Please Don’t Use Wicker: A Body-Safe Materials Guide

Listen, I’m all for getting creative with your pleasure, but there are some things that should stay firmly in the fantasy category. And after seeing the premise of Wicker, the upcoming film starring Olivia Colman, Peter Dinklage, and Alexander Skarsgård, I feel like we need to have a little chat about what does and doesn’t belong inside your body.

If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, here’s the rundown: Olivia Colman plays a lonely fisherwoman who decides she’s had enough of waiting around for the perfect husband. Instead, she pays the village basketmaker, played by Peter Dinklage, to literally weave her a man to her exact specifications. The result? Alexander Skarsgård in a full wicker suit. Yes, really. The movie arrives in limited theaters October 23 before expanding October 30, and the marketing team clearly knows exactly what they’re doing with the tagline, “A hard man is good to find.”

And you know what? I support her decision. As someone who’s spent years helping people find their perfect pleasure products, I can appreciate a person who knows exactly what they want and isn’t afraid to get a little unconventional. If you can commission your ideal partner, why wouldn’t you? Especially when the finished product looks like Alexander Skarsgård.

But here’s where I have to put on my sex educator hat: just because something is shaped like a body part doesn’t mean it’s safe to use as a sex toy.

I’ve worked in the pleasure industry long enough to see just how creative people can get when it comes to finding alternatives to traditional toys. And while I love that curiosity, I also know how much misinformation is out there about materials. I’ve had plenty of conversations with customers who assume that if something is sold as a sex toy, it must automatically be body-safe. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

The material your toy is made from matters just as much as its size, shape, or features. Some materials are porous, meaning they can have tiny spaces that trap moisture and residue and make thorough cleaning difficult. Others can contain irritating additives, break down over time, or have surfaces that aren’t suitable for intimate contact. And when we’re talking about something that’s going to be used on sensitive skin or inserted into the body, those details become especially important.

That’s why I’m such a big advocate for non-porous materials like high-quality silicone, properly finished stainless steel, and borosilicate glass. They’re durable, easier to clean, and generally much better suited for intimate use when the toy is properly designed and manufactured. You shouldn’t have to wonder what’s in your toy or whether it’s going to start deteriorating after a few uses.

And let’s be clear, this isn’t about judging anyone’s fantasies or preferences. Want a toy shaped like a tentacle? Fantastic. Dreaming of a monster-inspired dildo? Love that for you. Want something that looks like it was handcrafted by a mysterious village artisan? There’s probably a silicone version out there somewhere. You can get as weird and wonderful as you want with your pleasure without compromising on the materials you’re putting against your body.

So before anyone gets inspired by Wicker and starts looking at their patio furniture a little differently, let’s talk about what body-safe actually means, which materials are worth investing in, and which ones I’d recommend leaving out of your bedroom.

Because your fantasy can be as unconventional as you want, but your toy materials shouldn’t be a mystery. And while a handcrafted wicker husband might make for a great movie, splinters, rough fibers, and impossible-to-clean surfaces are definitely not the kind of texture we’re looking for.

Why Wicker Is a Hard Dildon’t

Wicker fails every test a sex toy material needs to pass. Here’s the breakdown:

• It’s full of holes. Woven rattan, willow and reed are made of gaps, and each gap is a cozy little apartment for bacteria, yeast and mold. You cannot get it clean. Not with soap, not with boiling, not with prayer.
• Splinters. Natural fibers crack, fray and snap with friction. Splinters in your fingers are annoying. Splinters in your mucous membranes are an urgent care visit with a very long intake form.
• It soaks up everything. Lube, body fluids, cleaning products: wicker absorbs it all and holds onto it. That’s a recipe for irritation, infections and a smell you will never get out.
• Mystery finishes. Decorative wicker is often coated with varnish, stain, lacquer or paint. None of those were made to touch the inside of a human body.
• It’s not shaped for safety. Anything going near your butt needs a flared base so it can’t get lost. Baskets were not designed with this in mind.

The short version: if it can’t be fully cleaned and it can’t touch skin without falling apart, it doesn’t go in your body. Wicker husband? Cute. Wicker anything else? Dildon’t.

What “Body-Safe” Actually Means

A body-safe material passes three tests, and it has to pass all of them.

1. Non-porous. The surface has no tiny holes for germs to move into. If bacteria can’t get in, soap and water can get it all off.
2. Fully cleanable. You can wash it thoroughly, and for the best materials, sterilize it, without breaking it down.
3. Nothing sketchy leaching out. No phthalates (chemicals that make plastic soft), no strong chemical smell, no oily film, and nothing that degrades into goo over time.

One extra rule of thumb: “body-safe” isn’t a regulated term on packaging. Anyone can print it. A brand that tells you exactly what the toy is made of, like “100% platinum-cure silicone” or “316L stainless steel,” is giving you something to check. A brand that says “premium material” is giving you vibes.

The Dildo List: Materials That Earn a Spot in Your Drawer

These are the materials worth your money. Each one is non-porous and cleanable when it’s made well.

Material	Feels like	Lube	Why we love it	Watch out for
Platinum-cure silicone	Soft, skin-like, a little squish	Water-based	The gold standard. Warm, flexible, lasts for years.	Silicone lube can break down some silicone toys, so patch test first.
Borosilicate glass	Smooth, slick, weighty	Any	Can go hot or cold, and the gorgeous swirly ones are basically art.	Inspect for chips or cracks before every use.
Stainless steel	Heavy, firm, ultra-smooth	Any	Practically indestructible, and great for temperature play and pressure.	It’s heavy. Go slow.
Sealed hardwood	Firm, smooth, warm to the touch	Water-based	The closest you’ll get to a wicker husband, safely. More below.	Only safe while the finish is intact.
ABS plastic	Hard, smooth, lightweight	Any	Common in vibrator bodies and bullets. Affordable and easy to clean.	No give at all, so pick shapes that work with that.
Glazed ceramic	Smooth, solid, decorative	Any	Pretty, firm and non-porous when fully glazed.	A crack or chip in the glaze means it’s retired.

The Dildon’t List: Materials to Skip (or Handle With Care)

Some of these are wicker’s cousins: porous, hard to clean, or a little chemically mysterious.

• Jelly. That squishy, translucent, often glittery stuff is usually PVC softened with phthalates. It’s porous, it often smells like a shower curtain, and it can break down into a sticky mess. Hard pass.
• PVC. Without the softeners it’s firmer, but it’s still not one we recommend for toys that go inside you.
• TPE and TPR. These are cheaper “skin-like” materials. They’re not inherently toxic, but they are porous, so you can’t fully disinfect them. If you love one, use it with a condom, keep it to yourself, and replace it when it gets tacky or discolored. Or stick to toys used on the outside of the body, like strokers.
• Latex and rubber. These are porous, and latex is a common allergen. Not worth it.
• “Silicone blend” or “sil-a-gel.” If it isn’t 100% silicone, it isn’t silicone. Blends are a common way to make cheap materials sound fancy.
• Household DIY. Vegetables, hairbrush handles, candles, bottles, and yes, anything woven. No flared base, no body-safe surface, and a real risk of an ER trip. Your dream partner deserves better than the junk drawer.

A big red flag on any packaging: “for novelty use only.” That’s a company telling you, in so many words, that it’s not making any promises about putting this in your body.

Want That Natural, Handcrafted Vibe? Get a Wood Toy

If the movie has you craving something earthy and artisan-made, sealed hardwood toys are the body-safe way to live out your wicker fantasy. In the trailer, a villager gossips that the husband is as strong as a tree, and honestly? You can have that.

Here’s what makes a wood toy safe:

• Dense hardwood. Look for woods like maple, walnut or cherry, carved from one solid piece. No woven fibers, no glued-together strips.
• A body-safe seal. The wood is coated in a medical-grade or food-safe finish that makes the surface non-porous. The seal is what makes it safe. The wood is what makes it pretty.
• A maker who tells you the finish. Reputable woodworkers name their sealant. If they can’t tell you what’s on it, don’t put it in you.

Taking care of it:

• Wash with warm water and mild soap, then dry it right away.
• Never soak it, boil it or put it in the dishwasher.
• Check the surface before every use. A chip, crack or worn patch in the finish means the wood underneath is exposed and porous, and the toy should be retired or sent back to the maker for refinishing.

Firm, warm, gorgeous, handcrafted: it’s the wicker husband, minus the splinters.

How to Tell What Your Toy Is Made Of (and How to Clean It)

The best way to know what a toy is made of is to buy it from a retailer that lists the material. If you’re trying to figure out an older toy, these clues help:

• Smell. A strong chemical or “new shower curtain” smell usually means jelly or PVC. Good silicone smells like basically nothing.
• Feel. If it’s sticky, oily, or picks up lint like a magnet, it’s probably jelly or TPE.
• Aging. Toys that melt, sweat, go cloudy, or fuse to other toys in the drawer are not silicone. (Note: silicone toys can also damage each other when they touch for a long time, so store them separately.)
• The flame test. You’ll see this online, but we don’t recommend it. It’s easy to misread, and you’re literally setting your toy on fire.

Cleaning cheat sheet:

Material	Everyday clean	Deep clean
Silicone (no motor)	Warm water and mild unscented soap	Boil 3–5 minutes, or top rack of the dishwasher with no detergent
Silicone (with a motor)	Soap and water, check the waterproof rating first	Toy cleaner wipe-down; never boil
Glass	Soap and water	Boil, starting in cool water so it doesn’t crack
Stainless steel	Soap and water	Boil
Sealed hardwood	Mild soap and water, dry right away	Toy cleaner; never soak or boil
ABS plastic	Soap and water	Toy cleaner
TPE / TPR	Soap and water, air dry	Can’t be fully disinfected; use a condom and replace often

Always check the manufacturer’s care instructions, since some toys have their own rules.

The Verdict: Wicker? Dildon’t.

So go see Wicker. Swoon over Alexander Skarsgård in his handwoven glory. Root for a fisherwoman who decided she was done waiting around for the perfect partner and took matters into her own hands. And maybe take a little inspiration from her while you’re at it. Because if there’s one thing I can get behind, it’s knowing what you want and refusing to settle for something that doesn’t quite fit.

Of course, you don’t need to commission a village basketmaker to bring your fantasies to life. That’s the beauty of having so many incredible pleasure products to choose from! Whether you’re looking for something long and lean, short and thick, perfectly curved, or covered in interesting textures, there’s a whole world of options out there. And unlike a mysterious wicker husband, your new favorite toy can be made from non-porous, body-safe materials like silicone or glass that are easy to clean and care for.

And remember, there’s no such thing as a universally perfect toy. What works for someone else might not be your ideal match, and that’s completely fine. The fun is in figuring out what makes you happy, exploring your options, and maybe discovering a few new preferences along the way.

So whether your perfect partner is tall, curved, colorful, or a little unconventional, I hope the Basketmaker’s Build-a-Partner Bar helped you find something worth bringing home. After all, you deserve a little fantasy, a lot of pleasure, and something that’s built to last.

Your dream lover might be handcrafted, but at least this one is hygienic, low-maintenance, and doesn’t leave splinters in the sheets.