Conscious (Sex Toy) Consumerism

Vegan. Organic. Local. Environmentally friendly. Chemical free. These are labels we see featured on clothing, food and dry goods everywhere. What eggs you buy (or don’t buy, for that matter) is now a political statement, a way to broadcast to others your social and ethical ideals. But what about the items you don’t display proudly as you leave the store? Should the contents of your bedside table drawer or the dungeon hidden behind your closet be any less ethical than what’s in your refrigerator?

A lot of people would say no way - ethical is ethical, right? Here are some suggestions to keep your nighttime debauchery as guilt free as you want it to be. I’ll leave the organic fair trade Egyptian cotton sheets and wild caught oysters to you.

Cruelty-Free Condoms

Few people realize that many condoms contain animal products, a fact that might not sit well with those who stick to a vegan diet. Latex is often processed with casein, a protein that is commonly found in mammalian milk and that makes the rubber soft and supple. The casein isn’t present in the finished product, but if you care about whether or not animals were involved in your sexy times it may still leave a sour taste in your mouth.

Thankfully, there are a few companies that produce totally vegan condoms, including Glyde, RFSU, L., and Sir Richard’s. Some are also incorporating other ethical choices into the production and distribution of their condoms. Many of these companies also do activist work or contribute some of their profits to charity. Safe sex and something to feel good about? Sounds like a win-win situation. (Of course, in order to really have safe sex, you need to put the condom on correctly. Read what not to do in 9 Things You Didn't Know About Putting on a Condom.)

Lovable Lubricants

Lubricants are another culprit for vegans and other people looking for an ethical choice: Who thinks about the fact that what you’re putting in your orifices may or may not contain animal byproducts? Or whether your lube was tested on animals? (I don’t want my lube being tested on bunnies, no matter how many "they must dry up after all that sex!" jokes you want to make.) Do you know whether your slippery stuff uses organic ingredients? Or is free of glycerin parabens and other nasty irritants or chemicals? Worse yet, some lubricants may not be safe to use during pregnancy, or could harm sperm if you're trying to get that way.

It's a lot to worry about. Thankfully, there are natural lubricants popping up all over the place. Check out Coconu, Good Clean Love, Sliquid, Yes Organics, Blossom Organics and Hathor Aphrodisia. (Check out a review Kinkly did of another all-natural lube, Yes Butter, here.)