Good for you, good for the planet – «green sex» products

It’s unlikely you’ll save the world with orgasms, plastic-free vibrators and vegan condoms. Still, they won’t do any harm either. On the contrary: the term «green sex» covers a range of sustainable sex toy alternatives to plastic, plasticisers, parabens and the like, as well as suggestions for a greener love life, all of which are worth considering.

Here are the greenest sex toys, contraceptives and general tips for a more sustainable love life.

Green sex: why?

Sex toys are similar to good jeans: once you’ve found a model you feel comfortable with, you won’t change so quickly. And why would you? I’ll tell you.

Conventional sex toys often contain many harmful substances. They’ve got no place in the most intimate parts of your body – even before thinking about the environment. In a 2019 test (page in German) by German consumer organisation «Stiftung Warentest», only three of the 18 vibrators, love balls and cock rings tested were free from harmful substances such as nickel, phenol or the plasticiser diethylhexyl phthalate. According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, they have a harmful effect on male fertility – other substances have also been found that even pose a cancer risk.

Incidentally, the same applies to condoms, as can be seen from a 2009 study by Öko Test (page in German). Condoms have been subject to strict requirements and test procedures since 2002 – including with regard to potentially harmful substances. However, allergy-inducing latex proteins and even carcinogenic pollutants can still be found in them.

The fact is, sex toys and condoms will always come into contact with mucous membranes. And while regulations for harmful substances in children’s toys are rightly very strict – they often come into contact with oral mucosa – other guidelines are relatively relaxed, at least for sex toys.

At least something has changed with regard to the safety standards for erotic toys since September 2021. Since then, an international standard has been in place. ISO 3533:2021 regulates the specifications for the technical safety of sex toys. However, the standard is only voluntary for manufacturers as of now.

One manufacturer explained why the ISO standard for sex toys became necessary in a press release (page in German): «The standard was introduced by the Swedish Insistute for Standards after taking a close took at every step of the development process. Doctors from a hospital in Stockholm had complained about the lack of safety in sex toys, which they increasingly had to remove from patients.»

What youneed to look out for

Finding your way in the world of green sex can be tricky: what materials are toxic? Are they natural in origin? Are the devices battery-operated or can you recharge them? Here’s an overview:

1. Natural materials

Cheap plastic and PVC have no place in the environment, and certainly no place in your private parts. They contain dangerous toxins that can enter your body and, after disposal, the environment. What’s more, they have hardly any recycling potential and will end up in landfills on the other side of the world years later. Better to use durable, non-toxic and natural materials such as medical silicone, wood, stone, glass or stainless steel.

Some manufacturers are even experimenting with degradable vibrators – including top dog Womanizer with the Premium Eco Vibrator. Don’t worry, this lay-on vibrator won’t disintegrate into its biological components on your clitoris. But once it’s disposed of, it causes considerably less damage to the environment than conventional plastic products.

2. Rechargeable batteries

Most of today’s sex toys are no longer battery-operated anyway. Nevertheless, it’s worth mentioning that when a battery ends up in a landfill, heavy metals will escape and end up in the soil and groundwater. According to the Institute for Energy Research, 98 per cent of batteries end up in these landfills, increasing the likelihood of a landfill fire. So stay away from battery-operated devices and opt for long-lasting toys that can be recharged. However, even a rechargeable battery will eventually reach the end of its life and should be disposed of properly.

3. Recycled packaging

In the world of packaging, less is more. And if the packaging material is also recycled – i.e. it’s already been disposed of, processed and reused – you’re on the safe side. Many manufacturers are also opting for paper instead of plastic packaging as well as reusable instead of single-use materials.

Eco-sex: contraception, lubricants and more

So far, so good. But there’s more to green sex than this. It’s not just solo fun that can be made more sustainable, there are also a number of options for couple sex:

1. Green contraception

Contraception’s a touchy issue. Especially hormonal methods. Only 40 per cent of a contraceptive pill is broken down in the body – the remaining hormones are excreted in urine and end up in groundwater. Researchers have already found evidence that fish have problems fertilising their eggs due to this hormonal influence.

Ecologially speaking, a copper IUD is a better alternative. Not only is it hormone-free, it can remain in a person’s body for up to five years. According to the Pearl Index, it’s even one of the safest contraceptive methods against unwanted pregnancies.

You can also look out for certain ecological criteria when buying condoms. For example, there’s the vegan symbol. This usually means no casein (milk protein) was added to the natural rubber during production. You can also choose manufacturers who use fairly traded natural rubber. Although rubber’s a natural product, it’s usually grown in South America under dire production conditions. Transparency about the rubber used is provided by the Fair Squared label, for example.

2. Sustainable lubricants

You may need the right lube to make things go really smoothly. But similar to condoms, some lubricants also contain parabens and toxins (page in German). In addition, water-based lubricants can increase the risk of fungal infections and oil-based lubricants should be washed off after use. They aren’t harmful to the environment or your health per se, but the whole performance isn't a particular turn-on either.

A natural alternative is aloe vera gel. Not only is it particularly gentle on your mucous membranes, you can also easily make it yourself. According to studies, it has a prebiotic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory effect and even helps build up vaginal mucosa in cases of dryness.

You can buy ready-made organic aloe vera gel with few additives from pharmacies.

3. Eco-sex is analogue

They may sound tempting – especially for long-distance couples: sex toys that can be controlled remotely via a mobile phone app. But you should keep your hands off them, and not just for ecological reasons. On the one hand, of course, everything that takes place digitally has a higher ecological footprint due to data transfers and power supply.

On the other hand, IT security for digital sex in particular is very patchy. Hacker attacks can’t be ruled out here either. IT expert Werner Schober explains the risks in this video as well as in an interview with Der Spiegel (interview in German). Delicate recordings or information about your sexual orientation stored in an app shouldn’t be in the hands of third-party servers, but should be private. That’s why analogue eco-sex protects both the environment and your privacy.