Normalizing sex toys, a piece of cake

AFNOR publishes voluntary standard NF ISO 3533 on design and safety requirements for sex toys. Isabelle Dufossé, managing director of retail for Dorcel, actively contributed to its drafting.

Once reserved for specialized shops in red-light districts, sex toys are gradually changing status to become consumer products like any other. The difference is that they can come into contact with sensitive areas of the body, and until now, manufacturers, distributors, and consumers have been navigating uncharted waters. To ensure risk-free pleasure, and at the request of the Swedish medical profession, professionals from around the world have developed a standard. This led to the creation of the voluntary standard NF ISO 3533: " Sex toys — Requirements for the design and safety of products intended to come into direct contact with the genitals, anus, or both ". Meeting with Isabelle Dufossé , Managing Director of Retail for Dorcel, who represented France during the drafting of this standard.

How did this standard come about?

Isabelle Dufossé – AFNOR contacted us in 2019 to announce that Sweden had initiated a voluntary standard for sex toys. The starting point was an alert from the medical profession, concerned about the increase in interventions following the clumsy use of these accessories! The anecdote may raise a smile, but the subject is very serious. According to a study in France, 40% of adults say they have used a sex toy, and 67% would be happy if their partner gave them one. That represents a potential 32 million users in France alone, among both women and men, and yet the sector is not subject to any quality or safety standards!

In practical terms, how did you ensure user safety?

Isabelle Dufossé – At Dorcel, we were already aware of the issue, but we didn't have any real benchmarks. We imposed our own standards and safety rules, but not all players are as cautious. To create the standard, we based ourselves on standards for similar products, for example in the electrical sector. If the manufacturer is subject to standards, the distributor can be confident about the quality of the products they sell and the safety of their customers. And ultimately, the user is the biggest winner because they can trust what they are buying, as they would with any other consumer product.

What will the introduction of this standard change in this sector?

Isabelle Dufossé – This voluntary standard will make it possible to distinguish between high-quality products and others. Once a product claims to comply with the standard NF ISO 3533 It will offer a guarantee of quality compared to products that I call "gadgets" and which can pose risks. This standard will deliberately create a gap between brands that disregard these considerations and those that are genuinely committed to quality. It will help companies like ours that believe in this added value and want to commit to ethical and sustainable practices for their consumers.

What conclusions do you draw from your involvement in developing the standard?

Isabelle Dufossé – We are very pleased to have been able to participate in its drafting. Our market is becoming a "real" industry, just like any other, so it is essential that it be standardized. This is necessary and can only benefit both the market and consumers by providing more information and transparency.