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!

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!

That’s enough lube to fill 21,094 bathtubs

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.

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!

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.

The explosive growth of the Internet and more open attitudes toward sex made adult toys and condoms more popular than ever. Adam & Eve started expanding overseas and opening retail stores across the country.

Phil increasingly turned his attention to goodwill efforts and community outreach. Adam & Eve routinely donates to animal shelters, cancer research, community groups and social causes. We sponsor blood drives, deliver food to the needy, build Habitat houses, pick up trash by the road and give away condoms by the truckload.

All that hard work led to Phil as well as Adam & Eve winning numerous awards. In 2006, Phil won the prestigious Humanitarian Award from American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) for his “outstanding contributions to the promotion of civil, sexual and human rights.”  

Adam & Eve Today

With a rapidly growing mobile site and our very own line of sex toys, Adam & Eve today looks a lot different than 50 years ago.

But our core mission – helping people have happier & healthier sex lives – remains the same. We still provide our customers with sex-positive products, discreet shipping and passionate service along with information about sexual health and wellness. We donate to a wide variety of charities, including the Special Olympics, children’s hospitals, disaster relief, and others. And we continue fighting for your rights to free speech and privacy.

We’re working hard to bring that same dedication and energy abroad with rapidly growing business ventures in China, a sister company in Australia, and a retail store in Peru to name a few. Some of our most popular products overseas aren’t vibes or lingerie but – you guessed it – condoms.