Vegan Toy Guide

A lot of people are familiar with vegetarianism and veganism when it comes to food, but not many people consider it as an option when it comes to their sex life. We don’t often think that things we use during sex are made with animal products, but the truth is a lot of it is–especially in the kink scene, where leather is a heavy focus. In the same fashion that vegan people avoid fur, wool, silk, or down bedding, they must also consider their sex and kink toys.

I reached out to one of my partners, Salem, about this topic. Salem is a vegetarian when it comes to food, but they aim to use vegan-friendly sex toys. While I don’t consider myself vegan in any sense, I support Salem’s choice to go cruelty-free and avoid using animal products on them when we play together.

In order to help people looking to reduce or eliminate animal products from the bedroom, we’ve put together this handy guide on vegan sex toys.

Why Go Vegan?

People go vegan for a variety of reasons. Here’s our take on animal products in the bedroom.

SF: My toy collection consists of animal and vegan products, but I’m starting to invest in more cruelty-free toys. I like knowing that small differences can be made for anyone–even if you’re not willing or able to commit to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Making vegan choices when it comes to sex toys is an easy way for people to make an impact (no matter how small) for animal rights. I also like knowing that when I play with vegan partners like Salem, I have toys in my own collection that I can use on them guilt-free. Plus, the materials used in vegan toys are a great way to mix up your toy bag. Try something new and exciting instead of the same leather flogger!

Salem: I choose to use vegan products because I am concerned with the well-being of animals. I don’t want to support large factory farms that confine animals to inhumane conditions and put them through unnecessary harm. The mass production of animal products has led organizations to push the bare minimum of what they need to provide the animals to keep them alive so they can make their products. These large facilities also have massive environmental consequences with the amount of water, fossil fuels, and food they use to maintain themselves. These are only my personal reasons for choosing to buy vegan products, but there are a multitude of other reasons for going vegan.

A lot of people are under the mistaken impression that vegan options are not easily available or more expensive than non-vegan options. This is certainly not true. We’ve come up with a list of retailers that offer vegan options at fair prices.

Vegan Materials

Faux Leather: This stuff looks and feels like the real deal, but costs less than cow leather.

Metal: Metal can be a great alternative for leather collars, leashes, or cuffs.

Neoprene: A type of synthetic rubber, polychloroprene (which you have probably seen in the form of a wetsuit or a laptop sleeve), which can be used to make a synthetic latex.

Paracord: Paracord is an increasingly common material for vegan cuffs and collars.

Paraffin: Not only is paraffin a vegan alternative to beeswax in candles, but it’s a much safer material when used for wax play.

PVC/Vinyl: PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is a synthetic type of plastic that is most commonly used for piping in your walls. The kind that’s made into fetishwear like latex is usually a mixture of PVC and polyurethane. It’s essentially fabric with a plastic coating around it, which gives it that shiny look.

Rubber: Some rubber is synthetic and uses animal products to treat it. However, true rubber comes from a tree and does not contain animal products. It seems to depend on what chemicals are used to treat the rubber, and that depends on who manufactures them.

Silicone: Silicone is completely synthetic, so it’s animal-free. Silicone is not only a super safe material for internal toys, but it’s also a great option for impact toys! Check out SF’s review on Tantus’s silicone paddles.

Wood: Wooden paddles are a great alternative to leather ones. It’s strong, sturdy, and has quite a bite!

Vegan Companies (Or Companies with Vegan Options)

• 665 Leather: Although they sell leather products, 665 has a whole section on neoprene, a synthetic rubber used for wetsuits. Includes harnesses, fetish clothing options, and kink toys.

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  Agreeable Agony: This small organization of crafty kinksters uses only paraffin in their wax, so it is a safe alternative to beeswax candles for wax-play! While they do carry leather impact toys, they also have rubber petal slappers and wooden paddles as a vegan alternative. Their bondage rope (with an exception of their hemp rope, conditioned with beeswax) is also vegan. If you’d like to order a large custom-dye batch, however, you can request a vegan conditioning oil.

• Black Ship Specialty: This Etsy shop sells cuffs, belts, and harnesses all made from locally-sourced, reclaimed rubber!
• Cherry Bombin’ Wear: Sells cuffs, floggers, and strap-on harnesses made with super soft vegan bike tire.
• Ethical Kink: Ethical Kink sells harnesses, cuffs, and collars made out of reclaimed rubber or vinyl. They also have paracord cuffs and floggers in many different colors, in addition to PVC floggers. They have a modest pet play section, aluminum plugs, and Latex pieces that have been featured in Femme Rebelle magazine. They’re based in the UK.
• Glyde: Did you know that most latex condoms aren’t vegan? Apparently, lots of brands use a milk protein called casein. Glyde is one condom company committed to vegan and ethical trade.
• J&J Leather: In addition to real leather creations, J&J makes some really nice vegan leather collars and cuffs. Although they don’t have a website, products from J&J Leather are available to purchase through Massachusetts-based shops such as Oh My! And Hubba Hubba. Salem and SF both own J&J products and highly recommend them.
• JM Designs: One of Salem’s favorite shops! They sell fetish wear all made from vinyl. Pieces are all very affordable, ship super fast, and the owner is a pleasure to work with.

• Kink Craft: In addition to selling paracord bondage supplies and floggers, this company focuses on passing on their craft to people looking to learn how to make their own toys with online courses. They do, however, use suede in some lessons, so be sure you’re choosing a vegan toy before purchasing.
• The Leather Boy: This Etsy shop does sell leather, but they also have an entire rainbow of rubber cuffs for those looking for cruelty-free options.
• Nefarious Kinks: NK paddles are hand-made from wood and handles are wrapped in Paracord so these are all cruelty-free toys! They also stock wooden nipple clamps and do custom toy orders. SF owns several of their products and highly recommends them!
• ODDO Leather: ODDO is a very high-quality Etsy shop with a well-stocked vegan section. Some of it is even faux fur-lined. Fancy!
• Raven’s Head Toys: An Etsy shop with some vegan rubber floggers. They also sell cute kinky decals.
• Sir Richard’s: Sir Richard’s sells vegan condoms, as well as some nylon bondage gear. Also, for every condom sold, they donate a condom to a developing country.
• Sliquid: Sliquid lubricants are free of animal products, body-safe, and made in the USA. They’re a great company with quality products that feel like natural lubricant and don’t cause infections, unlike other brands, which often contain glycerin. SF’s favorites are Sassy and Sea.

• Smitten Kitten: Lots of vegan lube and strap-ons, as well as a couple of Nylon floggers. If you search for “vegan” you can find loads of options.
• The Stockroom: The Stockroom has a collection called Vondage, which is all vegan bondage gear.
• Subana: A sustainable sex shop based in the UK that carries vegan, eco-friendly, and toxin-free toys, including vegan leather floggers and paddles.
• Tantus: Tantus doesn’t just make dildos–they actually make a whole line of silicone paddles. (Check out the review here!)Their vibrating velvet harness is also a great vegan alternative to the leather ones they sell.
• Triple P Crafts Shop: This company carries paddles, canes, and rug beaters all made of wood and acrylic. They’re reasonably priced and gorgeous!
• Von Bondage: Von Bondage is a kinky Etsy shop with over 100 vegan options to choose from.

Whether you’re vegan or not, these shops have some amazing options to choose from. With a selection like this, you’re sure to find a vegan-friendly alternative to all your typical kink toys. While we can’t guarantee your scenes will be completely cruelty-free, you can rest easy knowing that no animals were harmed in the making of your torture devices.