Durex
Product brand
UnclaimedA globally distributed sexual-wellness brand best known for condoms and personal lubricants.
Last updated October 7, 2026
Overview
Durex is an international sexual-wellness brand whose core business is condoms, supplemented by personal lubricants and sex toys. The brand developed in the United Kingdom through the London Rubber Company, a business formed in 1915. The Durex name was introduced in 1929 and is commonly associated with the words durability, reliability and excellence. The brand's own manufacturing activity began in 1932, in cooperation with Lucian Lundau, a Polish rubber-technology student. This early connection between the name, rubber-product engineering and controlled manufacturing helped establish Durex as a consumer brand rather than merely a generic contraceptive product. For much of the twentieth century, Durex was produced under the London Rubber Company and British Latex Products Ltd. Its history is therefore closely linked to the development of the British rubber-products industry and to the wider normalization of condoms as a branded, packaged consumer product. The company later became part of SSL International, extending Durex's corporate reach and international distribution. In 2010, Durex was acquired by Reckitt Benckiser, now known as Reckitt, and became part of that company's global consumer-health and hygiene portfolio. Durex's principal category is latex condoms, offered in multiple sizes, textures, lubrication levels and sensory formats. The wider portfolio has also included non-latex products such as Avanti, as well as regional product families including Sheik and Ramses in North America. Lubricants and sex toys broaden the brand from contraception and sexually transmitted infection prevention into a broader sexual-wellness proposition. Manufacturing and supply are international: the last factory producing Durex condoms in the United Kingdom ceased operation in 2007, after which production shifted to facilities and suppliers in countries including China, India and Thailand. Karex is among the companies reported to supply Durex products. Durex is positioned as a mainstream, quality-oriented and highly recognizable sexual-health brand. Its communications frequently combine safety messaging with humor, intimacy and culturally adapted social-media content. This approach is particularly visible in China, where condom use has historically been relatively limited and public discussion of sex has often been conservative. Durex has used indirect, playful messaging rather than relying only on explicit product advertising. Its Chinese social-media activity has included a Weibo presence dating from 2011 and cross-category promotional work with Trend Micro around shared ideas of protection, security and antivirus software. The brand has substantial international recognition and has been described as one of the world's best-selling condom brands. Reference material associated with the brand has reported an approximately 30 percent global market share, although the applicable measurement period and market definition are not specified here. In the United States, Durex was reported as the second-best-selling condom brand in 2006, behind Trojan. Durex also gained visibility through its provision of 150,000 free condoms to more than 10,000 athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, while not being an official Olympic sponsor. Today, Durex remains an active Reckitt brand serving multiple international markets through retail, pharmacy, e-commerce and other consumer-health channels.
History
Durex's roots lie in the London Rubber Company, established in 1915 in the United Kingdom. The company operated during a period when rubber technology, industrial production and packaged consumer goods were transforming the market for contraceptive products. Rather than remaining an anonymous commodity, condoms increasingly became associated with recognizable manufacturers and brand names. The Durex name appeared in 1929 and is traditionally explained through the words durability, reliability and excellence. The London Rubber Company did not begin manufacturing its own-brand condoms until 1932. Its early production work involved Lucian Lundau, a Polish rubber-technology student, and reflected the importance of technical knowledge in producing thin, elastic and dependable latex goods. Durex products were manufactured under the London Rubber Company and British Latex Products Ltd for decades. This manufacturing history established the brand's association with quality control, product consistency and mass-market availability. During the later twentieth century, Durex developed from a British brand into an international consumer name. The range expanded beyond basic condoms into different latex formats, lubricated and textured products, and regional lines. The brand also developed products intended for consumers seeking alternatives to latex, including the Avanti condom. In North America, product families such as Sheik and Ramses formed part of the broader Durex portfolio. Lubricants and, later, sex toys extended the proposition into sexual wellness rather than contraception alone. The ownership structure changed as the London Rubber Company became associated with SSL International. Durex subsequently entered a larger international consumer-goods group when Reckitt Benckiser acquired SSL International in 2010. Under Reckitt, the brand became part of a portfolio focused on health, hygiene and household consumer products, while retaining its own identity, packaging architecture and marketing voice. Manufacturing was also internationalized. In 2007, the last factory making Durex condoms in the United Kingdom closed, and production subsequently moved to China, India and Thailand. The brand's supply chain has included external manufacturers, among them Karex. This shift reflected the globalization of consumer-health manufacturing, although it also marked the end of Durex's long period of domestic condom production in Britain. Durex's marketing has been especially notable for its use of humor and culturally specific digital communication. In China, where condom use has historically been relatively low and sexual subjects may be approached cautiously in public advertising, Durex has favored subtle jokes, topical references and social-media engagement. Its Weibo activity began in 2011 and became a major part of the brand's Chinese communication approach. A collaboration with Trend Micro used the language of antivirus protection to create a cross-industry message about security. The brand has also used public events to increase awareness. During the 2012 London Olympics, Durex distributed 150,000 free condoms to more than 10,000 participating athletes. The initiative generated visibility while remaining distinct from official Olympic sponsorship. Durex is now an active global brand sold through many markets and channels, with condoms remaining its central category and lubricants and sex toys supporting its broader sexual-wellness positioning.
- 2012
London Olympics condom distribution
[1]Durex supplied 150,000 free condoms to athletes at the London Summer Olympics without being an official sponsor.
- 2010
Durex joined Reckitt Benckiser
[1]Reckitt Benckiser acquired SSL International, bringing Durex into its global consumer-health portfolio.
- 2007
Final United Kingdom Durex factory closed
[1]The last UK factory producing Durex condoms stopped manufacturing, after which production moved to other countries.
- 1932
Own-brand condom manufacturing began
[1]The London Rubber Company began manufacturing its own-brand condoms in cooperation with Lucian Lundau.
- 1929
Durex brand name introduced
[1]The Durex name was launched and became associated with durability, reliability and excellence.
- 1915
London Rubber Company formed
[1]The London Rubber Company was established in the United Kingdom, providing the corporate foundation from which Durex later developed.
Products and positioning
A mainstream global sexual-wellness brand emphasizing protection, reliability, product variety and approachable, often humorous communication.
Condoms
Durex latex condoms
The core Durex portfolio consists of latex condoms offered in multiple designs and use formats. The range has included standard, lubricated, textured, flavored and otherwise differentiated products, although the exact assortment varies by country. These products form the principal expression of Durex's protection, reliability and sexual-wellness positioning.
Non-latex condoms
Avanti
Avanti is a Durex-associated non-latex condom line. It broadens the brand's product offering beyond conventional latex and is intended for consumers seeking an alternative material. Availability and specific product specifications depend on market and regulatory approval.
Regional condom line
Sheik
Sheik is one of the regional condom brands or product families associated with Durex in North America. It illustrates the brand group's use of market-specific names and assortments rather than relying on a completely uniform global product architecture.
Regional condom line
Ramses
Ramses is a North American regional condom line associated with the wider Durex portfolio. Its inclusion reflects the brand's historical use of locally recognized product names within the broader international sexual-wellness business.
Personal lubricants
Durex lubricants
Durex sells personal lubricants as a complement to its condom range. The category supports the brand's broader sexual-wellness proposition and allows the company to address comfort and intimacy needs in addition to contraception and barrier protection.
Sexual-wellness accessories
Durex sex toys
Sex toys extend Durex into sexual-wellness accessories. They complement condoms and lubricants and position the brand across a wider set of intimate-health and pleasure-related occasions.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012London 2012 athlete condom distribution
United Kingdom · International sporting audience
Durex provided 150,000 free condoms for more than 10,000 athletes at the London Summer Olympics. The activity was a brand initiative rather than official Olympic sponsorship.
Outcome. The distribution generated international publicity for Durex's sexual-health positioning.
- 2011Durex China Weibo marketing
China
Durex used Sina Weibo as a central communications channel in China, combining topical humor and indirect references to sexual wellness. The approach was adapted to a market where public discussion of sex could be relatively conservative.
Outcome. The brand built a substantial social-media presence and established a distinctive digital voice in China.
- 2011Durex and Trend Micro antivirus collaboration
China
Durex partnered with Trend Micro on a cross-industry advertising concept built around the shared idea of antivirus protection and personal security.
Outcome. The collaboration created attention through an unusual pairing of sexual-health and information-security brands.
Brand decisions
2010
Acquire SSL InternationalM&ABackground
Durex was part of SSL International, the corporate group that had succeeded the earlier London Rubber Company structure.
Action taken
Reckitt Benckiser acquired SSL International, bringing Durex into its international consumer-health portfolio.
Aftermath
Durex continued as a distinct consumer brand within Reckitt's health, hygiene and household-goods businesses.
2007
Move Durex condom production outside the United KingdomStrategyBackground
Durex had a long manufacturing history in Britain, but the final UK factory producing its condoms ceased operations in 2007.
Action taken
Production was subsequently relocated to countries including China, India and Thailand, with the supply chain also involving external manufacturers.
Aftermath
The decision ended domestic UK production of Durex condoms and made the brand's manufacturing base more international.
Recent events
- 2024
Durex launches Guangzhou bus safety campaign using Cantonese wordplay[2]
Campaign
A Guangzhou outdoor campaign used Cantonese puns and safety-themed copy on buses to connect everyday travel language with Durex's protection positioning.
- 2017
Reckitt completes acquisition of Mead Johnson Nutrition[3]
M&A
Reckitt announced that regulatory approvals for its acquisition of Mead Johnson Nutrition had been obtained and that completion was scheduled for June 2017. The transaction expanded the parent company's health and nutrition portfolio; it did not represent a transaction involving Durex as a separate company.
- 2012
Durex supplied free condoms to athletes at the London 2012 Olympics[1]
Campaign
Durex provided 150,000 free condoms to more than 10,000 athletes competing at the London Summer Olympics. The brand was not an official Olympic sponsor.
- 2011
Durex expanded its Chinese social-media marketing[1]
Campaign
Durex began operating a Weibo account in China and used social-media-led, indirect and humorous communication to address sexual-wellness topics in a comparatively conservative market.
- 2011
Durex entered a cross-industry promotion with Trend Micro[1]
Campaign
The brand collaborated with antivirus-software company Trend Micro, linking digital security and sexual protection through a shared 'antivirus' theme.
- 2010
Reckitt Benckiser acquired Durex through the SSL International transaction[1]
M&A
Durex became part of Reckitt Benckiser after the company acquired SSL International, the corporate group that had previously owned the brand.
- 2007
Durex production shifted away from the United Kingdom[1]
Other
The last United Kingdom factory producing Durex condoms stopped manufacturing, with subsequent production moving to countries including China, India and Thailand.
Durex and HEYTEA campaign receives criticism and is revised[4]
Campaign · Other
A reported April 19 collaboration between Durex and HEYTEA attracted negative reactions online. The campaign copy was changed, and HEYTEA subsequently issued an apology stating that the original material was not intended to cause harm.
Sources4 sources
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