Global Glam chats with one of the leading entrepreneurs in Sex Tech, Ti Chang of the ever-growing brand Crave.
1) How did you originally get the idea to combine the concepts of sex toys and jewelry together?
Back in 2008 I bootstrapped my first company, Incognito. The idea was born out of my experiences shopping for pleasure products – I was truly appalled when I went into a back-alley sex shop and couldn’t find something elevated or sophisticated. I set out to fill that gap with Incoqnito, which eventually sold to Crave. The ‘why’ of jewelry is simple: what we adorn our bodies with is how we present ourselves to the world—pleasure is about connection, and I wanted to evolve the sex toy experience from a private, embarrassing object to a beautiful public piece that helps foster those connections more openly.
2) From where do you get inspiration for your work?
With Crave, I approach our products from the point of view of a woman and that of a trained industrial designer. This means I care deeply about the experience of a product, physically and emotionally for a user. How does a woman feel when she sees the product? Does she feel excited or delighted because it’s beautiful? Is it easy to use? Or is it cumbersome to operate? Is it easy to live with? Or does she have to hide the toy in an underwear drawer in fear of someone seeing it?
When it comes to designing vibrators, the experience is the most important aspect of design. If someone feels embarrassed by it or feels like they have to hide their vibrator, then the product has failed because it didn’t consider the emotional needs of the user. Of course it should vibrate, be easy to recharge and clean, but if you feel embarrassed simply by the look of your vibrator, then as a designer I’ve failed to deliver a great experience for you.
Shame and embarrassment has long been a part of the narrative of sex toys due to its thoughtless forms and poor quality, hence it perpetuated the notion that vibrators are somehow less worthy of thoughtful design than other modern products for wellness.
Crave is the entire experience of thoughtful product experience including aesthetics, engineering, quality, and customer support.
3) What does a typical day look like for you?
Right now due to COVID, my team and I are still social-distancing. So I am currently working out of my studio in Oakland. Some days are loaded with back to back Zoom meetings. On a good day, I just have one or two Zooms. As a co-founder my work can vary greatly from overseeing manufacturing details, designing, social media, interviews and even customer support. This is one of the reasons I love what I do, I definitely do not get bored.
4) What have been, or are currently, some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career thus far?
The toughest challenge of my career has been the constant censorship of not only my company CRAVE but also my personal social media accounts by self touting progressive tech companies
5) What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about sex toys?
The biggest misconception about vibrators is that you will go numb and never have an orgasm without vibrators again. I don’t think anyone has ever told a guy that if he masturbates on the regular he won’t be able to orgasm with a partner ever again.
6) At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a major spike in sex toys sales. What do you think were the reasons for this, and where do you think the sex toy industry is heading as we’re slowly going back to normalcy?
Covid-19 impacted all industries and the sex toy industry is no exception. We have a strong direct to consumer brand so we are still seeing demand on our online store but the retail stores that we’ve supported for so long are being affected the hardest. They are having to re-think how their stores will operate safely when people can no longer just come in and shop. This is unfortunate because many sex toy shops have been on the front line of educating consumers since we have very little sexual education in our country. I also think that as more people are spending more time at home alone or with a partner, they will be thinking about their sexual wellness. There are a number of scientific studies that point to the fact that orgasms can have many health benefits which includes helping with sleep, stress, anxiety et.* So I hope people start to embrace that sexual wellness as part of our overall wellness.
As for what’s next: Sex toys will not be seen as sex toys – but a mainstream wellness product that will be available in mainstream stores. Walmart, Target already carry vibrators both in-store and online, but now you will find it in fashion and lifestyle retailers like Revolve, Goop, Violet Grey. Consumers are becoming more educated about the products they are looking for and less concerned about the taboo. They want quality products that meet their expectations and suit their taste as they would any other modern consumer product they use.
*Citation:
https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/orgasm-benefits
https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/sex-and-health
7) As a daughter of Ukrainian immigrants, your story about breaking cultural expectations hit home. Is there anything you want to say to female entrepreneurs who are facing similar struggles with balancing their goals with cultural expectations?
My favorite quote is from Jimmy O. Yang: “It’s better to disappoint your parents for a couple of years than to disappoint yourself for the rest of your life.”
I feel parents will always want the best for their children based on their own lived experiences. And the way we live has changed dramatically just in the last few decades with social media and new technology. So when our parents were our age, it was a very different time. So you have to be understanding of where they are coming from, and at the same time be honest with yourself and about what you really want. When faced with a tough decision, I think about whether or not I will regret this on my deathbed. If I think I may look back and regret not having tried it, I will do it. Because I would much rather look back and have failed than not having tried it at all.
8) For someone who’s never bought a sex toy before, what product would you recommend they start with?
Ladies, get to know your body. That is the first and foremost thing you need to do when you are starting to think about embarking on a sexual journey with yourself with or without products. Touch and look at yourself. Know your vulva and all your parts. There are so many thoughtful sexual resources out there that is definitely worth a YouTube wormhole. I highly recommend Shannon Boodram’s and Stevie Bobbie just to name a few. If you prefer books Emily Nagoski Come as You are is profound. Podcasts is more your thing, try Shameless Sex or Sex with Emily – all of the above content are smart, educated women whose goal is to empower your pleasure.
Once you know a bit more about your body, or simultaneously try out some products that fit your price range and piques your curiosity. Make sure the manufacturer has a good reputation and read some reviews on their products. Reading reviews are helpful but know that no two vulvas are alike and what works for one person may not work for another and there is no one vibrator for all. So if something doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you, just keep experimenting and try new things.
For all users, I think the key design elements are focused vibration and a great user experience like: vibes should be easy to clean, easy to charge, and made of premium materials. And of course your vibe should look as good as it feels. Everybody has different preferences and needs when it comes to picking the right vibes — start simple and find what works for you.
9) What’s been your biggest takeaway from the past year and a half? To follow up, what are you looking forward to happening in the coming months?
I’ve learned that I had to reprioritize my life. The things that matter most to me are not what I thought it was at the beginning of the pandemic. Work has always been a huge part of my life and although it is very fulfilling work, however I’ve learned to take a step back and slow my pace.
I reassessed my relationship with work, social media, volunteer work so that I can make time and build better relationships with my body and the people closest to me: my partner, my closest friends, and family. The pandemic has really made me realize not to take our time on Earth for granted.
Interview conducted & edited by: Nicole Kirichanskaya
