Sex Toy Industry – 7 Things You Need To Know

There’s never been a better time to start playing with sex toys.  The sex toy industry is booming. Old taboos about sexuality and its exploration are almost completely gone. Sex toys are just as common as online dating these days, so there’s nothing to be ashamed of.

However, sex toys are nothing new really, it’s just the perception of them that’s changing. Ancient Greeks used what were basically dildo breadsticks (olisbokollikes) to have some naughty fun. At several points in history, vibrators were even used as a cure for hysteria or to relieve muscle pain. 

They were one of the first domestic appliances to be electrified. Of course, discretion dictated they be called “personal massagers.” There are plenty of other interesting facts regarding sex toys that we won’t go into here, but you get the idea. 

Exploring your sexuality with sex toys dates much further back than society dares to admit.

As we’ve already said, old taboos are almost completely gone, meaning some of the stigmas still remain. As time passes, people seem more and more willing to reject taboos and be more open-minded about the self and the world. 

Same goes for the sex toy industry, which has been largely destigmatized. That has led to immense profit for businesses whose goal is to provide the tools necessary for total sexual liberation.

7 Facts About the Sex Toy Industry 

Fact 1 – Everyone Plays in Some Manner

Or almost everyone. While sex-related taboos are slowly but surely disappearing, many people still prefer not to talk about their sex toy experiences. Whether it’s due to leftover social stigma or fear of ridicule, it’s hard to say.

But the truth is that using sex toys is still not discussed openly enough. (At least not in front of friends and family.)

• Regardless of what people claim (or not), the sales numbers don’t lie. 

Sex toy industry rakes in a whopping $15 billion annually in the US alone. Estimates claim that this market segment will surpass $50 billion by 2020.

If the sales figures and projections don’t convince you, this might.  44% of women between the ages of eighteen and sixty have used a sex toy at least once. Most of them were in a relationship at the time, which just goes to show how pervasive sex toys are.  Married women are especially likely to introduce toys into their sex life.

• What about Men?

It’s not just women, though.  42% of men admit to buying a sex toy at one point or another.  Sex toys for men are still somewhat taboo, at least more so than toys for women. That’s why 70% of men say they’d like to be able to buy sex toys without embarrassment. Whatever society thinks, though, won’t change the fact that the famous Fleshlight sold 400,000 units in 2016. 

What all this shows is that more or less everyone plays with sex toys. People enjoy and will keep enjoying sex toys regardless of how much stigma there is.

Fact 2 – Do-it-yourself Sex Toys Are a Definite Thing

What happens when people don’t have access to sex toys? They begin to sexualize common household objects, of course. This just shows how strong our urge to explore our own sexuality is.

There’s a world of pleasure to be derived from objects found around the house. No one can deny that. Electric toothbrushes, cucumbers, ice cubes, bathtub faucets, belts, and pearl necklaces are only some of the most popular household toys.

Don’t forget that there’s plenty of fetishes out there, and different items around the house satisfy various needs.

• Homemade sex toys

But there’s also no denying that nothing is as safe and valuable as professionally-made sex toys.

Non-porous materials such as silicone are far safer and less bacteria-ridden than food or wood. That’s why do-it-yourself sex toys are the real deal, and why you can buy a kit to make your own. You can buy kits to make your homemade dildo.  Do-it-yourself vibrators are more common than ever, so it might be the right time to brainstorm some cool designs.

Fact 3 – Not All Sex Toys Are Made Equal

Some go into your vagina, others into your anus. Some you’ll penetrate, and some will penetrate you. But that’s not where the differences between various sex toys end.

One of the most important considerations, and quite a serious one at that, is the material the toy is made out of.  Indeed, not all sex toys are made equal, and you should know what to avoid.

Sex Toy Materials

• At the top of the list of materials to avoid is jelly.  Jelly sex toys contain phthalates in an excessive amount, which is potentially hazardous for your health. Phthalates are chemical compounds that give sex toys (and various other commodities) their flexibility.  They’re highly toxic and can lead to sterility and even cancer. Jelly is smooth, bendable, and incredibly cheap to make or buy. For the reasons above, however, you must make sure to ask about phthalates before buying.
• Plastic sex toys are almost as cheap but without the phthalates. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check if there aren’t any, though. Point of plastic is to be hard, rigid, and easy to clean afterward. All of that makes it a perfect material for vibrators.
• Next up is silicone, the current sex toy industry standard. Softer than plastic, non-porous (unlike jelly), and highly durable, silicone sex toys are a safe bet. Stick to water-based lubricants to avoid damage to your silicone sex toy, and it might even last a lifetime.
• Glass and metal are top-notch sex toy materials.  Perfect for temperature play. They also look far more elegant and stylish than all the others and are completely tasteless and odorless.

As you can see, you have plenty of choices when it comes to sex toys. It’s crucial to make an informed decision to avoid phthalates.  But other than that, everything goes.

Fact 4 – Competition Drives Innovation

Where there’s money, there’s also competition.  We’ve already established that the sex toy industry is a booming one. It’s also very fierce competition at that, and one that customers are benefiting the most from.

As with any other industry out there, competition breeds innovation. And innovation in the sex toy industry has been marvelous indeed. We’ve come a long way from basic, manually-operated tools to intelligent sex robots. Imagine having a sex toy that has the capacity to listen to your body and deliver just the right kind of pleasure.

Competition and advances in tech should not discourage you from trying your hand at making sex toys.

There’s plenty of room to make a business out of it and prosper. A lot of people are looking for the next best design or a unique and weird sex toy to try out. There are already more than hundreds, if not thousands, of custom dildo designs out there, so why not make one yourself?

What awaits us in the future of this industry? We already have the kinds of sex toys that were unimaginable only decades ago. Who knows, you might be the brain behind the next Fleshlight!

Fact 5 – Sex Toy Shops Are Embracing Uniqueness

With almost all stigma gone, there’s nothing stopping sex toy businesses from becoming reputable brands with loyal customer bases. Sex toy shops are embracing that which makes them stand out and relying on their uniqueness.

That means that sex toy shops are on equal footing with other businesses, regardless of what they do. Just like any other business, sex toy shops can now take up a unique identity of their own and use it to gain traction among customers.

For example, take a look at Bad Dragon.

It’s all about incredible, unique designs and textures that add an artistic touch to your sex toy adventure. Its toys even have cum holes! As for ElectraStim, it’s all in the name. This company’s products focus on electro-stimulation to give you the ride of your life.

Medical Toys makes “playing doctor” an adult-only activity. Kitten Cream features butt plugs with furry tails — you even get ears for increased roleplay value. As for the Twisted Monk… well, we hope you’re into bondage.

Each and every one of these sex toy stores has taken on an identity that attracts specific customers. That’s just an example of all that’s going on in the sex toy industry —  there’s plenty more to come.

Fact 6 – Successful Online Sex Toy Shops Are Titans of the Industry

Sex toy stores have been dominating the market for a long time, that is until the advent of the internet. Unfortunately for them, they can’t hold a candle to successful online sex toy shops. Online sex toy shops have the ability to reach audiences like never before, and far more discreetly.

If you’re new to the sex toy scene and are wondering who those titans are, you need not look further.

Here are some of the biggest players in the sex toy industry with an online presence. 

• SheVibe
• The Pleasure Chest
• Good Vibrations
• Smitten Kitten
• Babeland
• LoveHoney
• Lelo
• Lovense
• Amazon
• Adultsmart
• Geeky Sex Toys
• Etsy

Even if you’re not a user of sex toys, you probably know of Amazon or Etsy at least. It just shows how profitable the sex toy market is when giants such as Amazon have taken notice.

The rest of the online sex toy shops on the list are all worth exploring. Each of them has some unique and interesting products to browse. 

Fact 7 – Sex Toy Industry Shows No Signs of Slowing Down

As we’ve previously mentioned, the online business format has done wonders for the sex toy industry. There have never been more websites that serve every sexual fetish and every niche desire people might have. Sexual exploration and experimentation have never been easier and more readily available. Don’t expect this train to slow down any time soon.

What’s even better is that the sex toy industry has an interesting ability to outlive harsh economic conditions.

No matter how hard life is at any given moment, people find ways to have some naughty sex. And now, there will always be companies that are willing to provide the tools that make it so naughty.

Final Thoughts

Sex toy industry has gone through an incredible boom, and it has no intention of slowing down. What’s even more impressive, besides the enormous effect it’s had on the economy, is the sexual revolution that this industry enables.

Now more than ever, sex toys are paving the way to greater personal sexual liberation and awareness.

And that’s exactly what we need as a society. We need individuals who are not ashamed of who they are or what their sexual preferences entail. Explore your literal and metaphorical depths without fear or shame or doubt.

We’re all human and we’re naturally very, very, curious.