Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 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

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
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
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
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
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×