CYBERSPACE — Etsy, the online mecca for handmade and vintage hippy-dippy crafts, has a naughty side.
While Etsy’s got a rap for being the best place to buy things like custom-crafted, ethically constructed fingerless mittens, it also has a wealth of dildos (ahem, 1,276) and vibrators (ahem, 361) that preserve the aesthetic and unoffical moral code unique to the e-swapmeet.
Because many of the “shops” on Etsy are tiny operations spearheaded by one or two folks, the designs are often highly personal and imaginative, and cater to people who identify as conscious objectors to mass-production culture.
The MJ42 Glass store, which “strives to improve the environment and world to make a better life for everyone on the planet and throughout the universe,” proffers a glass dildo made with borosilicate, glass and 22k gold for $220 — or a suitable barter or trade.
The Photocopine shop, based in Paris, France will make a 3D print of your (or your favorite) penis in silicone for $210 using three user-provided photos of the member in question. KNIKlampwork in China makes a hand blown “crystal ball” that is advertised as an all-purpose vaginal exercise ball and anal plug, for only $19.99.
Because it’s the Internet, there is also a slew of bizarre and fantastical creations that you wouldn’t find in your average adult shop. Ever pined for a Star Wars Lightsaber Dildo? Etsy’s got you. A vibrator cozy modeled after Edvard Munch’s The Scream? Well, you get the jist…
Despite the down-home vibe, Etsy is not exactly the equivalent of a small, online neighborhood. The site now boasts over one million active stores that are located all over the world.