Yes — significantly. A single pair of Happy Ears replaces hundreds of disposable foam earplugs over its lifetime. Foam earplugs are made from polyurethane, a petroleum-based plastic that does not biodegrade. Happy Ears Ocean Plastics are made from recovered ocean plastic, using the same low-profile oval shape we've sold over one million pairs of since 2010.

Post-consumer plastic recovered from the North Atlantic — collected from coastal environments and marine recovery programmes before it could break down into microplastics. The recovered plastic is processed, compounded and moulded into earplugs in Sweden.

The earplugs are not biodegradable — they're designed to last for hundreds of uses, which is precisely what makes them sustainable. Biodegradable earplugs would degrade during use and compromise comfort and noise protection. The packaging, however, is fully compostable and biodegradable.

Happy Ears Ocean Plastics are CE-certified at 27 dB SNR — the highest noise reduction rating of any reusable earplug. This is comparable to or better than most disposable foam earplugs (typically 20–33 dB). The difference is the oval shape and passive seal — many users find it more comfortable for sleeping and extended wear.

Yes. Ocean Plastics at 27 dB SNR are our best earplugs for sleeping and swimming. They come in Small, Medium and Large to ensure a proper fit for any ear canal size — and the Discovery Pack includes all three with a money-back guarantee.