1971
Adam & Eve Was Born
Not many college students turn their homework into a multimillion-dollar business, but that’s exactly what Phil Harvey did.
It Started with Condoms
As a graduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill, Phil came up with a radical idea for his master’s thesis – selling mail-order condoms in the US and using those funds to finance family planning programs in developing countries via a non-profit. Phil believed more people would use condoms if they could buy them easily and discreetly via the mail. Phil along with Dr. Tim Black started Adam & Eve to test this thesis.
Adam & Eve once made a hot air balloon shaped like a condom. We’ve flown the balloon around the United States, Canada, and Europe, so keep an eye out for it!
1973
First Catalog Mailed
Phil placed condom ads in college newspapers nationwide and quickly became swamped with orders. To meet the growing demand, he created a catalog offering sex toys, lingerie, and condoms.
America’s 1st Mail-Order
Sex Toy Company
Adam & Eve catalogs started appearing in mailboxes all over the country. It was the first time many people had ever seen sex toys. And now they could buy them from their couch!
We’ve shipped over 56 million orders… and counting! That’s an order for every other household in America!
That’s enough lube to fill 21,094 bathtubs
1989
Philanthropy & Education Take Center Stage
Philanthropy has been a major part of Adam & Eve since the very beginning. As sex toy and condom sales grew, Phil wanted to give back even more by expanding donations and creating educational programs.
He founded nonprofit DKT International to help provide access to safe and reliable birth control in high-need communities around the world.
On top of his charity work, Phil also launched several educational programs about condoms and sex. He emphasized that sex was perfectly natural, normal, and healthy. His sex-positive message helped jumpstart today’s sexual wellness movement.
of our profits are donated every year.
That adds up to millions and millions of dollars over 50 years, supporting everything from local animal shelters, cancer research and other causes to make the world a better place… one condom at a time.
If you turn them all on at once, you’d get a 4.2 earthquake!
1992
Supreme Court Settlement
Adam & Eve vs. The U.S. Government
Phil’s success attracted some critical eyes at the U.S. Justice Department. Politically focused prosecutors launched cases against adult companies nationwide, including Adam & Eve.
While others gave up in the face of mounting legal bills and bureaucratic red tape, Phil fought back. He sued the Justice Department in the U.S. Supreme Court for violating the First Amendment and the right to marital privacy.
In the end, it was the Justice Department who backed down. By standing his ground in the face of overwhelming odds, Phil successfully defended your rights to free speech and privacy. His battle allowed you to continue buying adult products as well as condoms through the mail – helping pave the way for online commerce as well as AdamEve.com just a few years later.
