During Veganuary, many are swapping beef for beans and ditching dairy in favour of a plant-based lifestyle. But while food, fashion and beauty products tend to dominate the conversation, one area is oft-overlooked: sex. From barriers to kink gear, being intentional about choosing vegan sexual health and pleasure products can be a meaningful extension of your values. But like any transition, this one, too, comes with its challenges.
There is neither a reason nor an advantage to use ingredients of animal origin.
It’s not common knowledge that everyday sex products can contain animal-derived ingredients or use animals for testing. Miss Flora, a dominatrix who has been vegan for over a decade, explains: “I literally just had this conversation with my colleague … She was surprised that there’s lube that’s not vegan. So even professionals sometimes don’t know.”
Condoms often contain casein, a milk protein, while lubricants may include beeswax or animal-derived glycerin. Leather, a firm staple in BDSM, presents an ethical dilemma for those seeking cruelty-free kink. For Miss Flora, veganism in the bedroom is a holistic approach. “Keeping the products and practices vegan is one part of consent because animals obviously can’t give their consent.”
The demand for vegan alternatives is growing, and advocates insist you don’t need to sacrifice quality. “There is neither a reason nor a product advantage to use ingredients of animal origin in the formulations of condoms or lubricants,” says Oliver Gothe, managing director of Fair Squared, a brand that has produced exclusively vegan condoms since 2012. Katie Payne, founder and CEO of the vegan lubricant brand Vögeln, adds: “Health extends beyond the body – it’s about environmental responsibility and ethical choices.”
Still, vegan options have limitations. One major issue is durability. Leather alternatives often don’t last as long as traditional materials. “With leather, you can use it for 20 years if you take good care of it,” says Anjay, founding collective member of Berlin’s all-vegan sex shop Other Nature. “With new materials, it’s not the same yet.”
There’s also the question of feel and functionality. Gur, the creator of 4 Angry Dykes, has been creating vegan kink products since 2008. “There is a variety of materials one can use for vegan toys, and they feel very different on skin,” they explain. “If it’s something one wears, like a harness, cuffs or collar, we might want it to be soft and smooth. If it’s impact toys, different materials will create different sensations – stingy or thuddy.”
Aesthetic concerns also play a role. Vegan ropes made with natural materials like hemp or bamboo often have irregular colouring or smells. “People want matching stuff,” says Anjay. “They always want the same red, the same blue, the same turquoise. But it’s different every time. It’s not this picture-perfect kind of thing.” Sourcing vegan sex products can also be time-consuming and costly. “We work with a lot of singular people. That means a lot more contact than if you just order from a big firm. The products take longer to produce,” explains Anjay.
Transitioning to a vegan sex life, like any part of veganism, is a process. “You’re going to make mistakes,” says Miss Flora. “You may buy a product that’s not vegan. It’s definitely a process because you had sex the way you have for a while now. You can’t make it perfect from one day to the other.”
She also stresses the importance of investing in quality: “The trick is to really spend money and get some really nice vegan products. If you get the cheap fake leather plastic stuff, you’re not gonna have fun and it can also cut into the flesh.” Gur agrees, recommending small crafters and local producers. “There are enough small crafters in Berlin who put love and effort into what they make, products that are gorgeous and will bring you joy for a very long time,” they say.
The rise of vegan sexual health and pleasure products signals a growing awareness that our intimate lives are not exempt from our values. As Miss Flora puts it, “If we’re doing something just for pleasure, we should make sure that no one suffered for our pleasure.”
A quick guide to vegan sex essentials
CONDOMS & DENTAL DAMS: Traditional options often contain casein, a milk protein. Try brands like Einhorn, Fair Squared or Glyde.
LUBRICANTS: Many lubes contain beeswax or animal-derived glycerin. Check out KlatschNass, UC Berlin or Vögeln.
SEX TOYS: While usually safe, some toys use non-vegan glues, dyes or coatings. Look for explicitly vegan products from Fun Factory, ivy.toys and ROMP.
KINK GEAR: BDSM staples like leather, suede and silk aren’t vegan, but alternatives include latex and rubber floggers, bamboo canes, hemp ropes and high-quality synthetic leather harnesses. Consider vegan options from 4 Angry Dykes, aTxE_whips and LASH Fetish Gear.
SHOPS TO EXPLORE: Visit Berlin’s fully vegan sex shop Other Nature. Several other shops, like gorgeous and Keller Kreuzberg, offer curated selections of vegan products and production information.
