Dutch consumers seek vegan options for intimate products

Dutch consumers are expanding their vegan diets beyond food, scrutinizing the ingredients in intimate products such as condoms, lubricants, and vibrators. This shift reflects a wider trend of applying environmental and animal welfare standards to personal care items.

Lieke Warmoeskerken, founder of LieLei in Rotterdam, says she must educate customers that common erotic items often contain animal derivatives. She notes that latex condoms can be softened with milk protein, while glues and dyes in silicone sex toys may include animal products. "You think about what you put in your mouth, so why don’t you think about what you’ve put on your body?" Warmoeskerken told The Associated Press.

Simone Kuijer, a 30-year-old entrepreneur in Amsterdam, developed her brand Aia after discovering that coconut oil, a natural lubricant she previously used, could damage latex condoms and alter the body's pH balance. "I thought, this is not good. I need to come up with an alternative that is 100% natural," Kuijer said. Her products use plant-derived glycerin instead of animal tallow and are manufactured within an hour of her headquarters.

A recent study by Wageningen University indicates that meat consumption in the Netherlands has declined for the second consecutive year. This data supports the growing market for sustainable consumer goods. Stephanie Heerema, a 28-year-old vegan in Amsterdam, cites this trend in her purchasing decisions. She became a vegetarian at age 10 and fully vegan during university. "It bothers me that there is lactose in my birth control," Heerema told The Associated Press, referring to the milk derivative used as a binding agent in many pills.

Heerema researches products to ensure they are vegan, such as buying vibrators made with recycled plastic on internal components. Entrepreneurs are also addressing microplastic concerns. Warmoeskerken's shop avoids plastic when possible and discloses which items, like vegan leather harnesses, contain it.

Kuijer, who is currently pregnant, is wary of recent reports linking microplastics to breast milk. To reduce exposure, her products are packaged in glass jars, and she recently introduced a line of adult toys made from glass. "It doesn’t solve the whole problem, but it’s definitely a step towards it," she said.