent applications of rigid PVC is for water pipes - those familiar gray plastic pipes used in the majority of new construction.  Rigid PVC foams are used in the signmaking industry.  As hard plastics, these can be formulated to be completely inert. But for other applications that require a softer, more flexible material, like cable insulation, plastic packaging, and toys, compounds known as plasticizers, called phthalates, are added to the PVC blend, and can later leach into their surroundings, either through skin direct contact or by outgassing.  These compounds have been shown to disrupt the body’s endocrine system, and can have adverse physical effects

One of these phthalates, diethylhexyl phthalate, was banned by the European Union in 2006; others such as butylbenzyl phthalate, are still in use today.  The studies and debates continue as to the environmental and health impact of phthalate compounds, but the majority opinion leans toward caution (2).

The slightly acrid odor when you first open your new vinyl shower curtain’s package is from the phthalates outgassing (you might want to open the package outside).  For thin vinyl products like shower curtains or inflatable toys, a majority of the chemicals are gone after the initial outgassing, and so they become body-safe.  But for thicker items that come into direct contact with body chemistry, such as children’s teething toys, phthalates can be absorbed directly from the plastic.  Some plastic food packaging can also contain phthalates (used to make the material stretchable), and these can leach into packaged food. 
   
For sex toys, the original soft and flexible plastics described as “jelly” were usually made from PVC with phthalate softeners.  (…the old sex toys you’ve had for a while are suspect for phthalate content…).  Since sex toys have intimate contact with body hormones - under the added friction, heat, and pressure of sex – the potential for phthalate absorption is increased even further. Plus, jelly materials are porous and cannot be sterilized.  And although using a condom on a shared jelly rubber sex toy will reduce the risk of germs being transmitted, that may not entirely eliminate the risk of phthalate exposure.  Most sex toy manufacturers are now using soft elastomers to make body-safe products with the same look-and-feel as jelly toys.


NEOPRENE   
Polychloroprene
This synthetic rubber was developed in the 1930’s, and is most often used in sheet form for a variety of applications, such as laptop sleeves, orthopedic braces, membranes and seals.  A foamed version of neoprene is used for insulation, most notably in diver’s wetsuits. Neoprene is chemically inert, and safe for skin contact, but it’s not recommended for internal use (3).  Some people do exhibit allergic reactions to neoprene products.  In the adult toy world, neoprene is often used in basic bondage cuffs and restraints, because it’s a soft, flexible, strong, low-cost material.


TPE   
Thermoplastic Elastomer
Developed in the 1950’s, these are blends of hard and soft plastics, that, depending on formulation, can exhibit a wide range of elasticity and softness, eliminating any need for phthalates.  TPE materials are food-safe, and can be FDA certified.  TPE products are hypoallergenic, tasteless and odorless, and can be easily cleaned with disinfectant soap and water, or even alcohol (4). These materials are used in place of rubber and soft PVC in children’s toys and medical products, and can be made clear or in transparent colors. TPE is widely used in sex toys, and has excellent tactile qualities, able to produce a wide variety of surface textures.  However, since all elastomers (except Silicone) are slightly porous, and cannot be completely sterilized, we strongly recommend using condoms when and if you’re sharing sex toys that are used internally.


TPR   
Thermoplastic Rubber
This is a specific type of TPE, formulated using Styrene elastomers, which adds additional strength to it’s rubber-like qualities. TPR combines the formability of plastics and the flexibility and durability of rubber, all with lighter weight, and is often used to replace rubber or soft plastic (5).  TRP products are food-grade and FDA approved, however like all elastomers (except Silicone), they are slightly porous, and cannot be completely sterilized, so we strongly recommend using condoms when and if you’re sharing sex toys that are used internally.


ABS   
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
This is a blend of three plastics, designed to have the qualities of strength, rigidity, and formability.  It’s most commonly used as a hard plastic, although it can be formulated with varying degrees of flexibility by changing the components. ABS is used in many consumer goods, including electronics enclosures (i.e. Sony Playstation), kitchen appliances, and children’s toys, and it’s chemically inert, non-porous, and body-safe.  In fact, since 1963, Lego blocks have been manufactured from ABS because the material is so body-friendly, hypoallergenic, and non-porous.  It’s especially suitable for anyone concerned about allergic reactions or with chemical sensitivities, and products can be cleaned thoroughly with anti-bacterial soaps and washes. ABS is the most commonly-used hard plastic in sex toys, and often combined with TPE/TPR and silicone components or coatings.  One caution about hard plastic toys is that if dropped, they can crack, producing dangerous sharp edges, and the cracks can harbor bacteria, so don’t use damaged sex toys.


PU   
Polyurethane
This designation refers to a class of polymers used in a variety of applications, from the clear polyurethanes we’re familiar with as paint finishes, to foam seat cushions, and even SpandexTM , which is a polyurethane fiber.  PU materials are chemically inert, and body-safe (6).  Many of the familiar soft-touch coatings found on consumer products, such as cellphone covers and computer mice, and also on medical devices, are made from polyurethanes.  Like silicone rubber (see below), soft-touch PU coatings are used on sex toys, often in conjunction with harder plastics like ABS.  These coatings are hygienic, body-friendly, and easy to clean with disinfectants6.


SILICONE  
PolydimethylsiloxaneSilicones are inert, rubber-like synthetic compounds made from silicon dioxide, or silica (like beach sand), which is also the starting material for making glass.  Able to be formulated in a wide range of hardness, and typically heat-resistant, silicones are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications (e.g., breast implants), and cookware.  Also called silicone rubber, these materials have low chemical reactivity, are non-porous, and do not support microbiological growth.  Silicone can be molded into solid products with a wide range of flexibility, can form a soft-touch coating on hard plastics, and is even used as a component in some personal lubricants.

All silicones are hypoallergenic, body-safe, and rated as food grade.  Beyond this, medical grade silicones are tested for biocompatability, and FDA certified (7).  Silicone is the most desirable, body-chemistry-compatible, easily cleanable material for sex toys; all-silicone sex toys can even be boiled and sterilized, making safe sharing possible.  At this time, though, it’s also the most expensive material, so top-quality silicone products cost more, but are arguably worth the price.

CONCLUSIONS

My research on this topic left me with a much better understanding of all these plastics.  It’s apparent that soft PVC-based plastics containing phthalates, such as “jelly” rubber products, have the potential to cause health problems, and should be avoided whenever possible.  Most sex toy manufacturers have addressed these health concerns by switching to elastomers for their new soft-feel products, however, some jelly rubber products still remain on the market, so exercise caution when purchasing soft sex toys.  Always check out the materials thoroughly, and if there’s no clear information, it’s best to make another choice.  And even though it might mean replacing your favorite dildo, I recommend that you replace any squishy jelly sex toy that’s more than 5 years old.

Today, most mid-range sex toys are made from TPE and TPR, either as solid molded materials, or in conjunction with ABS as a coating, or co-molded directly with ABS.  These materials are all body-friendly, but since these elastomers are non-porous, they’re not recommended for sharing, unless used with a condom.  In the mid-range, rubber and latex also remain viable choices, except for those with latex allergies, or for those who find the taste or smell somewhat offensive. 

The higher-quality sex toys have generally migrated to silicone, again, used either as a solid molded material, or as a coating over ABS, or co-molded directly with ABS.  With food-grade and medical-grade ratings, silicone is the most highly-recommended and desirable sex toy material.   Even if that original Rabbit you have still works, it’s time to replace it with a new, safer version.

If you’re sharing sex toys with a partner, the consensus recommendation is that you use a condom to prevent the transmission of bacteria, unless the toy is silicone, and you sterilize it first by boiling.  Further, any sex toy that’s used both vaginally and anally, silicone or not, should always be sterilized first, as even a fresh condom may not afford adequate bacterial protection.

Use only water-based personal lubricants with silicone sex toys, as silicone-based lubricants will begin to dissolve and erode the sex toy, making it unusable.

A Final Recommendation

Although unrelated to the foregoing discussion of sex toy plastics, from an environmental standpoint, you might also consider switching to a rechargeable vibrator, to eliminate sending used batteries to our landfills.  Today you’ll find a large selection of these to choose from.

FOOTNOTES

1    American Latex Allergy Association http://latexallergyresources.org/symptoms)
2    http://archive.greenpeace.org/comms/97/pvctoys/documents/background.html
3    "Technical information — Neoprene" (PDF). Du Pont Performance Elastomers. October 2003.
4    http://www.specialchem4polymers.com/resources/latest/displaynews.aspx?id=5473
5    http://www.thefreelibrary.com
     /Preparation+of+thermoplastic+elastomer+nanocomposites+based+on...-a0248407199
6    http://www.bayercoatings.de/bms/db-rsc/bms_rsc_cas.nsf/files/Broschueren/$file/MS00038520-E-Softtouch-
     06-08.pdf
7   http://www.makeitfrom.com/compare/?left=Natural_Rubber&right=Silicone_Rubber

Stephen Goldberg
GOLDSTORES ONLINE
www.sexybondagerestraints.com