Durex Protectives condom

Condoms like this example were not a popular method for New Zealand men in the first half of the 20th century. Condoms sold in New Zealand were imported from the northern hemisphere. They were prone to holes and sometimes perished during the long sea voyage through the tropics. Safety standards were introduced in the 1970s and condoms became more reliable.

Plain packaging
During this period, condoms were sold in small amounts in plain, discrete packaging at chemists' shops.

Durex
The Durex brand was introduced by the London Rubber Company in 1929. ‘Durex’ stands for ‘durability, reliability and excellence’. Some of Durex’s innovations have included electronic testing and lubricated condoms in the 1950s, anatomically-shaped condoms in the 1960s, and spermicide-protected condoms in the 1970s.