It’s true what they say: “Time flies”.
At Fleshlight, however, it’s safe to say that time travels at lightning speed!
Although it’s hard to believe, this year we’re already celebrating 25 years as a company.
We’re extremely proud and enormously grateful to all of our amazing customers, employees, and collaborators who have helped us to succeed along the way.
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Fleshlight was established in 1995 and quickly became the top-selling pleasure product brand for men. We’re owned and operated by Steve and Kathy Shubin and have multiple production and distribution facilities located throughout the world.
In today’s post, we’re going to dive a bit deeper into the history of the company so that you, our cherished customer, learn a bit more about how we’ve arrived at where we are today.
The Fleshlight Origin Story
In the beginning, there was Steve – one man on a mission to revolutionize the male sex toy industry.
At 40, Steve had recently left the police force, married his wife Kathy, and had transitioned into the world of business and entrepreneurship, operating a power-washing company in Los Angeles, California.
When Kathy became pregnant with twins, their gynecologist explained to them that they'd need to stop having sex for the duration of the pregnancy due to her age.
It was here that Steve asked his wife the question that would lead to him becoming a millionaire and pioneer in the sex toy industry:
“What would you think if, in your sexual absence, I used some sort of device?”
After giving it some thought, Kathy agreed, provided that it was “tasteful, well-made, not gaudy, not cheap, and not insulting to humans.”
At the time, there wasn’t anything on the market that fit Kathy’s requirement, so he got to work on making his own product that fit the bill.
With an initial investment of $50,000, Steve sought to design and manufacture the best full-sized sex doll on the market. Along with the help of his family and a few Hollywood effects artists, they set out to bring his vision to life.
Finally, after thousands of dollars and hours upon hours of tireless work, Steve had something to show for his work: a life-size sex doll.
However, when he tried to share it with a close friend for review, his offer was rejected. He wanted something far more discreet, and that’s when Steve realized that his creation might be more difficult to sell to the average joe than he thought.
It was at this moment when the light clicked and the concept for Fleshlight was born.
The device needed to be compact, portable, and most importantly, discreet; but also something that any guy might have in his closet – something like a flashlight.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Today, Fleshlight’s line of adult toys is vast and includes:
- Fleshlight Classics
- Fleshlight Girls
- Stamina Training Unit
- Flight
- Turbo
- GO
- FleshJack
- And much more!
To stay up to date with all things Fleshlight, make sure to follow us on social media at Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok. Or simply subscribe to our weekly newsletter where we connect you with today’s hottest stars and our newest product launches.
Thank you for supporting Fleshlight. Here's to another 25 years!