The following independent / artisan “fantasy” sex toy makers are now using “Near Clear” (=NC) translucent silicone by Smooth-On (available in 00-31 and 00-45 Shore durometers, but most makers who are still using Near Clear use 00-31 only). Shops are US-based unless otherwise noted.
Stock-Drop Makers (With Some NC Inventory):
- Paladin Pleasure Sculptors: Look for “0031 NC” in product titles in inventory, linked.
- Fantasy Grove: “00-31”
- Made to Were: “Near Clear”
- Hodgepodge Entourage: “Near Clear”
- Pleasure Forge: “Soft 00-31 Firmness”
- Phantasia: See the cute Lava Lamp butt plug, and some Hippogriff dildos.
- Something Squishy: The Skull is their main “inclusion” toy with Near Clear.
- Strange Bedfellas: has done some fantastic NC pours in the past, sold-out listings linked; SB is currently closed temporarily; read thread for why they’ll only use NC sparingly.
Near Clear Silicone Care & Properties
Near Clear silicone is easier to see through, but that look is also more easily influenced by high heat than similar densities of Ecoflex silicone (00-30 and 00-50 Shore durometers).
According to thorough material testing by Pleasure Forge,1 boiling Near Clear silicone darkens it more noticeably than other Ecoflex silicones. The longer you boil the toy, the greater the effect. Pleasure Forge has boiled toys for literally days straight (up to 96 hours) and notes that shorter, less-frequent boils will likely produce less discoloration. When boiled for an extended term, however, Near Clear silicone “fogs,” and remains less see-through, for up to 1 week after boiling. Near Clear silicone is also hardened by long-term boiling: So that Near Clear 00-31 becomes as firm as the (denser) Ecoflex 00-50. That’s still really soft, just not as soft as the material originally was. Long-term exposure to UV light may also produce yellowing. Further testing is being conducted.
TL;DR: Do not boil (for an extended period, or frequently) your Near Clear fantasy sex toys unless you don’t mind them becoming (1) a bit harder, permanently; and (2) cloudier for days afterward.
A positive note: Near Clear is not affected by normal washing in soap and water. Scrub away!
Other sanitization methods (besides boiling and maybe besides UV boxes) are thought to not change Near Clear the way that boiling may. I tend to rinse my toys down in 70% isopropyl alcohol, then scrub well with soap and water, and haven’t seen a change to my Uberrime Splendorado.
Near Clear toys may need to be sold for a higher price (than comparable Ecoflex silicone) due to Near Clear’s specific properties. It requires more vacuum-degassing to ensure that air bubbles are not visible within the cured body of the toy. (And bubbles may still appear, plus the “flop” rate is higher!) This means more work and more cost for the people making your Near Clear dildo. C’est la vie !
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