If you don’t have any previous knowledge about sex toy materials, seeing the number of different ones can be overwhelming. Let Stag Shop break it down!

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As the industry evolves, so does the quality of sex toys, not only in their appearance and technology, but with their compositions as well. Thanks to ongoing research and honest reviews by customers like you, much has been learned in the past two decades or so about the quality and safety concerns of various sex toy materials. Some materials are preferred for personal reasons such as allergies and sensitivities, whereas others are suited for specific types of play…but more on that later!

Silicone

Silicone is pretty much the standard for most sex toys nowadays, it is also one of the most popular materials and for good reasons. Silicone is soft and lifelike, hypoallergenic, and it warms up quickly to body temperature. It is non-porous, meaning it’s harder for bacteria to get trapped within the toy, and it is easy to clean with toy cleaner.

There are different “grades” of silicone, and usually the more expensive toys use the better qualities of silicone. A “medical or high-grade” silicone is something to look for if you want the best quality. The most important thing to remember about silicone toys is that they are not compatible with silicone lubes. Over time, silicone can bond to itself, leaving your toy not feeling or looking so great anymore.

Glass/Metal

These types of toys are usually heavy and firm, yet great for temperature play as they retain hot and cold temperatures. Glass toys are commonly made from a “hard” glass known as borosilicate glass, making them very strong. In addition to being completely non-porous, they are also just generally visually appealing, often considered by some to resemble works of art.

Metal toys (typically made of stainless steel) contain similar properties to glass, being temperature receptive and non-porous, however can provide more weight and pressure whether inside or outside of the body simply because metal is a heavier material.

Jelly/Rubber

You’ll see this type of material show up as TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), TPR (thermoplastic rubber), PVC, or simply just as jelly or rubber. Regardless, it is typically an elastomer or rubber blend, resulting in a soft, flexible, jelly-like texture and feel. It is a porous material and therefore retains more bacteria, so you'll want to be extra cautious when cleaning them or if it’s a dildo, try using a condom over top!

Ultraskyn™, Superskin™, etc

The names of this type of material are often brand-specific as they have created their own patented material composition, although typically they are some sort of elastomer blend. For example, Ultraskyn toys are typically made by Doc Johnson, Superskin is what Fleshlight uses, etc.

The soft material was designed to mimic the experience of human skin; warm and soft to the touch, yet with a firm underlying texture. All are soft and stretchy, with a velvety texture that is caused by the talc and cornstarch used to prevent the material from sticking to the molds. It’s important to note also that it is best to use a toy powder with these toys, to keep them feeling soft and skin-like. Otherwise, after washing it, that soft feeling tends to fade away over time.

ABS Plastic

ABS (also known as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is a thermoplastic polymer and another common sex toy material. These types of toys are hard and firm, not providing any flexibility or “squishy” like texture, but some feature a smooth polyurethane coating as well that makes it softer to the touch. They can be most commonly seen in bullet or external vibrators and toys made of ABS are often set at a cheaper price point.

A new brand called Gaia has released a line of biodegradable toys, which are all made of BioFeel™, a starch-based plastic instead. This makes them safer for the environment as they are biodegradable.