Polyurethane vs Natural Rubber Latex Condoms: What Is Different
By the OOBiz product information team. Reviewed on November 8, 2026.
This page covers the Okamoto and Sagami boxes we sell: which are polyurethane and which are natural rubber latex, how each maker states thickness, what the CDC says about lubricants and latex, and what randomized trials found about breakage. They are Japanese retail boxes imported from Japan. Sources are listed at the end with the date we checked them.
The short answer
- Material is set by the maker and printed on the box. Okamoto 002 and Sagami Original 002 are polyurethane and are not made with natural rubber latex. Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid is made with natural rubber latex.
- Oil-based products and latex. The CDC states that oil-based lubricants, such as petroleum jelly or body lotions, can weaken latex and break the condom.
- Breakage in trials. A Cochrane analysis of randomized trials found higher clinical breakage rates for the non-latex condoms it studied than for their latex comparison condoms, and still called them an acceptable alternative for people whose allergies or preferences might prevent consistent use of latex condoms.
- Allergy. If you have a latex allergy, or think you might, ask your doctor which condom to use.
Which boxes are polyurethane and which are latex
| Box | Versions on our store | Material, as the maker states it | Wording on the box or maker's page | Thickness, as the maker states it | Source and date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okamoto 002 | Regular, L (large), Real Fit, Rich Lubricant | Water-based polyurethane; not made with natural rubber latex | 水系ポリウレタン | 0.02 mm class (maker's measurement) | okamoto-condoms.net 002 product pages; checked November 7, 2026; box text read September 22, 2026 |
| Sagami Original 002 | Regular, L (large) | Polyurethane; not made with natural rubber latex | ポリウレタン | 0.02 mm (maker's measurement); 24 microns stated as the maker's standard | sagami-shop.com Original 002 page; checked November 7, 2026; box text read September 22, 2026 |
| Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid | Hyaluronic Acid | Natural rubber latex | 天然ゴムラテックス | 0.03 mm class (maker's measurement) | okamoto-condoms.net 003 Hyaluronic Acid page; checked November 7, 2026; box text read September 22, 2026 |
Okamoto 002 and Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid are Okamoto Industries, Inc. products. Sagami Original 002 is a brand of Sagami Rubber Industries Co., Ltd., a Japanese company. Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid contains natural rubber latex, which may cause allergic reactions.
"Non-latex" is not one material. Cochrane describes non-latex male condoms as made of polyurethane film or synthetic elastomers. For other boxes on our store, check the material on the product page and the box.
Other Okamoto and Sagami boxes on our store. Okamoto 001 (Standard, L, Rich Lubricant, L Rich Lubricant) is water-based polyurethane (水系ポリウレタン). Sagami Original 001 (Regular, L) is polyurethane (ポリウレタン). The other Okamoto 003 versions we sell (Standard, Aloe, Real Fit, L, 3 Colors) and Okamoto GROOVE are natural rubber latex (天然ゴムラテックス).
Thickness is a separate fact
Each maker states thickness as its own measurement. Okamoto prints "0.02ミリ台" on the 002 boxes and "0.03ミリ台" on the 003 Hyaluronic Acid box, meaning the 0.02 mm or 0.03 mm range. Sagami prints 0.02 mm for Original 002 and gives 24 microns (0.024 mm) as its standard thickness. We list these figures as stated and do not rank condoms by thickness or by material. For what 002 and 003 mean on these boxes, see Okamoto 002, Okamoto 003 and Sagami Original 002: what the numbers on the box mean.
Lubricants
The CDC page Condom Use: An Overview advises using water-based lubricants. It states that oil-based lubricants, such as petroleum jelly or body lotions, can weaken latex and break the condom. That applies to Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid and to any other latex condom.
The CDC page does not discuss polyurethane condoms, and the Okamoto 002 and Sagami Original 002 box text we read does not say which added lubricants can be used with them. We make no compatibility statement for these boxes; follow the leaflet inside.
The lubricant already on the condom is described by the makers. Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid uses a water-based lubricant with hyaluronic acid, and Okamoto states that it contains parabens. The Okamoto 002 and Sagami Original 002 boxes state that the condoms are lubricated but do not name the base.
Breakage and slippage: what the trials found
The main evidence we found is a Cochrane analysis of randomized trials, Nonlatex versus latex male condoms for contraception, by Gallo, Grimes, Lopez and Schulz (Cochrane, 2006; DOI 10.1002/14651858.CD003550.pub2). It compared male condoms made of polyurethane film or synthetic elastomers with latex condoms.
- Breakage. The non-latex condoms had higher rates of clinical breakage than the latex condoms they were compared with. In Cochrane's abstract, the Peto odds ratios for clinical breakage range from 2.64 to 4.95 across the comparisons.
- Slippage. The analysis also set out to compare slippage. The abstract does not give an overall slippage result, so we do not state one.
- Conclusion. The authors concluded that the non-latex condoms still provide an acceptable alternative for people whose allergies or preferences might prevent consistent use of latex condoms. They also wrote that how well non-latex condoms prevent pregnancy needs more research.
- Which products. The condoms named in the abstract are the eZ·on, Avanti and Standard Tactylon. The abstract does not name the Okamoto or Sagami boxes on this page; its results describe the condoms that were tested.
If you have a latex allergy
Of the boxes on this page, only Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid is made with natural rubber latex. If you have a latex allergy, or think you might, talk to your doctor before choosing a condom. This page is not medical advice.
Where to find these boxes
- Okamoto 002 Regular: box of 6, box of 12
- Okamoto 002 L (large): box of 12
- Okamoto 002 Real Fit: box of 6
- Okamoto 002 Rich Lubricant: box of 6
- Sagami Original 002 Regular: box of 5, box of 10, box of 20
- Sagami Original 002 L (large): box of 10
- Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid: box of 10
For sizes, see Japanese condom sizes: diameter, flat width and length.
We ship from the United States. Many of our products, including condoms, may not be available for delivery outside the United States; if checkout does not offer a shipping option for your address, we cannot ship there. Processing and delivery details are on our Shipping Policy page.
Common questions
Is Okamoto 002 latex or polyurethane?
Polyurethane. Okamoto lists the material as water-based polyurethane (水系ポリウレタン). It is not made with natural rubber latex.
Is Sagami Original 002 latex-free?
Sagami Original 002 is made from polyurethane. It is not made with natural rubber latex.
Does Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid contain latex?
Yes. Okamoto lists the material as natural rubber latex (天然ゴムラテックス). Natural rubber latex may cause allergic reactions.
Can I use an oil-based lubricant with a latex condom?
The CDC states that oil-based lubricants, such as petroleum jelly or body lotions, can weaken latex and break the condom, and it advises using water-based lubricants.
Do polyurethane condoms break more often than latex condoms?
In the randomized trials analyzed by Cochrane, the non-latex condoms studied had higher clinical breakage rates than the latex condoms they were compared with. The abstract does not name the Okamoto or Sagami boxes on this page.
Related guides
- Okamoto 001 vs 002 vs 003: What Is Different
- Okamoto 003 Hyaluronic Acid: What the Box Says
- OLO Condoms: Material, Country of Origin and What the Box Numbers Mean
Sources
- Okamoto, ZERO-TWO Standard 12 product page: https://okamoto-condoms.net/okamoto002/okamoto002-12/ (checked November 7, 2026)
- Okamoto, ZERO-TWO L size 6 product page: https://okamoto-condoms.net/okamoto002/okamoto002-l-6/ (checked November 7, 2026)
- Okamoto, ZERO-TWO Real Fit 6 product page: https://okamoto-condoms.net/okamoto002/okamoto002-realfit-6/ (checked November 7, 2026)
- Okamoto, ZERO ZERO THREE Hyaluronic Acid 10 product page: https://okamoto-condoms.net/003/003-hyaluronicacid-10/ (checked November 7, 2026)
- Sagami official shop, Sagami Original 002, 5 pieces: https://www.sagami-shop.com/SHOP/MC0059.html (checked November 7, 2026)
- Okamoto, ZERO-ONE 3 product page: https://okamoto-condoms.net/okamoto001/okamoto001-3/ (checked November 7, 2026)
- Sagami official shop, Sagami Original 001 and Original 001 L: https://www.sagami-shop.com/SHOP/MC0070.html and https://www.sagami-shop.com/SHOP/MC0071.html (checked November 7, 2026)
- Box text read by the OOBiz product information team from the makers' published box images, including Okamoto 002 Rich Lubricant and Sagami Original 002 L (September 22, 2026)
- CDC, Condom Use: An Overview: https://www.cdc.gov/condom-use/index.html (page dated January 19, 2024; checked October 15, 2026)
- Gallo MF, Grimes DA, Lopez LM, Schulz KF. Nonlatex versus latex male condoms for contraception. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;(1):CD003550. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003550.pub2 (published January 25, 2006; trial search December 2012; abstract read at https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD003550_nonlatex-compared-latex-male-condoms-birth-control; checked October 15, 2026)
Condoms reduce, but do not eliminate, the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Read and follow the package instructions. Do not use a damaged or expired product.
Brand names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. OOBiz (OOBIZ LLC), based in Syosset, New York, is an independent reseller and is not affiliated with Okamoto Industries, Inc. or Sagami Rubber Industries Co., Ltd.