Our curiosity and desire for sexual fulfillment using toys has remained strong since ancient times, as has our appetite to buy them. Industry estimates put the current sex toy market at $15 billion annually, with optimistic projections of reaching $50 billion by 2020.
With so many options available, selecting sexual accessories can be daunting. But if you want high-quality design, performance, and an object that resembles art rather than a tacky novelty item, look no further than the Swedish company LELO. What started as three friends searching for a unique 40th birthday gift for a woman who had everything, ended up revolutionizing the industry.
"In 2001, the offerings in Stockholm's shops were unhealthy jelly phalluses and cheap plastic vibrators – nothing anyone would proudly own or buy," says LELO co-founder Felip Sedic.
In 2002, Sedic, an engineer, and industrial designers Eric Kalén and Carl Magnuson left their 3G phone jobs and launched LELO with the mission of transforming the industry by making beautiful, high-performance pleasure objects.
"We soon realized our task wouldn't be simple. Basically zero research had been done on sex toy design, so we had to start from scratch," Sedic explains. "After establishing a research center and focus groups in Stockholm, it took over 3 years to launch our first product, LILYTM."
Fifteen years after starting LELO, the founders achieved their goal of changing the industry by prioritizing research and applying best design and engineering to all products. We're not talking private jets or cars here. We're talking sex toys.
"We see the ideal product as minimalist and easy to use. But that requires complex engineering inside for optimal results - like an iPhone camera, where you just tap and get a great picture thanks to millions of calculations," notes Sedic.
This relentless R&D focus keeps LELO atop the industry. "You'll see copies of our designs, but no one matches our performance and technology inside. Whether durability, safety, power, or noise, LELO is superior by design, not luck," Sedic states.
LELO now sells in over 50 markets globally, with surprising differences. "In the US, G-spot vibrators are most popular, while Europe favors rabbit vibrators. Asia likes high-tech motion-controlled products responding to movement, while Russia buys more butt plugs and prostate massagers than anyone."
Sedic continues, "While there's no single bestseller, last year's success was INA Wave - a rabbit vibrator with our patented WaveMotion technology moving back and forth in a 'come hither' motion. The response has been huge."
LELO prides itself on innovation in an industry afraid of embracing sexuality. After 7 years of development, this summer it will launch LELO HEX, reinventing condom technology since the 1950s. With a re-engineered composition, LELO HEX promises a much more pleasurable, intimate, satisfying experience for both partners. You can sign up for a free sample on their website.
Alongside high-tech pleasure objects, LELO offers some of the most expensive sex toys worldwide with their 24-carat gold and stainless steel LUXE line synonymous with the brand. Sedic shares, "Achieving perfect finishes on 24-carat gold vibrators, and exploring temperature play through metal conduction was fascinating." As for who buys these luxury items, Sedic says, "Most would guess Russia, Brazil and China lead, but per capita it's actually the US, France and Germany. The pleasure world is full of surprises!"
If you have an unlimited pleasure budget, LUXE's opulent intimacy is for you. Your partner will thank you.