French Sex Toy Companies Get 'Green' Makeovers

PARIS — Some French companies are injecting a healthy helping of eco-consciousness into their products to cultivate an ethical image ... and boost sales, the AFP reported.

Since the owner of Divinextases Frederic Donnat launched the premiere line of 100 percent organic “erotic cosmetics” two years ago, he said the company has tripled its sales to 450,000 euros (about $600,000).

Donnats’ eight products range from post-spanking balm to intimate perfumes and now boast an official “quality label” from France’s national organic federation. Each item is made in France with sustainable material (like beeswax and shea butter instead of palm oil) and come wrapped in recyclable packaging.

Donnat hopes to expand his line with four new products next year and begin exporting  to Sweden, Norway and other “mature” markets.

Divinextases is far from alone in French entrepreneurs’ recent bidding to jump on the eco-friendly bandwagon. Laboratoires Claude, an organic pill manufacturer with the company slogan “Take care in love,” prescribes it supplements to boost arousal and increase sexual pleasure, without the danger of unsafe ingredients.

Currently the only manufacturer of its kind to offer organic products, company director Fleur Phelipeau believes their sales will rise as much as 300 percent.

"Eighty percent of the products on the market contain Viagra, which can be dangerous for older men," she told AFP, explaining Laboratoires Claude uses only organic plants in their supplements.

She added that demand is outpacing supply to the point where the company now must source their more exotic ingredients, like Peruvian maca, outside France.   

Another online store, Arbre Des Plasirs (translates to Forest of Pleasure), promises to plant a tree in the Amazon forest for every sex toy purchased on its site. It also offers a nifty recycling service for worn-out vibrators.

Despite the enthusiasm and reported sales boosts of novelty-companies-gone-green, some remain wary.

A spokeswoman for the erotic film retailer Dorcel said they believe product performance outweighs organic credentials, but are still monitoring the success of various “eco” competitors.