Press Releases

Media Contact: Camilla Lombard
Events and Publicity Manager
(415) 974-8985 ext.201
camillal@goodvibes.com

Sex Toy Sustainability Survey from Good Vibrations Reveals Fascinating Findings and a Few Surprises

San Francisco, CA -- (April 19th, 2012): Just in time for Earth Day, Good Vibrations, the trusted San Francisco-based company that takes pride in providing accurate information on sexuality and toys for grown-ups, releases the results of its recent survey about its customers’ attitudes about greening their sexuality. Survey respondents offered insightful answers, as well as a few surprises.

Participants in the survey were asked to evaluate how important they would rate several elements, most with implications for sustainability, when they shopped for sex toys and products. While customers generally care about greening their bedrooms, according to their responses, taking care of their own and their partners’ health is their highest priority: 90% rated body-safe material as important, and a full 68.9% rated this element of product choice a 10 on a scale from 1-10 (with 10 as the highest level of importance). Almost as important is the effect the purchase will have on their pocketbook: 81.7% of respondents agreed that affordable pricing was an important factor for them.

The survey did not indicate whether respondents were vegan, but it did reveal that 64.8% want their adult products to be free of animal products. 27.7% gave this a 10 for highest priority. For 16.7, a product made with natural ingredients was most important, with 57.3 overall agreeing that this is important to them.

Rechargeable vibrators were rated as important by 53.8%, while recyclable packaging and/or materials were prioritized by 41.6%. Not as many respondents considered a product’s origin to be highly important; we sought to weigh the consumer’s response to an item’s carbon footprint based on whether or not it was imported, but that may not have been clear to those survey participants who rated Made in the USA at 39.9%, with a full fifth of the respondents giving this factor just a 1 out of 10 rating.

Most had never bought a disposable sex toy or what they understood to be an eco-friendly vibrator, and while almost 80% buy organic groceries at least sometimes, most participants have not purchased organic lubricant.

Finally, whether or not a product is green, brand reputation has begun to mean a significant 70.6% to our consumers who answered the survey.

You recycle, buy organic produce, and have energy efficient appliances, so why stop when it comes to greening your bedroom? This Earth Day you can choose sensual products that feel good and that you can feel good about. Good Vibrations’ earth-friendly ecorotic® collection offers all-natural and organic products, as well as longer lasting items that have less environmental impact, such as toys made from superior materials and rechargeable vibes. The rating system breaks down the categories of importance and simplifies your choices.

Ecorotic® Ratings

Body-safe -- Sex toys are made from many different materials, with varying amounts of information available about them, and many have not been tested for safety. We always choose better-quality items, and we give special attention to those we know to be safer.

Animal product-free -- You might be surprised at how many products contain animal products. You can be sure that items that earn this leaf aren’t made with any.

Rechargeable -- Toys that can be recharged reduce the number of batteries that end up in landfill. We also encourage you to use rechargeable batteries if your favorite vibrator operates using disposables.

Natural ingredients -- More products, especially lubricants, are being made from natural ingredients. Less processing and fewer artificial materials means more ecorotic®.

Recyclable Packaging/Materials -- When the package and/or material for your toy can be recycled, you can reduce the impact of your purchase on the environment.

Made in the USA -- Many sex toy and products are produced overseas. Choosing one that's manufactured and assembled in the United States reduces shipping and has a lower carbon footprint.

Dr. Carol Queen, Good Vibrations’ staff Sexologist and company spokesperson, explains the importance of greening the bedroom, “Sex is part of our lives, so any issue that concerns us out of the bedroom has implications inside it: if we recycle, buy local produce, watch our carbon use, and think ecologically in other ways, it makes sense to do the same when we make sexual choices. Our wellbeing and that of the earth are connected, so consider where you can go ecorotic®!”

About Good Vibrations
Good Vibrations is the San Francisco-based retailer trusted for more than three decades to provide a comfortable, safe environment for finding sex-positive products and educational materials to enhance one's sex life. Good Vibrations offers its products through its retail stores and website: www.goodvibes.com.

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