Japan is something like THE country of condoms and that is why we’re publishing a little story about condom history in Japan (and condom history in general). During some research I’ve come across a lovely text by Fuji Latex, one of the biggest Japanese condom manufacturers, that’s really fit for translation.

What makes Japan so fascinating when it comes to condoms, is their incredible drive to innovation and creativity (we’ve covered the Astrology and Junko Mizuno condoms recently).

Also much of the technology used by condom manufacturers today was invented by Japanese companies. This is still true today: A super thin polyurethane condom was just released recently, which probably also is one of the most expensive ones on the market: 2000 Yen (22 USD) for 4 pieces.

So here is how it all got started:

Storing condoms in the right place when going out is a stiff subject. After all you don’t want it to stick out of your wallet or in any other unsafe place. UK’s King Apparel suggests you to have your condom in your jeans in an inside stash pocket.

King is a streetwear label and as such they are in a great place to tackle teenage pregnancies and STD’s in the 15-18 year age range. To achieve the best results they partnered up with Want Respect? in 2007 and presented the jeans with a condom pocket I mentioned before.

Now, two years later, all of their jeans and shorts come with the pockets as a standard. What a success.

Here’s what King say about the project:

We’re back again and to celebrate that you can now win 1 of 10 iPod Nanos over at Condom Girl (ok the competition also exists without this post).

As of today you may enter the competition here and win one of the pictured items by either:

• Subsribing to their Newsletter on the site OR
• Purchasing something with the promo code: COMP-CONDOMUNITY OR
• Simply sending in an email telling them you’d like to win (put the COMP-CONDOMUNITY as the subject of your email

The competition runs until the draw on Sept 30th. To email them use this address here “info at condomgirl.co.uk”. Now what’s keeping you?

Christian Vieri and Milan football club legend Paolo Maldini now officially have their own condom brand. They’ve launched the limited edition of their rubbers in a press conference this week.

Akuel Blues Sweet Years Limited Edition is obviously limited to a certain period to their fashion label Sweet Years they started a few years back.

The goal for this campaign (apart from always being incredibly great press) is to support and donate all proceeds to a youth sex education project.

By the way, just in case you have some condoms to spare and don’t know what to do with them, how about using them as football socks?

I’ve just had a few new condom creations or rather the patent applications hit my inbox and I thought they were so hilarious I just had to share them with you instantly. Here’s a short overview over 8 forms that inventors want you to wear.

Which one is it going to be?

A banana, rocket, submarine or a microphone condom?

We’ve covered various condom dispensers in the past like the Don’t Panic Button and the fantastic Cucoon.

Here’s another, newer creation called C-Box by Don’t Kill the Mood.

While the mentioned products all have fancy names in common, they are very different in their looks and meaning. The C-box is a discreet black or white packaging that isn’t really going to cause attention (compare with Don’t Panic Button and Cucoon).

What it does for you? It stores condoms, lucrication packets and individually wrapped wet towelette packets so you have everything conveniently set up.

Currently, Durex accounts for approximately 29% of the global branded condom market. The company sells condoms in over 130 countries worldwide and is the market leader in more than 40 markets. That’s the perfect base for the company’s yearly surveys.

There’s another one just coming up at the UK’s National Condom Week of 18 - 24 May 2009 and Durex is hoping to address the biggest possible number of people through a newly set up Facebook group:

“Durex is kicking off National Condom Week (18 - 24 May 2009) by launching what it hopes will be the biggest ever insight into the sexual habits and practices of the nation. Please go to one of the websites below to take part and stand the chance of winning great prizes. And invite as many people as possible to join this group. Findings will be published with a national news partner later this year.“

MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation and The Body Shop have launched the extended HIV prevention campaign Say Yes to Safe Sex last week. We have the pics of the NYC launch event with - Durex and Solange Knowles.

The Body Shop and Solange Knowles launched the campaign coupled with free in store Durex condom hand outs as part of the global HIV/AIDS safe sex campaign in conjunction with MTV Networks. To get lips moving about this vital issue, The Body Shop now sells their “Tantalizing Lip Butter” to help raise funds for HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

Approximately $5 from every purchase of the fruity lip butter will benefit the Staying Alive Foundation, a charity empowering young people around the world to protect themselves and their communities against HIV and AIDS.

To make sure the campaign reaches as many people as possible they have now opened the dedicated interactive site www.yestosafesex.com to involve visitors and encourage them to share the word (through facebook in particular as it seems).

At times you’ve got to ask yourself: where am I supposed to hide that condom thing (of course you might choose not to hide but to show them off in a big plastic condom bag also)? And often you might get tempted to just put it somewhere in your wallet.

The only problem is that your wallet is not made for this - it will crush your life insurance in no time. That’s what Christopher Leo thought, so he quickly designed a condom friendly wallet, where the condom is the star and may be hidden behind your credit cards.

So next time you try to hide a rubber in your wallet, remember there’s someone out there owning this technology since January 2009. I imagine this technology helps in two ways - a bigger wallet makes you look more desirable (ok hopefully not) and the protection is there at your service, too.