Sex Toy Materials

Materials of sexual aids - silicone, TPE, TPR, PVC, leather, liquid silicone, etc. Description of characteristic features, qualities and disadvantages.

Dildos Materials Market Share (Estimate for 2025)

Medical grade silicone including smaller anal plugs make up the packaging of the 95% vibrators and the inside of the 80% gags. Thus, for toys inserted into the body, we examine the proportions of materials for dildos.

25% Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in various grades

25% TPR

20% TPE

25% Liquid silicone (22% basic liquid silicone, 2% premium silicone and 1% liquid premium platinum silicone). It has been gaining strength in recent years at the expense of PVC and TPR.

the rest – latex, glass and metal

Silicone

Chemical nature and properties of the substance

Silicone belongs to the group of elastomers, i.e. substances with high elasticity. They are made of polymers (large molecules) based on silicon, oxygen and hydrocarbons. We commonly call it “rubber”. It is produced by vulcanization. The original liquid material gains viscosity (cohesion) while partially preserving the elasticity of the original liquid substance by creating a network of bridges between polymers at higher temperatures (130-160 °C – thermoset elastomer), pressures and the use of other additives.

The silicone material is free of toxins, allergens and pores with the lowest risk of dirt or infection. It is faster to wash. High quality silicone has less or no odour compared to normal PVC or TPR, full to brilliant colour with no shine. Black is really black purple full purple etc... Silicone aids without electrical components can be sterilised by boiling.

Old medical grade silicone and platinum liquid silicone have an unexpectedly smooth rubbery surface to the touch and, unlike PVC, hardly pull on the skin. However, the basic types of the new liquid silicones will snag the skin.

Sometimes TPE sex toys (a mix of silicone and PVC) are misleadingly referred to as silicone. But even medical silicone (biocompatibility tested) has no clear criteria regarding the percentage of silicone.

Medical, medical silicone (classic old silicone) since 2000

Medical grade silicone is the classic hard silicone that's been on the market for a couple of decades. It is a high quality silicone suitable for skin and mucous membranes. But it's very hard - 60-70H0 and is only used on vibrators with a plastic skeleton - vibrating eggs, massage heads and vibrators of smaller sizes.

Liquid silicone and Platinum / Premium silicone from 2017

Liquid silicone sex aids in our sex shop

Soft to medium hard silicone with a hardness of approx. 7-30H0.It has been on the market since 2017 and is used for dildos - artificial penises and very rarely for realistic vibrators. It is much softer than the older medical silicone. All lubricating gels can be used for it. So not only water- and oil-based, but also silicone-based.

Liquid silicone is 2x more expensive than TPE. Mechanical properties, i.e. softness and elasticity are the same as TPE, but the material retains them for a long time (both TPE and PVC harden). It is the best material for making misleading sex toys, if we are not looking at money. Other benefits are in the general Silicone section above.

Liquid silicone usually has one layer, sometimes 2 (a hard inner layer and a soft outer layer). The human penis has a similar 2-layer structure - an inner hard spongy tissue surrounded by soft skin. But if the liquid silicone is soft enough (5-10H0 or up to 20 H0 for smaller dildos or anal plugs), the second layer is not needed at all and rather can negatively impact the consistency and durability of the sexual aid.

For Liquid silicone is most often used the designation Liquid silicone or Platinum silicone or Premium silicone. In the Redpipi sex shop we call it Liquid Silicone in basic quality. As a rule, even basic liquid silicone is produced in an ideal softness.

Premium or Platinium Silicone are smoother to the touch and tend to be manufactured with a higher softness as standard and therefore more comfortable for the sex toy user. In fact, only the softness has an impact on comfort. You will not notice any difference in smoothness after using the lubricant inside the body. Nevertheless, our customers strongly prefer platinum silicone. Types of liquid silicone do not differ in consistency and durability of the material. Premium and Platinum silicone tend to be more expensive than basic liquid silicone, but not always.

Attention: There is no consistency in the labeling of liquid, premium, platinum silicone and manufacturers and sex shops may confuse it in various ways. Our classification is intuitive and applies in our shop.

Liquid silicone (basic)

Basic liquid silicone also pulls on the skin and shines, but less than PVC. It is fundamentally different from PVC and TPE due to its complete absence of odour. It is used by the vast majority of manufacturers, the big ones for example. Faak (hardness 12-23H0) or Xmen (hardness 27H0). didla always asks for a custom ideal softness of only 7.5 HC. Multiple colours in one product always indicate basic liquid silicone. Multi-coloured silicone is more expensive than single-coloured silicone.

Premium silicone

Premium silicone is tactile (smoothness, pulling on the skin) on the level of high-quality TPE realistic skin, but completely odorless. Basic liquid silicone pulls on the skin similar to plastic. Premium liquid silicone is somewhere in between. This is a relatively exclusive group of manufacturers, for example the well-known Mr. Hankey Toys (16 – 20H0) or our dildos Redpipi design. These dildos come in a reduced hardness of approx. 5-20H0. In Redpipi, only 7.5 H0.

Platinum silicone

Platinum silicone is very non-porous and smooth like medical grade silicone, but softer more pleasant. It can therefore be recognised by touch. The smoother the liquid silicone, the less pores, less infection. The faster washing will be especially appreciated when using oily lubricants (used for large dildos and fisting). However, platinum silicone comes in a more comfortable softness as standard. 10-12H0 than regular liquid silicone (standard 25H0) or medical silicone (70H0). So far it is always only one color. It cannot be distinguished from basic silicone at a glance - by color, shine, shape or otherwise. More colours in the dildo always means only basic liquid silicone. Manufacturers of basic silicone often even have the same moulds as manufacturers of platinum silicone.

Very few manufacturers use platinum silicone. Even these manufacturers have only a small percentage of their products in platinum silicone and most of their products are made in basic silicone. Only about 1% of liquid silicone products are made up of platinum silicone. In 2019, it could be 4-5% dildos. Chinese manufacturers are moving away from this German technology and trying to replace it with their own production base silicone.

In 2025, the more platinum dildos and anal plugs on offer only by Chinese manufacturer Mrimin – the black or orange one, the rest is basic liquid silicone. Only about 3 different sizes dildos in platinum silicone offered by Kaomei Global. Quality erection rings in platinum silicone are produced by several manufacturers. There are also 3 penis sheaths in platinum silicone.

Mrimin also produces small vibrators with self-supporting platinum silicone (without ABS plastic body) since 2019, but there has been no interest in these at all.

Dildos for Strap-ons and Fucking Machines

For machine and strap-on sex, we recommend dildos made of liquid silicone and not TPE or PVC. Dildos are very stressed during sex. Silicone dildos are of higher quality in all aspects, but especially mechanically much more durable. With TPE dildos on a strap-on or sex machine, the suction cup or testicles will wear out relatively quickly. Especially with nice dildos with high custom softness - a specialty of the Redpipi sex shop.

TPE, (realistic leather, cyberskin, realskin, softskin, trueskin, UR3, etc.)

Sex aids made of TPE realistic leather in our sex shop

TPE – Thermoplastic elastomers are a mixture of plastics (made from petroleum) and thermoset elastomers (see silicone) and other substances. Flexibility is achieved by repeatedly melting and cooling them. This more modern method of producing elastomers has been used since the 1950s. Unlike silicone, TPEs have higher flexibility and are easier to shape, color, and reuse (melt). This means cost savings in production by using offcuts and easier recycling after the end of their service life.

TPE material is not precisely defined by the proportion of plastics and other substances, nor by its flexibility and softness. Nor does it apply that it must be possible to stretch them to at least twice their length. Hardness of TPE sex toys usually ranges from 0 to 30HC. Unfortunately, even the manufacturers of dildos and anal plugs themselves do not know anything about the composition of TPE. They take the material as a finished product or in semi-finished form. Two different materials that are heated and mixed before casting. The prices are quite high. In Europe, about 8 Euros per kg for a purchase of hundreds of kg. In China, however, much less.

TPE pulls less on the skin than PVC, TPR and basic liquid silicone, as well as premium silicone and more than medical and platinum silicone.

TPEs are less porous than PVC (they pull less on the skin). However, TPE is more porous than silicone. TPE is less shiny compared to PVC, rather completely without shine and almost or completely odourless. TPE is free of toxins (phthalates) and allergens. Some PVCs (and TPEs) stick to each other when touched for long periods of time (tens of hours). Separate storage in e.g. plastic bags is recommended.

TPE sex toys harden over time, especially when using the wrong lubricant – oil or fat based. Silicone lubes can etch TPE dildos, but we have not experienced this with our dildos or vibrators.

Realistic leather (CyberSkin, RealSkin, SoftSkin, TrueSkin, UR3, etc.)

Soft TPE to hardness 10 H0 used for soft dildos, vibrators and sex dolls. New dildos are sometimes powdered and therefore very smooth to the touch. However, the powder disappears after the first wash and then they pull on the skin like regular TPE toys.

TPR, TPR gel, Silagel

In our sex shop we do not offer these erotic aids from 2022. The exception is the silagel transparent dildos and transparent anaal pins, which are not produced in any other material.

Relatively cheap sex toys made from a mix of PVC and silicone. They are less skin-pulling than PVC and usually have a lower odor roughly like children's toys. Harder than TPE. Do not contain allergens or toxins (phthalates).

Public sources and quality manufacturers often use the interchangeable name thermoplastic rubber (= thermoplastic rubber = TPR) for TPE. Sometimes TPR is seen as a superset of TPE and other synthetic rubbers and sometimes as a slightly inferior material to TPE. In practice, TPR is sometimes used to refer to dildos with properties characteristic of PVC.

Store separately from other PVC or TPE tools, otherwise they will stick to each other.

PVC - Polyvinyl chloride

We do not offer PVC sex toys at Redpipi (as of 2022).

Character and disadvantages:

Higher porosity of PVC, higher risk of dirt and bacteria build-up, more skin pulling. In practice, this also means a higher susceptibility to stool staining and stool odour.

PVC aids are harder (30-50H0). Some PVCs (and TPEs) stick to each other after prolonged contact. Virtually all PVC erotic aids smell and shine compared to other materials.

PVC sex toys harden over time, especially if the wrong gel is used – oil- or fat-based.

Risk of allergic reaction and phthalates (toxins). In 2006, a Greenpeace study identified phthalates in 7 out of 8 PVC sex toys. The issue of phthalates in sex toys is no longer relevant. But in older stores the phthalate theme may still be living its marketing life. A certain indication of toxins was the plastic smell combined with perfuming or burning of the mucous membranes when used.

Benefits: in 2025, perhaps only the price

Artificial leather

Synthetic imitation leather made of PVC or polyurethane. Clean with a damp cloth or soapy water.

Bonded leather or reconstituted leather.

The outer side (face) is polyurethane with an artificial texture simulating the appearance of leather. On the reverse side are glued remnants of natural fibres with a suede texture.

This is the lowest quality of artificial leather. Sometimes inaccurately referred to as PVC leather, sometimes meaninglessly as genuine leather. In our country we call it “Basic Artificial Leather”.

Better quality synthetic leathers are referred to as PU leather, eco-leather.

Genuine leather

more separate article How to recognise genuine leather

Latex

Natural (vegetable) or synthetic low cost rubber. Latex is very porous. Easily retains dirt and bacteria. Pulls a little less on the skin than PVC. It has a relatively low odor on par with higher quality PVC. A condom is recommended for use. May be allergenic. Maybe even partially. E.g. not for your skin (breasts, penis) but only for your mucous membranes (vagina, anus, pelvis). Even just a certain type of latex can cause problems for a particular person. Latex intimate toys for insertion into the body are already rather rare. Latex is more commonly used for condoms, BDM garments or medical gloves. It allows both water-based and silicone-based gels (not oil-based, deer tallow is also unsuitable).

ABS plastic and toys with electrical engineering

Hard plastic mostly used as a skeleton for vibrators or for vacuum pumps of the penis, vagina or breasts. Free of phthalates and allergens. Normal cleaning with water is sufficient.

Metal

Most commonly common steel, zinc or aluminum in chrome, zinc alloy. Better quality stainless steel or masaz in chrome. Nickel, because of its toxicity, must not be used in items intended for prolonged skin contact, i.e. especially jewellery and clothing. The metal is not suitable for dildos or BDSM handcuffs due to its hardness. Metal is used for various clinics (gynecological mirrors) or urethral play (where it is mostly stainless steel), of course for electrosex. Also as BSDM fasteners in leather toys.

Metal sometimes suffers from inadequate machining and cuts tissue. It allows sterilization and heating or cooling. Free of toxins and allergens with easy maintenance and the possibility of using all kinds of gels.

Elastane, spandex

Elastane is a flexible synthetic fiber made from polyester and polyurethane. In America, it is called spandex. Sometimes we also encounter the relatively generalized term Lycra - originally a branded type of elastane from DuPont. It is also used in sportswear and swimwear.

Sexy, shiny material, rather gaudy, giving a cheap impression. Hand wash in lukewarm water. BDSM clothing in black sometimes has a subtle rubberization. In the photo it therefore shines similarly to leather and even with careful handling it soon breaks down.

Glass (pyrex)

Allows sterilization and heating or cooling. Free of toxins and allergens with easy maintenance and the possibility of using all kinds of gels. However, the hardness of the material is not suitable for vaginal or anal sex play. It may crack on impact but should not shatter. Discontinue use if a crack is discovered. According to our observations, these are the most common lagers in sex shops. We do not offer glass sex toys in the Redpipi sex shop.

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