We’ve teamed up with Sustain Natural to give away Fair Trade condoms to Riveter readers who purchase Issue 4.
by Anna Meyer
art by Grace Molteni
Sexual health products have always been primarily marketed toward men. As featured in Issue 4, Meika Hollender is helping to correct this disparity with Sustain Natural, a sexual health product company that aims to remind you that, yes, putting condoms in your bag before a date is just as important as grabbing your phone.
Check out the below to see what Meika has to say about Sustain as a company and how she thinks we can make safe sex talk less awkward. To find out what Meika carries in her own purse, and to snag your own pack of Sustain condom, head on over to our store to buy Issue 4.
The Riveter: Most sexual health product companies have men as their target audience. When making the decision to instead market Sustain to women, what kind of feedback did you initially receive from your peers and business partners?
Meika Hollender: Two big things really impacted this decision: 40 percent of condoms are purchased by women BUT only 21 percent of single women use condoms regularly. So on the one hand it made a ton of sense from a business standpoint to create the first sexual wellness brand marketed toward woman, but also there was a clear need to start a conversation among women about sexual wellness (to change some of these statistics!)
TR: What has been the biggest payoff for you personally since co-founding Sustain?
MH: Starting a conversation, with Sustain and in the media, around women’s sexual wellness and why it’s time for us to start taking control of this aspect of our overall health.
TR: As explained in the Great Big Story video featuring Sustain, you mentioned wanting single women to start carrying around condoms, just as they carry around other items, like their phone or wallet. What’s an easy way for women to start remembering to do this?
MH: First step, by buying them! So many women feel awkward, uncomfortable and uninspired when purchasing condoms, when really this should be something we feel great about (what we’re trying to do with Sustain). Once you get in a routine of always having some around, it makes it easier to remember to bring them with you when you go out at night, or get ready for a date.
TR: Sexual health and practicing safe sex can be such an uncomfortable subject to bring up with your friends, no matter what age you are or level of education you’ve received. How do we get around this as women looking to take responsibility over our bodies and sexual health?
MH: What women need to realize is that a critical part of our overall wellness is our sexual health. You can drink as much green juice as you want, but at the end of the day, if you’re not practicing safe sex, you’re putting your health in serious risk. In addition, it’s time to reframe how we think about these issues because sex is fun! Talking to your friends about sex, and sexual health, isn’t something that needs to be uncomfortable or awkward. What I’ve learned is that you will be amazed by how much you can learn from your friends when it comes to all of this stuff.
TR: What’s the next big step planned for Sustain as a company?
MH: We are rolling out a whole new line of products in Summer 2016!
Anna Meyer is The Riveter’s Editorial Brand Assistant. She is a Minneapolis native currently pursuing journalism and creative writing at the University of Kansas. She enjoys experimenting with charcoal drawing, plastic toy cameras, and she’s most likely waking up early for yoga this weekend.
