The thinnest condom in the world is the Sagami Original 0.01, measuring just 0.018mm thick. That’s roughly five times thinner than a human hair. Its closest competitor, the Okamoto Zero One, sits in the 0.01mm range as measured across the entire condom from base to tip. Both are made in Japan from polyurethane rather than latex, which is the key reason they can be manufactured so thin.
The Two Thinnest Condoms Ever Made
Sagami and Okamoto, both Japanese manufacturers, have been in a long-running competition to produce the world’s thinnest condom. Sagami currently holds the edge. Its Original 0.01 measures 0.018mm at its thinnest point, a figure so small it’s difficult to conceptualize. For comparison, a standard latex condom is typically 0.06 to 0.07mm thick.
Okamoto’s Zero One uses proprietary technology to achieve uniform thinness in the 0.01mm range from the base all the way to the tip. The company confirms this measurement at three points along the condom (top, middle, and bottom) using methods specified by international testing standards. Both products are widely available in Japan and across Asia but are not FDA-cleared for sale in the United States.
Why Polyurethane Can Go Thinner Than Latex
The material makes all the difference. Latex, the traditional condom material, has a physical limit to how thin it can be stretched while still passing burst and pressure tests. Polyurethane is a flexible plastic that’s inherently stronger at thinner gauges, which is why every condom in the sub-0.03mm range is made from it. Polyisoprene, the synthetic alternative for people with latex allergies, actually tends to run thicker than standard latex.
Polyurethane also transfers heat more effectively than latex, which manufacturers promote as a sensation benefit. In a clinical trial comparing two polyurethane condoms against a thin latex condom, participants rated the ability to feel their partner’s body heat only slightly higher with polyurethane (4.5 to 4.6 out of 7 for men, versus 4.4 with latex). The difference exists but is modest enough that most people wouldn’t notice it as a dramatic change.
What You Can Actually Buy in the US
If you’re shopping in the United States, the ultra-thin options are limited by FDA clearance requirements. The Sagami 0.01 and Okamoto 0.01 are not sold through US retail channels. The thinnest FDA-cleared condoms currently available hover around 0.04mm. FAMA, for example, markets an FDA-cleared latex condom at 0.04mm, which it describes as 25% thinner than standard condoms.
Several major brands sell “ultra-thin” latex options in the 0.04 to 0.05mm range, including products from Trojan, Durex, and Lifestyles. These are significantly thicker than the Japanese polyurethane models but still noticeably thinner than a standard condom. If you want the absolute thinnest option available in the US, you’ll need to look at polyurethane models or imported products sold through online marketplaces, keeping in mind that imports may not carry FDA clearance.
Are Ultra-Thin Condoms Less Safe?
Thinner condoms do break and slip slightly more often than standard-thickness ones, but the rates remain low. A multi-center clinical study comparing two polyurethane condoms against a thin latex control found that total failure rates (breakage plus slippage combined) were higher for the polyurethane models. However, the researchers noted that all three condoms “performed extremely well with low failure rates compared to similar condom studies.”
One of the polyurethane condoms in that trial met the formal noninferiority standard set by ISO guidelines, meaning it was statistically close enough to the latex control to be considered equivalent. The other met that standard only when the analysis was limited to its intended population (men with penis lengths of 170mm or less), suggesting that fit matters as much as material thickness when it comes to preventing breakage.
International condom standards (ISO 4074) don’t set a minimum thickness. Instead, they require condoms to pass burst volume and pressure tests regardless of how thin they are. A condom can be 0.01mm thick and still meet safety requirements, as long as it can inflate to the required volume without rupturing. This is why polyurethane works at extreme thinness: it passes the same burst tests that thicker latex condoms do.
Choosing Based on Fit, Not Just Thickness
The thinnest condom available won’t improve sensation if it doesn’t fit properly. A condom that’s too tight increases breakage risk, and one that’s too loose is more likely to slip. The Sagami 0.01 comes in both standard and large sizes (58mm nominal width for the large), reflecting the fact that even at the extreme end of thinness, sizing still matters.
If increased sensation is your goal, proper fit combined with a thinner material will make a bigger difference than chasing the absolute lowest millimeter count. A well-fitting 0.04mm latex condom that’s FDA-cleared and widely available may deliver a better experience than an imported 0.01mm condom in the wrong size.