They say being a true gentleman never goes out of fashion. Pleasure accessory designer Jelle Plantenga believes the same applies to the little secret that lies under a gent's pertly pressed tuxedo: a handcrafted, ergonomically-shaped C-ring that's as classy as it is erotic.
Plantenga is the lead designer and founder behind Velv'Or, a boutique cock ring brand based in the Netherlands. The company name is a mix of, as Plantenga explains on his website, the various physiological stages of the penis. “Velv” comes from “velvet,” referring to flaccid softness, and the “Or” is derived from “vigor,” representing hardness and arousal.
Velv'Or asserts itself as a sensual, avant-garde brand for gentlemen and their lovers. For those whom a cheap, PVCpenis ring simply won't do, Velv'Or steps in with works of silicone, silver and gold pleasure art.
One of Plantenga's most popular designs — the JCobra, a solid metal, testicle-encompassing C-ring with a perineum-stimulating nub — was the catalyst that spawned this renowned collection of penis accessories.
“The JCobra was the start of Velv’Or with the mission to get men interested in using well thought-out products to enrich their lives,” says Plantenga. “Men from all levels of our society. [From] men that have never, ever used a product before to very experienced users, regardless of their sexual preference.”
The Velv'Or brand now supplies something for every budget (in case the 110,000 Euro, solid gold King JCobra is a bit much on the wallet). The BeauGosse collection of TPR ball stretchers and erection enhancers retail from 7 Euro for a single C-ring to 28 Euro for the BeauGosse Threesome kit. Adjustable JBoa penis rings run around 30 Euro and feature a clever, metal toggle slider that squeezes as much as a distinguished gentleman prefers.
Plantenga even 3D prints some of his perineum-stimulating designs, which he custom-orders from Dutch 3D printing company Shapeways. Rings in the JNaja, JNamo and JNata collections gently massage the prostate with each ring’s unique, customizable size and shape.
Velv'Or now aims to provide equally for the B2B and B2C markets. Due to difficulties in maintaining a reasonable production price, Plantenga has occasionally removed certain designs from his distributor and retailer pricing plan.
However, he confirms that rumors of leaving the B2B space couldn't be further from the truth.
“Our BeauGosse [products] have always remained available for the B2B market, and in-between we also gave the B2B market our Manhood and AID collections, but the JBoa and the JNaja were absent,” explains Plantenga.
“The JNaja was absent [because] the production price increased so much that I was not able to supply distributors anymore,” he further reveals, “and after the second version of the JBoa, I decided to just focus on the B2C market with the 3D-printed and precious metal ergonomic designs for a while, until the time that an opportunity appeared to step into B2B again.”
Since merging with worldwide Dutch distributor Concepts of Love, Plantenga can now dive back into wholesale and better serve his international business customers.
The widely felt effects of COVID put a temporary damper on Velv'Or's industry presence, as many retailers and distributors decided to halt orders until conditions improved. But Plantenga's most faithful customers gave him a helpful boost that's since lifted Velv'Or back to the brand's best-selling reputation.
“Luckily for us, a nice amount of Velv’Or fans — our retailers — decided to start selling the new JBoa designs directly after they were available,” says Plantenga.
“While the JBoa used to be a bestseller at these stores [prior to COVID], it immediately became a bestseller again,” he says of the brand's re-emergence. “I personally believe that the new JBoa designs sell very well. Many men learned that self-love while wearing a penis ring enriched their experience. The JBoa is their ultimate companion to enjoy pleasure with a partner.”
The JBoa is perhaps the most versatile design of Plantenga's concepts. No three-piece suit is complete without a classic necktie, and according to Plantenga, all sensual encounters deserve the pleasure enhancement of an attractive, adjustable C-ring.
JBoa's easily adjustable silicone loop, which Plantenga says works best when worn as close to the body as possible, can be accented with five different toggle sliders. Whether customers prefer a simple, gunmetal silver slide or a ritzy, crystal-bedazzled toggle, the JBoa remains a fantastic bit of bang-for-your-buck at just 30 Euro.
Plantenga also hints at another, similarly beginner-friendly C-ring style that he plans on releasing in the near future.
“Besides the five current, new designs of the JBoa, we are, as we speak, working on a collection of multiple cock rings that are again aiming [at] experienced cock ring wearers, [and] intermediate and beginners,” reveals Plantenga. “A collection that will get many men on our globe into a new comfort zone.”
For the remainder of 2020 and into the New Year, Plantenga is focusing his B2B efforts on heavily promoting Velv’Or and spreading the word via education trainings for retailers and distributor staff (which, we can only assume, will remain virtual until COVID travel restrictions are lifted).
As Plantenga tells XBIZ, he's “always in high gear” when it comes to helping his wholesale customers achieve top sales.
“With existing customers, I aim to get the Velv’Or products they sell to become bestsellers, if they aren’t already,” tells Plantenga. “With potential new customers, I aim to get them convinced to try out Velv’Or and learn that it will open the door to new consumers.”
While working the B2C angle himself, Plantenga has learned the power of brand recognition for high-quality pleasure products. His own web sales have shown that the majority of men buying Velv’Or online are first-time users. That initial purchase becomes a C-ring addiction that can only be satisfied with Velv'Or's dedication to innovative, one-of-a-kind penis accessories.
The coming months at Velv'Or will include a steadfast dedication to the brand's current range of hot sellers and a few new launches to boot. You can find Plantenga keeping busy with the company's Instagram page at @Velvor, where he hopes to see his proprietary penis pleasers take flight with international gentleman and couples.
“Our products are 'EnRiching' the lives of thousands of people around the globe,” concludes Plantenga, who enjoys playing with words to bring a bit of “enringment” enrichment to all. “I have continued to diversify the designs and collections available through Velv’Or, [and] I hope all gentlemen will find something for their satisfaction and spread the word about it.”
