Do you know that more than 35 BILLION units of condoms were sold in 2020?
Condoms are often made from non-biodegradable latex, or even worse, synthetic materials such as Polyisoprene, screaming out not-so-sustainable to many people. Although latex can be naturally derived from trees (which is good), typical latex condoms are not usually made with 100% pure natural rubber as condoms need to be as thin and comfortable as possible, that's where Polyisoprene is needed. There are also stabilisers, preservatives and hardening agents, all of which could lead to further impair decomposition of condoms after being used. Additionally, regular condoms usually contain casein, which is an animal by-product derived from dairy or goat’s milk, so they are not vegan and could support animal-cruelty.
So what is vegan condom?
The easiest way to define vegan condom is any condom that does not list casein or other animal byproducts as an ingredient. They do not use casein to soften the latex during the production process, and the final condoms are not tested on animals.
What brand to look for?
It might not be that easy to buy vegan condoms, especially in less-developed countries like Vietnam. Popular brands include HANX, Glyde, Lola,... In Vietnam, vegan condom can only be found on major shopping websites like tiki.vn, shoppe.vn, etc.
However, it should not be confused that vegan condoms are always better for the environment than the regular condoms. As they are made from latex, vegan condoms will end up on landfills exactly like regular condoms (remember, never flush condoms down the toilet!). What could be better is that companies that make vegan condoms could be more environmentally conscious, so their production process might be more sustainable. So always look out for trusted, eco-friendly and ethical brands!