Durex: 90 years at the forefront of innovation
The basics of Durex’s story
The origins of the brand date back to 1915. At the time, an Englishman by the name of LA Jackson created the London Rubber Company (LRC) to market condoms imported from Germany (but also accessories for hairdressers). It was not until 1929 that the Durex brand was registered by the LRC. The name is a subtle acronym of the English terms "Durability", "Reliability", "Excellence", translating into French as durability, reliability and excellence.
In 1932, the first Durex condom factory was founded in Hackney (a district of London). At that time, liquid latex has just replaced crepe rubber, making the London Rubber Company one of the pioneers in the production of latex condoms.
During the following decades, the LRC notably set up automated production lines for condoms (the first opened in 1951). Durex will therefore be synonymous with constant innovations in condoms. We?ll talk about that a little later.
Durex in the modern era
For the anecdote, Durex became in 1996 the first condom brand to launch its own website. A site now available in 52 versions, depending on the countries where the brand is sold. Nowadays, the brand is the property of the English company Reckitt and Benckiser (and this since 2010).
In order to show you how well established Durex is on the whole globe, the brand condoms are currently marketed in more than 150 different countries! The brand is also the leader in terms of condom sales in many countries (including France). It alone represents around 26% of the world market for condom sales.
On average, almost 4 billion Durex condoms are sold each year.
The innovations at the heart of Durex’s development
Condom innovations and the Durex brand have long been closely linked. As early as 1953, engineers from the London Rubber Company developed electronic condom tests to ensure their reliability and to minimize any risk of tearing or piercing. Subsequently, the Durex brand was notably behind the first lubricated condom (1957) and the first condom with an anatomical shape (in 1969).
Two decades later, in 1997, Durex will offer its first latex-free condoms under the name Avanti. In this case, the brand uses a new non-allergenic material for some of its products, synthetic polyurethane. Condoms are therefore softer and more elastic than those made from natural latex rubber.
In 2001, Durex introduced Pleasuremax, the first condom to combine a beaded and ribbed texture. Today, for example, you can find it under the name Pleasure Me.
More recently, in 2010, Durex launched its Performax Intense condom, specially made to delay ejaculation and therefore obtain better control of the rise in pleasure. Within its inner lining is benzocaine (5% of the internal composition of the condom), a local anesthetic desensitizing the glans.
In addition, it should be known that Durex puts the package to respect the international standards standards and even to be above these. Normally, the international standard requires that during the burst test, the condoms be able to resist an injection of 18 liters of air. However, Durex has set this standard at least 22 liters. The brand even frequently performs tests during which its condoms can contain the equivalent of 40 liters of air. This is what guarantees their resistance and elasticity. Millions of leak tests are also carried out every month in Durex factories; if only one of the samples fails the test, the entire manufacturing batch concerned will be destroyed.
And then Durex also incorporates Pleasure-Fit technology, i.e. condoms with a unique contoured shape. This allows you to unroll and set up any hood of the brand more easily.
Focus on the latest Durex condom models
We are now going to briefly present the recent models of condoms developed by Durex.
You have for example the Perfect Gliss model considered to be the most lubricated of the Durex range. It is suitable for all types of intercourse and in particular anal intercourse (or in case of vaginal dryness of your partner). This model, lubricated with silicone, has the advantage of drying less quickly than a water-based lubricant.
In the same vein, there are the Extra Safe, hyper-lubricated latex condoms and especially thicker, which completely reassure you about the resistance of the condom.
And if you want an extra large condom model that gives you maximum comfort, then the Comfort XXL is for you. They are simply longer and wider than "standard" condoms (200 mm in length and 60 mm in nominal width).
You can also find the Nude series which brings together three models of condoms:
the ultra thin Nude
Nude ultra thin XL
Nude latex free
They all give you a better skin-to-skin feeling, only the width differentiates the ultra-thin Nude from the XL version. The latex-free version is designed with polyisoprene, a material that will suit you perfectly in case you are allergic to latex.
And if you want to stimulate your partner even more, we advise you to turn to the Pleasure Ultra model and its pearly texture. These condoms have pearls cleverly positioned on their surface, allowing to provide maximum pleasure to your accomplice of lovemaking.
Lubricating gels by Durex
Durex is above all renowned for its many models of condoms but the brand is also very present in terms of lubricating gels. These are generally water or silicone based and sometimes flavored. One of the most famous is probably the Play Feel, a water-based lubricant, compatible with all condoms (those made of latex, polyisoprene or polyurethane). The advantage is that it does not stain and you will also appreciate its non-greasy formula.
Perfect Gliss gel is certainly based on silicone, which can therefore potentially stain tissue, but it contributes enormously to reducing the problems of vaginal dryness.
Faced with sexual discomfort, natural gels from Durex are more suitable, like Naturals extra sensitivo gel. It is enriched with aloe vera, a plant with multiple virtues for the human body, which here helps in particular to hydrate and calm the most sensitive mucous membranes of erogenous zones.
Durex gels flavored with strawberry or cherry, for example, are ideal for starting foreplay. They spice up fellatio or cunnilingus and bring a little new experience to intercourse. Especially since they are edible and sugar-free gels, easy to dose and rinse.
