Sex toys for the eco-friendly

Sensual Intelligence offers Canadian-made, carcinogen-free toys that don't require disposable batteries


Not to cause any undue alarm, but was I the only one who didn’t know that an alarming number of sex toys contain the same carcinogenic plastic compounds that are banned for use in children’s toys? Definitely something to chew over the next time you reach into the night table for your favourite battery-operated orgasm facilitator.

I found this little unwelcome bit of information while browsing through the otherwise delectable website for Sensual Intelligence, Canada’s Eco-Sexy Online Sex Shop. Jam-packed full of ecologically responsible methods of getting your rocks off, Sensual Intelligence also offers a treasure trove of information regarding what we put in or near our most sensitive bits – something that owners Martee Laroque and Caroline Séguin felt strongly about when dreaming up their online mecca of sex toys and sundries.

“Both Caroline and I have green households,” Laroque says. “So it’s always been within our own lifestyles and was a natural extension of our decision to open a business together.”

The two lifelong friends launched Sensual Intelligence in February, and it’s already proven a hit with folks whose planetary sensitivity doesn’t turn off the moment they get turned on. Vegan-friendly and quite elegant, the gals’ array of dildos, vibrators, male-masturbators and such is definitely aiming for a different market than your basic sex shop.

“The main thing is that all of our products are disposable-battery free,” Laroque points out. “They either use a lithium polymer battery that is rechargeable or are motor-free toys made from different materials, including glass and stainless steel.”

Some of the products are even manufactured in Canada, including the Leaf vibrator line, made in Toronto. These cute little devils are a pleasing shade of apple green and come in adorable shapes that could be safely left out on the coffee table without fear of coronary infarctions by visiting parents.

There’s something for every kind of lover at Sensual Intelligence, be ye straight, lesbian, gay or any fabulous combination thereof. And many come owner-tested and approved.

“The great thing about our partnership is that Caroline is a mother of two with a male partner, and I’m queer,” says Laroque, who specializes in dildo advice, leaving the pelvic exerciser to her business partner. She also recommends a new couples’ vibrator called the We-Vibe, which looks something like a blue-tooth headset and comes with its own remote control, as well as its lesbian counterpart, the We-Vibe Thrill.

“We really do cover every demographic,” Laroque says. “Along with the reassurance that what’s inside our products will help to minimize the environmental footprint.”

 

See their website for more details.

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