London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 08, 2025

The sex toy manufacturer making NHS 'ear savers'

"Our 3D printer is usually making prototypes of sex toys, not things that could be helping the NHS on the frontline," says William Garland.

William and his co-founder Andrew Crichton set up CMG Leisure in 2013.

The firm typically produces up to 1,500 of its Doxy wand vibrators each week, sold on well-known websites such as Ann Summers or Lovehoney.

It's now also turning out 100 "ear savers" for key workers every day. The plastic product loops around the back of the head to relieve pressure on the ears caused by wearing face masks for long periods of time.

"When the scale of the pandemic became clear, we asked ourselves: what could we do to help with the product we've got?" says William.

"But we didn't want to be flippant about it or cause offence by sending out the Doxy wands we usually sell as a gift.

"Then one of our team saw a call-out on social media for extra ear savers, which even included a design which we could do with our 3D printer."

The firm has since donated ear savers to NHS departments across the country, including the neonatal intensive care and accident and emergency units at its nearest Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, as well as several care homes.

The Cornwall-based firm is one of many quirky companies that has decided to step in to provide medical gear during the coronavirus pandemic.


PPE shortages

Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves and gowns helps stop the spread of Covid-19 and saves lives. But NHS workers are concerned about supplies, and many have been buying their own or relying on donations.

The government recently said that it had supplied more than a billion items of PPE since the coronavirus outbreak began. However, delivering gowns in particular has proven difficult.

The Fashion School, a small business which offers workshops and design courses, is now on a mission to produce 750 surgical gowns a day.

Its director, Caroline Gration, would usually be putting on a class on Alexander McQueen or arranging a fashion "takeover" at department store Selfridges for her students.

But since the London firm was contacted by the Royal Brompton Hospital, everything has changed.

"If someone told us three months ago we would drop everything to organise mass production of a garment in a synthetic material, and get applauded for it, I wouldn't have believed it," says Caroline.

It now has two sanitised workspaces, one at the Royal Brompton, and another at the Royal Free Hospital where Caroline's daughter is a doctor.

A team of volunteer machinists and cutters work seven days a week, from fashion designers and stylists to families and students

"Many come from the fashion industry and may have lost their jobs, while others have been self-isolating on their own for weeks without anyone to talk to," Caroline says.

Strict protocols are followed where the absorbent surgical gowns are made from operating theatre drapes.

PPE worn during the highest-risk situations are typically single use, unless they can be decontaminated. With sustainability a big focus for Caroline's small firm, she hopes that it might one day be able to use medically-certified fabric which can be washed and reused.

Fluid-resistant surgical masks are also recommended for those working with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 patients, in addition to gloves, aprons and eye protection.

The British and Swiss luxury watchmaker Larsson & Jennings initially committed to donating 20,000 disposable masks during the pandemic.

It now allows customers to either donate cash or buy masks in bulk from its website at cost, having seen huge demand. The firm then ships them directly to frontline workers as requested.

That could increase even further, with Labour urging the government to stockpile masks in case official advice on wearing them changes.

Co-founder Andrew Jennings told the BBC that its dust-free watch assembly lines in China are an ideal environment for producing PPE. Larsson & Jennings has now donated more than 30,000 masks in total.

"We have seen many heartbreaking stories of those affected by the lack of PPE, so I'm just pleased that we are in the fortunate position that we can help out," Andrew says.

These are just some of the smaller companies stepping up to provide critical PPE to NHS workers during the coronavirus crisis.

The Royal Mint, for example, has also swapped commemorative coins for protective visors, while carmaker Aston Martin is contributing surgical gowns too.

Each one has faced different challenges while pivoting from its usual focus to making medical equipment. Drawing on the expertise of its staff has been crucial.

As Caroline says: "It's a real team effort, and there is lots of laughter and positivity in every room.

"There is still music playing, and socially-distanced dancing!"

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
×