The Judging Process

Criteria

At SXWA, we believe in fostering innovation, creativity, and impact in the field of intimate wellness.

Here's what our judges will be looking for:

  • We value creativity as a catalyst for change and innovation. Submissions that demonstrate originality, outside-the-box thinking, and novel approaches to addressing challenges in the wellness industry will be highly regarded.

  • We're interested in the real-world impact of your work. Judges will evaluate the outcomes of your efforts, looking for evidence of meaningful change, positive influence, and measurable results. Feel free to include testimonials, social performance indicatiors, sales figures, and other indicators of impact.

  • We value submissions that demonstrate a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals in their journey towards sexual wellness.

  • We understand that the wellness industry is evolving rapidly, and meaningful change doesn't always fit neatly into predefined categories. We welcome submissions that challenge the status quo, promote diversity and inclusion, and push the boundaries of what's possible. Don’t fit neatly in a category? Send us an email and we can further advise you.

  • Safety first. We recognize brands that use body-safe, non-toxic, and high-quality materials to ensure their products meet the highest standards for intimate wellness

Timeline

  • Early Bird Discount: June 21 - August 1, 2026

    General Entries: August 2 - October 2, 2026

    Sample Send-outs: Early October

  • October & November 2026. Our judges review all submissions and prepare a list of finalists. These finalists are then submitted for final grading where they can win bronze, silver or gold from the judges, and are also eligible for our Community Choice award which opens up polling to the public.

  • All finalists announced December 2, 2026 + votes open for Community Choice Award

    Final Winners Announced January 12, 2027

FAQs

  • Score media recognition, enhance your credibility with our winners’ badge, get your products in the hands of experts and our influential judges, celebrate your hard work, boost morale for your team & stakeholders & much more. Check out the full benefits outlined here.

  • We keep our categories and criteria broad for a reason, to foster innovation and creative approaches in a space that desperately needs it. So far we’ve had brands submit everything from maternity swimsuits to perinatal training tools, LGBTQ+ designed sex toys, sexual education podcasts & more. Still confused? Send us a note on the contact page.

  • Yes please. We want to hear about changemakers in the industry. Confused about the right category? Shoot us a note here.

  • Our awards program celebrates excellence across a range of categories, while also embracing out-of-the-box submissions that challenge traditional norms and drive positive change. Send our team a note here & we will see if we can find the right solution or category for you.

  • On our submit page you will find all of our categories listed. We’ve made our submission as straightforward as possible. You can always reach out with more questions via our contact page here.

  • Yes. Our standard entry fee is $299 per product, with an early bird discount of $100 off if you submit before August 2.

    This fee helps us cover the operational costs of running an independent, expert-led program each year, and a portion of proceeds is donated to nonprofit organizations working in sexual health and wellness.

    We also offer reduced pricing for two important categories: the Accessibility Award and the Gender-Affirming Care Award. These are just $99 to enter, as we want to actively encourage innovation and inclusion in these often-overlooked areas.

  • Judging and timeline details are available on this page here.

  • Don’t fret, our team will be in touch with mailing details as we get closer to our judging period in October.

  • No sweat! Send us a note through the contact page. Please note we currently don’t facilitate returns and cannot process refunds. More on that here.

  • We get this question a lot—and the short answer is: it depends on the platform, but you shouldn’t have to censor yourself.

    At The Sexual Wellness Awards, we proudly use the full word “sexual” wherever possible. It’s part of our mission to normalize the conversation and reduce stigma. That said, we’re also realistic: platforms like Instagram and TikTok have inconsistent moderation policies that often unfairly target content related to sexual health and wellness.

    To support you, we offer two versions of our award badge:

    • One with the full “Sexual Wellness Awards” name (recommended for websites, media, and print)

    • One with a more social-media-friendly version (“S*xual Wellness Awards”) for brands concerned about shadowbanning or content suppression on certain platforms.

    Whether you’re bolding the full word or opting for a workaround, we’re behind you—and the industry is stronger when we speak up together.

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