“Would you like something for the weekend sir?”
This used to be the code for “Do you like to buy some condoms sir?” in barber shops across England.
Latex condoms arrived long after the industrial revolution — they were invented in the 1920s. Lionel Alfred Jackson founded the London Rubber Company at 3 Mincing Lane, and started importing condoms to the UK from manufacturers in Germany and America.
Interestingly, the company usually supplied condoms to barbers, rather than chemists because of the social stigma that surrounded the product. Most men were much more comfortable buying a condom from another man, rather than a female shop assistant in a chemists.
In 1932, the London Rubber Company set up its first factory at Shore Road in Hackney. It named its new product Durex. The name comes from three key words for the product: DUrability, REliability and EXcellence.
(https://londonist.com/london/history/london-s-lost-industries-condoms)
This history of condom and Durex is very interesting, but the social stigma around sex still exits. I want to further develop my biodegradable condom project. Not only to create a product that can be a more sustainable alternative to latex condoms, but also aim to break the stigma around sex, making birth control more affordable and accessible in order to increase frequency of condom use as a tool for preventing HIV in developing countries. I want to develop a strong, low-cost and biodegradable condom that are made of plant-based natural materials. Because condoms are not only a consumer product, but also a medical device. How can I revolutionized this product through material innovation? As I research more, I found out that the HIV team at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation put out a grand challenge in 2013 looking for designs that revolutionize condoms.
(https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/nov/21/bill-gates-graphene-super-condom-sex)
(https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/9bg9e5/meet-the-guy-trying-to-revolutionize-condoms-139)
(https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jun/13/condom-testing-sex-science-gates-foundation)-Best Article on this!
According to Danny Resnic-one of the grant winner, the reason we haven’t seen anything innovative from the main condom manufacturers (Trojan, Durex, Skyn, Okamoto and Ansell, who account for 96% of the market), is that the “oligopoly” has no incentive to change. They already control the market. “True change is going to have to come from outside the industry,” he says. “From the mavericks.”
Most of the winning ideas are material based. University of Oregon chemists are working with polyurethane, University of Manchester scientists with graphene, Apex is going back to basics with collagen, the CFHC is also developing its own new condom with Gates funding, its design is a polyethylene condom, not stretchy and thick, but firm and thin. The technical description: “ultra sheer wrapping condom”. Or somewhat like clingfilm.
Pushing the field forwards sounds all well and good, but designs face several hurdles, from the sketchbook to the chemist, and not least the strict EU and US FDA safety regulations, some of which seem somewhat outdated. For example, a condom needs to be able to hold 16 litres of air before bursting. This is an international standard that has been used across all condom manufacturers in the world. Apex’s collagen condoms fail this test. The FDA will only readily approve designs that meet the standards for latex condoms, which simply might not apply. Why should a non-stretchable condom have to hold 16 litres of air?
The product also needs to be equivalent to another device already on the market. But what is the point of innovation if you are making something that is already on the market?
The main focus from those research are increasing pleasure. Because latex condoms are too thick for pleasure. One of the ideas that I came up with is a gel form condom where you dip in the tub and the material dries quickly and it can be washed off with water after use. I found there was a product called spray-on condom created by a German sexual-health educator.
(http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1832445,00.html)
It is a concept that is very similar to mine, however, it did not make it to the market as the latex liquid takes too long to dry( it took five minutes to dry), which was a mood killer.
My material solidify as soon as it left the container and gel up creating a gel sheath on the mold. The question is whether is will be enough to provide protection during vigorous physical activities.
California Family Health Council(CFHC) is America’s top testing facility for experimental condoms. Maybe after more development, I can contact them to test my condoms?
RCA Graduate diploma 2019 