Gijs Nijhof On How Pluggerz Provides “Hearing Protection For All” & Easier In-Air Experiences
A brand from Comfoor B.V. from Doetinchem, Netherlands, the Pluggerz brand provides itself in providing “hearing protection for all.” Pluggerz is known for producing reusable, situation-specific earplugs that reduce volume without losing clarity for experience and overall health. In other words, Pluggerz lets you enjoy your given surroundings without much compromise on comfort.
I had the pleasure of doing Q&A with Gijs Nijhof — the Business Unit Manager Retail at Comfoor B.V. — over e-mail about the past, present and future of Pluggerz. More English-language content about Pluggerz can be found online at www.pluggerz.com/en or via @YourEarsWillLoveUs on Instagram.
Pluggerz is known to provide “hearing protection for all.” What do you feel separates Pluggerz from other hearing protection-related brands?
Gijs Nijhof: Pluggerz earplugs have different filters for each situation. With years of knowledge and development we have developed the ideal filters for each situation. High quality is in our DNA. The universal Pluggerz can be used over 100 times and are made of anti-allergic silicon material.
Can your sleep-centric products be used for concert-related activities? Or does someone have to purchase a bunch of different Pluggerz products to get the right protection?
Gijs Nijhof: You can use Pluggerz Sleep for concert-related activities. However, for the best music quality we do prefer our special Music earplugs. The filters of both earplugs work in a similar way: they reduce the higher — read: more harmful — frequencies a little more than the middle and lower frequencies. While Pluggerz Music attenuate sound with 22 decibels, Pluggerz Sleep attenuate sound with 27 decibels, which is a bit high for concerts.
Do you have a favorite of the Pluggerz items available?
Gijs Nijhof: Yes, I always wear our Travel earplugs in the plane because of the pain I get otherwise when the plane takes off or lands. The filter makes sure the pressure is regulated. Therefore my ears have more time to adapt to the pressure difference, making traveling by plane more comfortable. I also use the Sleep earplugs when I stay in a hotel that is louder than I’m used to.
Are more products currently in development? Any new brand developments you can talk about?
Gijs Nijhof: We are always developing and have a special department for this. They spend a lot of time perfecting our current products and creating new solutions. We currently do not have a new product coming up in the near-future.
When not busy with Pluggerz, how do you like to spend your free time?
Gijs Nijhof: I love to ride my road race bike and mountain bike. Traveling used to be a hobby as well, but since I have small kids now, I don’t travel as much as before. They are my big free-time-spenders now and I love every minute of it!
As a music-centric publication, I feel compelled to ask: What was the last concert you attended for fun?
Gijs Nijhof: This was a big festival nearby my house called the Zwarte Cross. It started out as a motocross festival, but nowadays there are more than 220.000 visitors and lots of bands or DJ’s. It is every year in the summer.
Have you always worn earplugs to concerts? Or did you start to do that as an adult?
Gijs Nijhof: No, I did not when I was young but now I do. The filters inside makes me be able to communicate with other people and therefore I see no reason for me not to use it.
Finally, Gijs, any last words for the kids?
Gijs Nijhof: Start with protecting your ears from harmful noises to enjoy music, sounds and life as long as possible. When your ears are damaged it is irreversible. Most hearing damage does not occur from one day to the other but sneaks in and often is noticed too late.
About the Author
Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
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