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#FunFindFriday: Hole Punch Toys

#FunFindFriday, Company Features, Features, Hole Punch Toys

I really do hate to admit it, but after 8+ years of working in the industry I’ve started to grow bored with the vast majority of non-vibrating sex toys on the market.

That isn’t to say I think everything is bland, just that many of the highly accessible and heavily advertised ones are surprisingly uninspiring; there’s little attention paid to originality, the color choices are lackluster, there’s no freedom of artistic expression, and damn near all of them have no kick or imagination.

Talent. I’ve been missing talent… creativity… and vision.

Of course there are companies like Babes ‘N Horny, BS Is Nice, Whipspider Rubberworks, Vixen Creations,Vibeology, NobEssence, Divine Interventions, Bad Dragon, Fun Factory, Tantus, and Crystal Delights keeping it real and fresh, but in an industry that’s slowly starting to recognize and embrace smaller companies, there’s definitely room for more.

Enter this weeks #FunFindFriday: Hole Punch Toys, the designer behind some seriously fun and colorful artisanal small batch silicone sex toys, molded and poured by hand, one by one, in an art studio in St. Paul, Minnesota.

From playful radishes to carrot butt plugs, ice cream cones, stunning blue rockets, tri-colored popsicles, and a sleek blacked-out Nun, Hole Punch Toys has most of the bases covered when it comes to mixing art and pleasure.

The uniqueness doesn’t end there, unlike large volume manufactures each is made to order, and details like color are subject to the creators whim at the time of pouring. If he’s in a translucent grass-green mood, that is what you’ll get. Hunter green today? There you go. I have to admit, judging by this misfit box of toys or these white chocolate lookalikes, I’d be more than happy to get something completely my own.

Have an idea for a toy you’d like made? You’ve come to the right place, Bespoke toys are something they do. Just get in contact with a brief description of your idea, and if it’s something that can be done they’ll gladly work with you to make it happen. It’ll probably cost you a pretty penny, but there are times when it’s worth it. This is one of them.

Needing to know more I went right to the source, asking the creator if he’d answer a bunch of questions about Hole Punch Toys, the concept behind the designs, how the toys are made, etc. and he very graciously obliged. Big thanks to Colin for taking time out of his busy schedule, I totally appreciate it.

1.) Who is Hole Punch Toys?

Hole Punch Toys are an extension of Hole Punch Studio, which is an arbitrary name assigned, for beuroctaric and advertising reasons, to the art I produce. I, being me, Colin. Primarily visual art, both two and three dimentiomal, audio visual, or in this case, silicone. I create one hundred percent of the material associated with Hole Punch Toys, with the exception of some borrowed imagery used in digital assemblages for labels and such.

2.) What motivated you to create Hole Punch Toys?

The same thing that motivates any creative endeavor I think. The challenge of bringing something that exist in your imagination into physical being. The process of making. I suppose having sex toys in my head to begin with is telling of something, but I’ll leave that for another discussion.

3.) What sets Hole Punch Toys apart from other manufacturers?

It depends. If you are asking about the business as an entity, I would say that the main difference is in production capability. This is a one person operation. I pour and package each piece to order in my free time which means each piece is approached as a singular object, made from a singular batch of silicone and tinted individually. That could all change of course, but for now, that is how it is.

If you are asking about the toys themselves, I DO NOT differentiate them from other silicone toys of this nature.

I think there is room for as many designs in this world as there are minds and the bodies attached to them. Not everything is for everybody. If someone likes what I make, that’s fantastic. If not, that’s great also. Although it will hurt me deeply and might make me cry.

4.) Where do you draw inspiration for your designs from?

It is pretty plain to see my designs don’t come from a very high minded place. Although I have appreciation for so called “fine art”, I seem to have been impacted most deeply by the images and symbology of pop culture, from Saturday morning cartoons and comics to advertising imagery and the beauty of everyday objects.

All my art seems to be an effort to break down images and forms into their simplest components, which works well in designing insertables, where detail and complex shapes are not optimal. It suits my style, if I could be bold enough to think I have one.

Wanna be the first to know when new products come out? Of course you do! Make sure to follow Hole Punch Toys on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Sit back, relax, let me come to you. Sign up through the form below and have my posts sent straight to your inbox. Don’t worry, I promise not to spam you!

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Featured Company – Tantus

Company Features, Tantus Inc, The Written Word

For my very first feature I’m going to be covering a company that I’m a huge fan of, and have been for years and years, Tantus Inc.

Why I Love Them So!

One of the very first manufacturers I came to love and respect was Tantus, and for good reason; not only did they make some of the very best platinum grade silicone products on the market, they also took environmental responsibility and customer satisfaction seriously – areas that were definitely lacking in an industry overrun with big companies all looking to make a fast buck.

Outside the realm of ‘customer service’ they also worked hard to let the staff of retail companies know how valued they were; whether it was fun contests arranged to help motivate sales, the willingness to directly answer questions, provide a mini seminar on their products at a company arranged event or simply helping us to become educated on the varying materials, the folks at Tantus (mostly Mike and Metis) never let us feel like just another cog in the wheel. It was their attention to detail and personal growth that made me and every other staff member feel appreciated and important, something I remembered long after I had moved on from the brick and mortar store where I worked.

When I finally moved into creating videos Tantus was one of the very first companies I did a review for – on my own time, with my own product, bought with money (being a College student made purchasing products something that was few and far between). Not long after the video was online I unexpectedly received a box with a bunch of new products and a short card that read “thank you for all your hard work, we hope you like these – Tantus”. Once again the folks at the company had far exceeded my expectations, becoming the very first company to show support for what I did as a reviewer and educator.

*Note: to hopefully help motivate my fellow reviewers who may be having a hard time getting companies to invest in you, be it with product or financially, I want it to be known that for the entire first year that I made videos very few companies were willing to take a chance and help me grow (though that was almost 6 years ago and things were very different). Pretty much every letter or email I sent requesting a product was met with a politely worded rejection letter, and that’s when I was ‘lucky’ enough to get a response. It was due to companies like Tantus, who saw my potential from one little video, that I was able to grow and eventually make an honest living doing something I love – something I have never forgotten!

Over the years I’ve created quite a few reviews for Tantus products, be it written or video, and very rarely have I been less than enthusiastic about the product I was covering (the Little Secret Whisper was the only one that left me wanting).

Online Offerings

Being a relatively simple website compared to others on the market is just one of the many things that makes their online store top notch. Not only is it very easy to navigate, the streamlined design allows the customer to find what they’re looking for without getting lost within the pages. There are no heavy banners or distracting .gif images, no complicated or overwhelming product descriptions, no sexually immature wording or sexist leanings; instead, the website is gender neutral and gives male shoppers the opportunity to browse body safe anal products without being stereo-typed as ‘gay’.

*not that being gay is a bad thing, but instead to point out the fact that many other websites still haven’t moved forward in their thinking and accepted that many straight men actually enjoy anal play.

Aside from manufacturers offerings the website also has some fun educational features like a video entitled “Not In Your Butt”, hosted by DuckyDooLittle (I love her!) which explains what you shouldn’t stick up your butt, an information page that helps customers learn what it means for a product to be healthy for both the body and the environment (or “Healthy and Green”), a closeout section that offers some amazing deals on a selection of fantastic items (sign up for their newsletter so you’ll know when big deals go on – trust me on this one!), and a page devoted to Sex Ed articles written by Metis back in the day, that still ring true today.

The Goods

Tantus products aren’t the only things found on the site, between body safe lubricants, bath products, games and gift options, harnesses (for couples play), and some amazing metal goodies, there’s lots to choose from. For those of you questioning why I might be mentioning this; with the amount of attention the folks at the company pay to eco-friendliness, quality and body safety, you can rest assured that they will only offer the very best of the very best. Aside from that, you can do most of your shopping in one place without any worry or extra shipping fees.

For those of you that value discretion, each Tantus product comes respectfully, professionally and beautifully packaged in clear a box that shows it off the way it deserves. There’s nothing that’s rude, unprofessional or embarrassing, only the word “toy” and some suggestions regarding what the product may be used for. You could definitely buy any of the products and not have to worry about what someone would think should they come across them unexpectedly.

*Not that owning toys is anything to be ashamed of, shit in my world it’s something I’d congratulate you for!

Taking it that extra mile, each product is shipped in a plain brown box, with nothing on it that may alert the delivery person or receiver to what’s inside. Just another small detail that makes them so fantastic!

From anatomically correct butt plugs to ergonomically designed dildos, a variety of products specifically for males to any of the other products Tantus manufactures, you can rest assured they’re quite possibly some of the best sexual wellness products you can get your hands on. Designed with your pleasure in mind, each offering is free of the harsh chemicals you’ll likely find in lesser products made by big name corporations, while also being free of latex (great for those of you with latex allergies). They’re also virtually non-porous (meaning they don’t absorb bodily fluids, lube or bacteria) and make clean up a breeze. If that wasn’t enough, they’re also waterproof, odorless, hypoallergenic, hygienic and non-toxic. Basically put, they’re amazing and everything you want in an intimate accessory!

Although the vast majority of the products created by Tantus are Ultra Premium silicone, they also manufacture a line of aluminum beauties called Alumina, with each one being interchangeable (as Ducky Doo Little said, “they’re like tinker toys for your butt!”) and providing a large assortment of options when it comes to your exploration in the bedroom or beyond.

Final Verdict

Whether it was taking a stance and helping to educate consumers and resellers, making a concerted effort to offer the best of the best in regard to quality, ease of use and safety, choosing not to use words like ‘sex toys’ and instead calling items sexual wellness products/intimate accessories (which helps elevate the general concept towards sex/sexuality) or being one of the more eco friendly manufacturers within the industry, Tantus has consistently demonstrated what it meant to be the best of the best.

If you’d like to help support great companies that work hard to maintain an air of professionalism, value discretion, understand their customers and offer some of the most badass products around, I highly suggest you keep Tantus Inc in mind. You’ll thank me for it later.

*pictured right (back row left to right): Tantus Flex, Tantus Cush, Tantus Little Secret Tease, Tantus Little Secret Kiss, Tantus Little Flirt, Tantus Ripple, Domo Kun (PHOTO BOMB!), Tantus T-Rex (it’s a BEAST!), Unnamed Tantus Prototype (YAY for feeling special!), (middle row) Advanced Tantus Beads (in ELECTRIC BLUE! the picture does not do them justice. I have no clue if you can get them anymore *sad face*), (front row left to right) Tantus Curve, Tantus Ryder (I managed to get the badass Neon Green in a closeout sale. Lucky me!!), Tantus Silk Small, Tantus Faerie (no longer available – it’s clear with SPARKLES!!), Tantus Charmer, Tantus Stroker XL.