When a love goddess and her wild-running pet wolf come together, beautiful pleasure abounds. Ylva & Dite, a boutique brand of designer dildos, is the latest work of erotic delights to emerge from the land of blooming tulips and scenic windmills (a stereotype we hope you’ll appreciate, dear Dutch friends).
Named after Ylva, a word of Scandinavian origin relating to the unabashed fearlessness of the wolf, and Dite, a shortened version of Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love, this double-monikered company is full of creativity and whimsical contradictions.
We believe that our products, our drive, and our retail experience will send us in the right direction.
The core team is composed of Roy Jacobs, who handles R&D; Danny Jacobs, who leads sales; and CEO Karel Jacobs. And if you’re wondering, the answer is yes. These folks are all related, and none of them are sex toy experts by trade, at least not yet.
“We are a family-owned business, [and] highly experienced in the retail business,” remarks Roy Jacobs. “We currently have an online/offline store focused on swimming pools next to Ylva & Dite.”
Before anyone can even ask, Roy answers the question on everyone’s minds: how the hell do you cross over from selling swimming pools to sex toys?
“We can imagine you’ll think, ‘how did you end up in pleasure products?’” remarks Jacobs. “We have been amazed by the business for a long time. It is a mysterious business that isn’t easy to get into. We were looking for new opportunities and were intrigued by the pleasure products business.”
The Jacobs’ product line is designed and developed in Holland. The team kept all efforts in-house to guarantee the 100 percent Dutch quality and beautiful design they felt was invaluable to their mission. After years of experiments, research and patience, this family of pool salespeople managed to develop a collection of body-safe sex toys that met their high standards.
The recent inpouring of pleasure companies into the industry was no deterrent, as the Jacobs’ did their due diligence and made sure they could squeeze into a needed spot in consumers’ bedrooms.
“We did our research and saw, in our opinion, that there still was room in the business for a Dutch player with a good story, good product and a good location,” says Jacobs.
A browse through the Ylva & Dite catalog is a bit like walking through IKEA. There’s plenty of design oddities and one-of-a-kind pieces mixed in with a trove of trendy basics. And then somewhere among the flesh-tone sofas and black throw pillows, you stumble upon a lamp engineered by a group of Cosmonauts in orbit.
“We want designs that are pretty and functional,” says Jacobs. “We always look for models which have a unique look but are effective at the same time.”
Cleanly designed, somewhat typical dongs that somewhat resemble an actual penis are aplenty. Sleek, modernized and gender-neutral styles with gentle curves in solid colors or paint-splattered silicone are similarly common.
But then, out of nowhere, you’re smacked in the face by the limey yellow arm of a spiky cactus (the Prickly Pear Lemon) or visually assaulted — in a good way, mind you — by a metallic blue octopus with a penchant for expensive jewelry (the Aria Gold Blue).
It’s also hard to miss the standalone Eros Germany, a curiously named and vaguely dick-shaped dildo emblazoned with the tri-color German flag.
“With a high amount of colors and more than 13 designs just for dildos, we aim at a broad target audience,” Jacobs remarks. “At the same time, we are looking for customers who appreciate a unique design and a product especially for them.”
However exciting and eye-catching, the Jacobs insist their dongs aren’t the product of rocket science. Many of their more simplistic designs are similar to what’s already on the market, which the Jacobs say is intentional.
“The products are inspired by existing products, animals and customer feedback,” Roy Jacobs explains. “The colors combined with the design should provide a sense of happiness for our customers.”
At the moment, Ylva & Dite’s bestselling shapes are the Swan, a smooth dildo with a curved head for G- or P-spot stimulation, and the Anteros, a unique take on the classic penis shape with a pronounced head and a couple of pronounced bumps along the shaft. Both designs are available in any of the manufacturer’s current color schemes.
“Most customers choose these designs with a metallic color. These colors really shine and give a great unique glow to the product,” Jacobs says. “The popularity comes from the recognizable shape combined with the metallic colors.”
It seems this retail-seasoned Dutch family has poked into the market at just the right time. As consumers are overwhelmed with thousands of new pleasure products launching each year, the Jacobs’ believe they hold the key (and the business acumen) to keeping them captivated.
“We believe that the customers are looking more and more for unique products which have a unique story and sexy look. The market is going through individualization,” Roy Jacobs observes. “People want products that are really theirs. At the same time, the market is opening up, people discuss pleasure products more and more, and it’s ok to have pleasure products in your home.”
Luckily we’ll have a lot more Ylva & Dite to love in the near future. The company is working on the development of butt plugs, cock rings and vibrators while becoming more involved in the trade industry. The team recently debuted to the B2B space at the eroFame Hannover trade show with a booth bursting with color and silicone.
“We are all virgins within the pleasure products business,” Roy Jacobs concludes optimistically. “We look forward to everything that will meet us on our new path. We believe that our products, our drive, and our retail experience will send us in the right direction.”
