Earplugs you can't be ashamed of: Welove Sleep recognised as the best design of 2025

Earplugs have honestly never been considered a point of pride. More often than not, it's a piece of silicone from the drugstore that gets lost in your backpack and irritates your ear. But three guys - Gilbert Ho, Zhifeng Fang, Ann Zhang from Welove Creations - decided that they'd had enough and made earplugs so that they're now winning international awards. Their Welove Sleep have won the Red Dot Design Award 2025, one of the most prestigious awards in the design world.

From household trivia to Red Dot

The story began with tinnitus and chronic sleep deprivation. The authors of the product confess: ordinary earplugs were uncomfortable, irritating and did not save from noise. After 450 days of experimentation, they came up with a model that follows the shape of the ear, doesn't interfere with sleep and still provides up to 18dB of noise protection.

What's special

The main focus isn't just ergonomics. The UV-disinfected case kills 99.9 per cent of bacteria - and that's part of the "trick" too. So the earplugs don't just muffle sounds, they don't turn into a breeding ground for germs. The jury recognised this balance: comfort + practicality + a look that's not ashamed to show off.

Welove Earplugs are now on display at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen. The irony is that an item that is usually hidden deep in the ear is now on display next to designer furniture and electronics.

Why it matters

Earplugs are no longer a disposable accessory "in case the neighbours have a hammer drill". It's a product that simultaneously cares about health, solves a real problem, and still looks like a modern design object.

Source: Red Dot