Earplugs Market Size, By Material (Silicone, Custom Molded, Foam, Flanged), By Application (Sleeping, Noise Reduction, Swimming, Travel), By End-Use (Construction, Commercial, Forestry, Military, Mining, Manufacturing, Healthcare), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Landscape & Forecast, 2021 – 2027

Industry Trends

Earplugs Market size was valued at around USD 928.3 million in 2020 and is estimated to witness over 5.4% CAGR from 2021 to 2027.
 

Earplugs are worn by the person in ear canal to protect ears from loud noises, intrusion of foreign bodies, water, excessive wind or dust. The earplugs decrease the noise level, and are often used in the manufacturing, construction and mining industry to help prevent hearing loss and tinnitus.
 

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Proliferating construction activities to augment the use of earplugs owing to the exposure to higher noise levels from machinery and equipment at the construction site. In 2020, the construction expenditure in the U.S. exceeded at USD 1.4 trillion, with residential construction accounting for approximately 43% of the overall spending.
 

Construction and mining workers excessively require a noise protection equipment while operating with really loud machinery such as jackhammers, drillers, compressors, and generators, among others. Frequent exposure to noise larger than 70 dB can cause hearing loss and many jobs in the field of construction including roofing, home, material handling, road, building and others, require workers to operate machinery or equipment constantly over 75 decibels. Increasing usage of noise protection equipment in the construction and mining sector to solve the hearing loss problems, will drive the earplugs market growth.
 

Most common work-related illness in the mining industry is the hearing loss. The big drilling machines, the reverberation off the mine walls and close proximity to loud machines are the key factors affecting the miners hearing. As per NIOSH, by the age of 60, approximately three-fourth of miners experience hearing impairment owing to exposure to noise. The use of earplugs can help reduce to 25 - 30 dB NNR without comprising the noise of warning signals or backup alarms. Many manufacturers are developing on-flammable, hypoallergenic silicon blend earplugs, since laborers have to work on extreme environments, and disposable foam earplugs swell when they come in contact with water or perspiration. Positive outlook for mining industry will spur the product usage in the coming years.
 

On the other hand, availability of product substitute coupled with lack of consumer awareness might hinder the earplugs market expansion during the forecast timeframe. Ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has substantially influenced the product demand across the world. Temporary shutdown of manufacturing facilities, limited workforce, restrictions on mobility of people, etc. are some of the preventive measures adopted by many countries across the globe to restrict the pandemic. It has negatively impacted the output as well as supply chain across the major industries, which in turn has hindered the product demand.
 

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Foam will be the preferred material

Foam material segment dominated more than 75% of the earplugs market share in 2020. Foam earplugs are lighter and softer and have a tapered shape. They fit easily in the ear canal and seal gently & snugly without pressure, making them a good choice for sleeping and traveling applications. Foam earplugs are disposable, and their slow-recovery foam offers extreme comfort and outstanding noise reduction against loud noise. Ease of availability, low prices and comfort & noise reduction advantages associated with foam earplugs will bolster their demand over the coming years.
 

Noise control will be the most popular application

Noise reduction application in the earplugs market is projected to reach USD 950 million by 2027. Earplugs are used as a noise reduction device in various end-use industries such as construction, mining, and military. Earplugs solve hearing problems caused by construction machinery and firearms. Many government authorities have mandated the use of noise reduction devices in workplaces where NRR ratings are higher than 85 dB, which is likely to provide significant opportunities for the industry.
 

Manufacturing sector to bank upon high noise generation

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Earplugs market for manufacturing end-use segment accounted for over USD 345 million in 2020. Large number of people working in the manufacturing sector suffer from hearing loss. The manufacturing atmospheres naturally expose laborers to large noise throughout the entire work shift. Most of the manufacturing machines operate at 100 dB or louder and continuous exposure will cause hearing loss over time, due to which employees have to wear earplugs while working.
 

North America will be the leading market

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North America earplugs market will showcase growth rate of around 4.5% till 2027. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), nearly 22 million people in the U.S. are exposed to harmful noise in the workplace. The rising awareness about noise pollution hazards accompanied by rapid technological advancements across North America will foster the earplugs consumption. Moreover, positive outlook for the regional manufacturing and mining industry coupled with increasing expenditure on construction and military is likely to positively impel the regional workforce and will increase the product consumption in the coming years.
 

Industry players undergoing product portfolio expansion to boost their foothold

The earplugs market players use several aggressive strategies such as new product development to fuel their competitive edge in the industry. Some key companies operating in the market are Allens Industrial Products, Honeywell International Inc., Etymotic Research, Inc., Hearos; Magid Glove & Safety Manufacturing Company LLC, Moldex-Metric AG & Co. KG, Noise Busters Direct, OHROPAX, 3M; Uvex Group, Radians Custom, Liberty Glove & Safety, Living Stones Biz, Speedo International Limited.
 

The earplugs market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of volume in Million Units and revenue in USD Million from 2017 to 2027 for the following segments:

Market, by Material

• Silicone
• Custom molded
• Foam
• Flanged

Market, by Application

• Sleeping
• Noise reduction
• Swimming
• Travel
• Others

Market, by End-user

• Construction
• Consumer
• Forestry
• Military
• Mining
• Manufacturing
• Healthcare
• Others

The above information is provided on a regional and country basis for the following:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Netherlands
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • South Korea
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
  • Peru
  • Columbia
• Middle East & Africa
  • South Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE