What Are Earmuffs?

by Clara Maxwell

Overview

Even snowmen wear earmuffs today.

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In 1873, 15-year-old Chester Greenwood of Farmington, Maine, tired of suffering cold ears in the icy northern winter, invented the first pair of earmuffs. In 1877, he opened a small factory in his home town. In 1936, the year before his death, the factory produced 400,000 earmuffs.
Description

The first earmuffs consisted of circles made of beaver fur lined with velvet and sewn by Greenwood's grandmother onto a wire loop frame.

Improvements in Design

Experimentation led Greenwood to attach the earmuffs to a flexible spring-steel band that could be coiled to fit in a pocket.
Contemporary Earmuffs

Earmuffs are sold in a wide variety of fabrics, colors and styles. L.L. Bean sells a model that is very close to Greenwood's original earmuffs.
Other Functions

Greenwood's basic earmuff design has also been adapted to serve as the basis for audio and sound-blocking electronic headsets.
Fun Fact

According to The Washington Post, in 2007, Maine held a parade and festivities to celebrate Chester Greenwood, his invention and 130 years of warm ears.