By Will Ranscombe Co-Founder and Managing Director of Love Not War, maker of eco-friendly sex toys that don’t cost the earth.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. A day totally set apart to celebrate love, sex and everything in between. It’s therefore no surprise that at Love Not War we absolutely love Valentine’s Day, it also just happens to come with the added bonus of being one of the busiest times of year for the sex toy industry.

Although, with that being said, we aren’t blind to the negativity that can often surround Valentine’s Day with many feeling it’s too commercialized, promotes waste and was created purely with the intention of selling inventory en masse. I suppose the rumour of Hallmark’s involvement in the creation of the day must have originated from somewhere, right?

And while we enjoy the sentiment behind it, what we don’t enjoy is the 124 million adults across the world who jump on the Valentine’s love train every year, exchanging enough gifts, cards and chocolates to generate more carbon emissions than driving around the world 3,993 times.

With millions of pounds being spent globally every year as February 14 rolls around, it’s obvious to see that romance is very much alive and well but at what cost?

That’s why at this is a time of year, perhaps more so than others, we want to help people see that while ‘sustainability’ mightn’t seem like the hottest subject to bring up as we approach Valentine’s Day, it actually has the potential to be pretty damn sexy. At Love Not War we actually don’t think of sex and sustainability as the ‘chalk and cheese’ of the sex toy world, in fact, we believe they have the potential to be intertwined with one another. So much so that we went as far as creating an entire business firmly rooted in the common ground that they share.

At Love Not War we know how important your pleasure is, but we also know that it shouldn’t come before the planet. That is why we created the world’s first range of sustainable eco-friendly vibrator sex toys, all made using the highest quality materials, including FDA-grade silicone and aluminium. At Love Not War we also don’t believe in scrimping when it comes to function or quality, quite the opposite actually. We have created a range of toys that will make you feel great, both inside and out, all while knowing that your pleasure hasn’t come at a cost of the earth.

So for those interested in keeping that Valentine’s Day fire burning, while also respecting the earth, here are some of our top tips to get you ready for the ultimate sexy yet sustainable Valentine’s Day.

• Set the mood…

Creating a sexy environment is the first port of call for any Valentine’s Day. Why not purchase some coconut oil candles, turn the lights out and enjoy an evening off the grid with your partner without electricity. Order in some food, play some strip poker, give each other a sexy massage, all by candlelight.

It’s also good to be prepared for your evening by purchasing some lubricant and condoms. Two items that can be difficult to get right when you’re trying to be sustainable, especially condoms, the catch 22 of the ‘green sex’ world. An item that we need to practice safe sex but they are just one-time use products so it’s important to find a condom brand that is cruelty-free and considerately made. A great option is ​​Hero Condoms, an eco condom brand that’s products are 100% electronically tested, paraben-free and vegan friendly.

Lingerie is also a frequent staple for Valentine’s Day and with a growing number of ethical and sustainable clothing brands coming to the market, this is the perfect way to ensure you look and feel sexy while remaining sustainable. Find a brand that is ethically sourced, organically made and uses recycled packaging. Some ethical clothing brands include Organic Basics, Cosabella and Pact.

• Gifts, cards, wrapping and everything in between

When we think of Valentine’s Day, the picture that often comes to mind is the colourful cards, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and teddy bears.

However if you’d like to show your love sustainable way, why not this year ditch the cards, wrapping paper and plastic disposal gifts and opt for something eco-friendly yet just as thoughtful.

How about giving an e-card or a gift that is built for longevity, such as a sustainably created Love Not War vibrator.  At Love Not War, we offer have seven vibrators made from predominantly recycled and recyclable materials in our custom-built, green-powered factory. Our fully waterproof and rechargeable vibrators also come with interchangeable heads, meaning that only one battery base is needed for all the available heads making multiple products in one.

This Valentine’s Day we have also teamed up with popular British illustrator Charlotte Willcox to create a range of limited edition Valentine’s e-cards. With three designs in the LNW x Charlotte Willcox downloadable e-card range, the cards are available free of charge directly from our website.

• Support local

One of the best ways to ensure you can remain sustainable at Valentine’s Day is to trace the supply chain of any brand you purchase from. Choosing and supporting local companies that ethically, sustainably and locally produce, design or source their products is a great way to do this.

We know that choosing to implement eco practices in your everyday lives, especially at Valentine’s Day, is definitely a learning process, but it’s important to remember that anything big always starts with small steps. Making the decision to not send a paper Valentine’s Day card this year might seem like nothing monumental but as the saying goes, “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly”.

As a sustainability brand, it is our responsibility to create products that are green. We know the industry is not perfect and we still have a long way to go, but if we all make a conscious effort to try, we’ll be able to make a difference.

The full range of Love Now War products is available directly from our website at www.l-n-w.com.