Manufacturers of sex toys now have the option of adhering to an international standard for their products. Proposed by SIS (the Swedish Institute for Standards), ISO 3533 has been in development for two years, and 75 experts from 19 different countries, representing manufactures, retailers, distributors, consumer representatives, and medical professionals, collaborated on its publication.
It is now available, as a downloadable PDF or as a hard copy document, from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an independent, non-governmental international organisation that counts 166 national standards bodies among its membership [pictured: ISO Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland].
The purpose of ISO 3533 – Sex toys: Design and safety requirements for products in direct contact with genitalia, the anus, or both – is to increase consumer safety around pleasure products, after SIS noted the high number of surgical procedures that were deemed necessary after patients were admitted to hospital with objects stuck in their anus/rectum.
Announcing the initiative, SIS stated: “Sex toys are produced, sold, and used all over the world. It is a billion-dollar industry but until now there has been no international standard specific for this type of product. Without the guidance of clear standards with requirements specific for these products it is difficult for manufacturers, retailers, and consumers to know when a product is safe, and when it goes wrong it creates difficult cases for healthcare to handle.”
Development of ISO 3533 was managed by SIS and the secretariate was funded by the We-Vibe & Lovehoney Group. During the development process a public consultation was arranged, and the resulting feedback was integrated into the finished document.
The SIS statement went on to emphasise that the standard is voluntary but added: “We now hope that manufacturers and other interested parties adopt this standard, making it a useful tool for quality and safety all around the world.”
The ISO 3533 publication outlines the general requirements for risk management, design, materials, and user information. Design, for instance, includes sections on products intended for anal use, mechanical hazards, vibration, electrical safety, surface temperatures, and sharp edges and protruding parts, while materials cover safety, biocompatibility, and cleaning and maintenance.
For more information see the November issue of ETO.
