TROJAN® FAQs

You can find that information by reading The Making Of A TROJAN® Condom

THE MAKING OF A TROJAN® CONDOM

Quality by design.

So how does a TROJAN® Condom become a TROJAN® Condom? Glad you asked because you don’t become America’s most trusted brand without a commitment to quality.

The TROJAN® Quality Control team keeps a vigilant eye on each step of the process. When raw latex arrives, Quality Control specialists take samples and test them based on strict specifications. They then test again at the end of the vulcanizing process. Don’t know what vulcanizing means? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. See Step #1 below where the process is defined.

During dipping, Quality Control technicians monitor and collect condom samples hourly. The samples, with lot numbers carefully recorded, are taken to the lab and put through several tests. If samples from any batch prove to be sub-standard, the problem is investigated immediately and corrected. Sub-standard lots are rejected and destroyed.

Condoms are then dried, coated with a non-stick agent and tested for air burst break and volume properties, and for water leakage. Only lots that pass all required testing are permitted to be processed further. All sub-standard lots are rejected and destroyed.

After the electronic testing process the condoms are individually sealed in foiled pouches, and ready for final testing and Quality Control acceptance. At this stage, all lots are tested for air burst pressure and volume, proper seal on the foil, and that all labeling, cartoning, expiration dating and lubricant weights and type are correct. Only lots that pass all of these requirements are released for sale by Quality Control. All other lots are destroyed.

Here is a brief overview of how TROJAN® latex condoms are made.

Step #1: Building strength with vulcanization

No, vulcanization has nothing to do with pointy-eared aliens. It’s the process we use to compound raw latex, giving it strength and elasticity. We pump raw latex into compounding kettles, add other materials and turn up the heat. We then store the liquid latex compound in stainless steel tanks.

Step #2: A quick dip, on to the oven, then a bath

Many a health spa would be jealous. We dip clean glass molds into the latex bath, then cure them in an oven at 175 ºº Fahrenheit. From there, the glass molds are given a hot-water bath. Then, rotating brushes remove the condoms from the molds.

Step #3: On the dry side

The condoms are dried in batches of about 50,000 in large dryers for two hours.

Step #4: Electronic testing

Electronic testing machines make sure every TROJAN® condom is up to snuff. Each condom travels on a stainless steel mold into a water solution charged with an electric current. If current passes through the condom to the mold, there’s a hole in the condom and it’s off to the "reject" bin.

Step #5: Foiled

The condoms that ace the electronic test are individually sealed in foil pouches, and coded with a lot number and expiration date. Pouches are inspected by hand as they travel off the line.

Step #6: Hitting the shelves

We insert pouches into cartons and code them with lot numbers and expiration dates. We then bundle the cartons and ship them to retailers.

Condoms have been used for a lot longer than the 1980s.

There are a number of helpful resources on the site for you. Read A Quick Course In Condoms for some interesting facts. You can also find a wealth of additional information on condoms in Health Info Center. There you’ll find A Quick Course In Condoms, learn how to put one on and a lot of other important information about sexual health.

Please click here to learn more about - How to use a condom?

Example:

06-2013 DA0156GG3

How to read:

The expiration date in this case is June 2013. The first two letters represent the plant. The first numeric digit represents the year of manufacture. The next three digits represent the day of the year of manufacture. Any remaining letters or numbers represent the dip line, foiling line, and the testing line. In the example above, the condom was produced on the 156th day of 2010.

Go to the Products section where you will find a complete listing of our products, as well as a selector tool that can help you decide which one suits you best. You can always find the links to products and the product selector in the left hand navigation of the site.

TROJAN® Supra® brand condoms are made from polyurethane. The risks of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including AIDS (HIV infection), are not known for this variety of condom. A study is underway. There are laboratory tests on our Microsheer polyurethane material showing that sperm and organisms even as small as viruses like HIV cannot pass through the condom.

The active ingredient Benzocaine is applied inside the condom. Benzocaine is a mild topical anesthetic used in many over-the-counter medications. We use it in Extended Pleasure™ condoms to slightly decrease sensitivity, allowing the man to have more "staying power" before climaxing.

You can buy our products at many retail stores nationwide. In addition, you can buy them online. Just click here.

I’m doing some research about your company. Where can I find your advertising campaigns?

You can look at several of our advertisements and public service announcements, as well as a lot of other information in the Tips & News Section.

Right here Church & Dwight Inc., Co.

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Just about everything you need to know about condoms in a simple, easy-to-understand listing.

• The condom is a barrier form of contraceptive made from one of the following: specially processed latex (rubber), Naturalamb membrane material or polyurethane.
• Latex condoms for men, if used correctly with every act of vaginal intercourse, will help to reduce the risk of HIV infection (HIV) and many other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). They are also highly effective at preventing pregnancy.
• Natural membrane condoms only help to protect against pregnancy and are not recommended for the prevention of STDs.
• Polyurethane condoms offer an alternative to people with latex allergies. A study is being done to determine the risks of pregnancy and STDs, including HIV infection (AIDS), when using this condom. Laboratory tests on the polyurethane material show that organisms even as small as sperm and viruses like HIV cannot pass through it.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and former Surgeon General Koop, along with many other health professionals, have advocated the use of latex condoms as the best available protection, other than abstinence, against the AIDS virus. When used properly, latex condoms also help prevent the transmission of other STDs, including gonorrhea, genital herpes, chlamydia, syphilis and hepatitis-B. The FDA, which regulates condom packaging, states that it’s important to read the condom packaging to determine if the condom will help protect against STDs.
• If you are sexually active, condoms (used consistently and properly) provide the most effective method of birth control available without a prescription. Some condoms are coated with the spermicide nonoxynol-9 to help increase protection against pregnancy.
• Condoms are regulated as medical devices by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)which mandates labeling, good manufacturing practices, pre-market clearance and other requirements for condoms sold in the U.S.
• The FDA recognizes voluntary industry standards developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), which stipulate size, elasticity/elongation, thickness/thinness, strength and permeability of condoms (Standard Specifications for Latex Condoms, D-3492).
• Latex used in condom manufacturing is made from the sap of rubber, which is processed into liquid latex. The liquid latex is then compounded with other additives, creating the latex formula into which cylindrical glass molds (mandrels) are dipped. When dry, the latex condoms are rolled off the mandrels, inspected and packaged.
• All condoms show an expiration date on the packaging. If stored properly, the average shelf life for dry and lubricated latex condoms may be as long as four to five years.
• To protect condoms from deterioration while in storage, avoid exposure to direct sunlight or storage for prolonged periods of time at temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Unused condoms should be stored in their packs, in a cool dry place.(Avoid storing in a wallet.)
• Condoms are individually packaged in sealed, air-tight packets, which should not be opened until the condom is to be used.
• Condoms are not reusable. Used condoms should be disposed of properly, not thrown in the toilet.
• Never let a latex condom touch oil in any form, such as petroleum jelly, baby oil, mineral oil and vegetable oil. Oil rots rubber. Avoid exposure to talcum powder, which may contain oil.
• For additional lubrication, you may use personal lubricants designed for use with latex condoms such as other water-based lubricants.
• If used in conjunction with vaginal medical products, latex condoms may be weakened, thus reducing their effectiveness.

To find the right condom for you, click here. You can even get a free sample.