These boyfriends quit their jobs to start their own LGBTQ-inclusive sex toy company

Grindr dates have come to a government-mandated halt and condom sales are plummeting, but sex still sells during lockdown. Sex toy sales are going through the roof, as are people’s libidos, apparently. And why shouldn’t we spice up our sex lifes?

Whether you need a little pleasure enhancer for your self-isolation quarantine or want to surprise your partner with something that will take their attention away from a Desperate Housewives binge-watching marathon, Kandid is here with an inclusive website to help you find just the right toy for you.

Founded by boyfriends Josh Morris and Greg Davis, who decided they were ready to be partners in business as well as life, Kandid’s mission statement is to take the embarassment out of sex toy shopping and turn it into a positive, reassuring experience.

We managed to take a break from browsing just long enough to catch up with Josh and Greg to find out more…

Why did you leave your careers to start up a sex toy company?

We both had that moment where you think, “Is this it?” – waking up at 7am to catch a crowded Tube, sitting in the office every day, getting home tired and exhausted and doing it all over again the next day. So we both took that jump into starting Kandid because we saw an opportunity. We wanted to change the way we buy and procure sex toys. From our own experience of doing so, it wasn’t interesting or geared for today’s changing consumer attitudes towards sex and aesthetic appreciation. Many products out there are made from poor quality materials – that may not be body-safe – or are far too expensive.

Kandid founders Josh Morris (left) and Greg Davis (right) appear in Attitude’s Sex & Sexuality issue, out now

Your brand statement says you “aim to change judgemental attitudes”. Did either of you face many yourselves?

For both of us, this was the hurdle that we’ve found most interesting to try and overcome. For many industries, the switch to e-commerce is purely a focus of convivence and speed. But for the sex toy industry, it’s allowed people to feel more comfortable buying these products. LGBTQ+ people, in particular, were often judged going into traditional high-street sex toy stores as generally they cater towards heterosexual cis-women. This has been replicated online, with a lot of brands focusing on this group – which is something we’ve both experienced when buying products online. That’s why we’ve tried to create a truly inclusive space, where people of all genders and sexual orientation, feel comfortable and empowered to buy sex toys.

 

What has been the reaction of your friends and family to Kandid?

Many of our friends work in the City, thought we were a bit bonkers to give up well-paying jobs to go it alone, on tight budgets and operate with a lot of uncertainty. But when they started to see it come together, they could understand the potential of what we were trying to do with Kandid. Our families have been super supportive throughout – and look forward to their Christmas stockings!

How are you going about educating your customers on sexual well-being?

We aim to always be open, inclusive and accessible – with a primary aim of making people feel comfortable talking about sex and their sexual wellbeing. We’re proud to have our own in-house sexual wellbeing doctor, Dr. Elesha Vooght, on hand to answer questions from our community. We’ve been using a variety of platforms such as articles, podcasts and panels to give people a wider scope of material. We’re soon launching our very own weekly video series, Kandid Conversations, in which we will explore issues around sexual pleasure and exploration – particularly for the LGBTQ+ community. There is also an Ask Kandid section on the website where anyone can contact Dr Elesha to ask any questions they may have.

 

How have you made your website inclusive and welcoming?

We created Kandid in a way that ensures it is fit for the needs of customers shopping in this new decade. Every aspect of our user experience has been carefully considered to ensure it is gender-neutral and above all inclusive. We stayed away from harsh colours and instead used pastel tones to help convey comfort to customers while shopping – ensuring it’s approachable and unintimidating. After conducting our own consumer research, we set out to develop a collection that is in line with our mission to create an inclusive brand. We wanted to offer a grounding collection of products that meets the needs of the diverse community that we sell to, but one that doesn’t shoehorn our products into specific categories (i.e. “for men”, “for women” etc.).

On the flip side to that, why do you think sex toys are such a taboo in the UK?

This taboo around sex and sex toys is shrinking, but very slowly, as people in the UK become more open and accepting of conversations around sexuality. Self-love is also being included into many conversations around mental health and wellbeing – which is super important. However, it’s so deeply ingrained into our society not to talk about what we do in the bedroom – our kinks and turn-ons – and just to turn a blind eye wherever we can when it does crop up. As with many things, change takes time – and is hindered by the lack of openness and inability for the industry to grow. For example, opening a physical sex store in the UK comes with a string of very expensive requirements, many of which are not in keeping with the picture of society today but are simply an era of the past. In many ways, this has led to a “seedy” picture being painted across the industry and is one contributing factor to the growth of online sex stores in the UK.

 

Whose job is it to test your toys?

We get this question a lot, thankfully we have a lot of friends who are more than willing to help out in this department, and many a sample has been given away and tested initially.

What is your advice to a sex toy virgin?

Start with something small and your “vibe” – pun intended. Do you like internal, external or dual stimulation? Is it for you alone or to be used with a partner? Most toy stores have a beginners section too, so once you’ve thought about these questions, go and explore! Just be brave. It’s also ok for the first one you pick not to be right for you, just keep trying till you find the right thing.

 

How has Covid-19 affected your sales?

With more customers spending more time at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, we have naturally seen a climb in sales. With the prospect of long periods of time at home either alone or with your partner, we wanted to help people find new ways to explore and fill their time. That’s why we decided to put up a 25% off discount with the code STAYHOME25. There’s never been a better time to relax and let yourself be playful!

kandid.com

Read more about Kandid in Attitude’s Sex & Sexuality issue, out now.

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