How Are Condoms Made? Manufacture of Chinese ‘Safedom Condoms' (PHOTOS)

If you think condoms are a commodity of the modern age, then there is something that might astound you.

Surprisingly, the use of condoms can be traced back thousands of years to the B.C. era when ancient Egyptians used condom-like linen sheaths for protection.

According to Undercover Condoms, the first advertisement for condoms was published in an American newspaper in 1861 and the first latex condom was produced in 1880s.

The barrier device is not only a method of birth control that protects from unwanted pregnancies, but prevents the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases like Chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, genital herpes and syphilis.

One of the leading Chinese condom makers, Safedom, will launch its new range of condoms aimed at women consumers and is supposed to sell one billion this year.

The company has put out its 16-step condom production procedure with images.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker places condoms onto a packaging belt at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom's factory in the town of Zhaoyuan, located 100 km (62 miles) south of the city of Yantai, Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Safedom turned its back on the low-margin, guaranteed-business sales to the Chinese governments family planning program 11 months ago, and decided to shift to where the money is: the higher end of the general public market. Claiming to be the fourth-largest condom maker in China by revenue, after three foreign brands, they are hoping to sell one billion condoms this year with the launch of its Take Me condom, aimed at women consumers.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker places condoms onto a packaging belt at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom's factory in the town of Zhaoyuan, located 100 km (62 miles) south of the city of Yantai, Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker places condoms onto a production line at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom's factory in the town of Zhaoyuan, located 100 km (62 miles) south of the city of Yantai, Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker can be seen through a window preparing to remove condoms from a sterilizing machine at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom's factory in the town of Zhaoyuan, located 100 km (62 miles) south of the city of Yantai, Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker watches condoms on a production line at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom's factory in the town of Zhaoyuan, located 100 km (62 miles) south of the city of Yantai, Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. Researcher Wang Tingting gives a demonstration using coloured dyes that claims to show how Safedom's condoms prevent the transmission of the Hepatitis B virus at a factory in Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. Workers at the factory of Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom place condoms onto a production line belt at a factory in Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker watches as condoms are inflated and then burst in a testing room in the factory of Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom in Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker grabs a bundle of new packets as she places condoms onto a packaging belt at Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom's factory in Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker checks condoms as he removes them from a sterilising machine at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom factory in Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker removes condoms from a sterilising machine at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom factory in Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. Workers at the factory of Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom look at a production line belt at their factory in Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. An official looks through a window as workers remove condoms from a sterilising machine at the Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom factory in Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker at the factory of Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom places condoms onto a production line belt in the town of in Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. A worker at the factory of Chinese condom manufacturer Safedom watches a machine turn on the production line in the town of Zhaoyuan, 100 km (62 miles) south of Yantai, in Shandong Province Feb. 6, 2012.

Photo Credit: Reuters. Newly released boxes and tins containing condoms made by Chinese manufacturer Safedom, which are specifically aimed to attract female consumers, are seen in Beijing Feb. 13, 2012. Safedom turned its back on the low-margin, guaranteed-business sales to the Chinese government's family planning program 11 months ago, and decided to shift to where the money is: the higher end of the general public market. Claiming to be the fourth-largest condom maker in China by revenue, after three foreign brands, they are hoping to sell one billion condoms this year with the launch of its Take Me condom, aimed at women consumers.