Something that isn’t actually known to be safe, but can be claimed that it is because customers are unable to tell the difference.

Most often this relates to how the raw materials used are marketed to customers. This can include the use of terms like “Medical Grade,” which has no regulated definition, to engender an unwarranted trust in the product. Companies may also use the halo effect of one raw material to imply that all raw materials used were safe. An example of this is advertising the use of a certified skin-safe silicone while purchasing pigments from dubious sources which then get added to the silicone. Customers are highly limited in their ability to tell what materials were used in production. Currently xxx flame testing is the only option, which is hard to interpret and frequently wrong.

Faux-safe may also apply to behind-the-scenes practices. Techniques like airbrushing, best practices like working in a clean/low allergen environment, and even how and with what the toys are washed prior to shipping can all be used as ways to appear safe, and are hard or impossible for customers to verify. Airbrushing, for example, has been claimed to be done in a manner that would make it “medical grade,” only for toys to get to customers with the paint peeling off and stinking of solvents.

Goblin Note: Indie adult novelty manufacturing is very easy to do safely and small indie companies take huge amounts of pride in what they do. While Faux-safety is common in the wider adult novelty world, it is EXCEPTIONALLY rare amongst indie shops. It is important that it remain that way for the health of the indie market overall. 

Future Topics:

Example write ups to show ways to communicate commitment to safety without misleading customers