Hearing a persistent beep after a festival weekend or going out is not exactly the afterparty you had in mind. Yet, almost half of all Belgians experience it. More than that: 45% think it is normal. The need to raise awareness about wearing earplugs is still high, as a new study conducted by Loop Earplugs* shows. That is why this Belgian earplug brand and Tomorrowland are joining forces for the second year in a row with co-branded earplugs.
While going out or at festivals, we want to feel the music in every fibre of our body. And loud volumes are just a part of the experience. Or, that is the case for no less than 60 per cent of Belgians. In new research conducted by Belgian business Loop Earplugs, they said not to mind loud music while partying. "That is not incomprehensible," explains audiologist Karen Stalpaert. "On a physiological level, people are aroused by loud music. It is also said to have the power to create a sense of belonging in a large group of people. However, this is obviously not without risk, first of all in terms of hearing damage. Not to mention that the music experience after hearing damage is never the same as before. So, do you want to keep hearing and experiencing music as the artist intended it? Then protecting your hearing is a must."
Unfortunately, only 7% of the Belgians questioned always wear hearing protection. In Flanders (37%), earplugs are generally worn more often compared to Wallonia (20%) and Brussels (20%). It is a particular problem among 15 to 25 year olds. 52% of them have no idea where to buy quality earplugs. 63% have no idea what makes earplugs efficient while going out.
UNCOMPROMISED MUSIC EXPERIENCE
To address the lack of knowledge about quality earplugs, Loop Earplugs and Tomorrowland are joining forces for the second year in a row. Both on the festival site and with the Loop booth in the Dreamville, as well as with new special edition Loop x Tomorrowland Experience earplugs, they want to prove that an optimal festival and music experience can also be safe, without putting your hearing at risk. Because 50% of Belgians do not proactively wear earplugs when they go out.
"This collaboration with Tomorrowland brings us another step closer to breaking the taboo about wearing hearing protection. Wearing Loops should in fact become as normal as wearing sunglasses. We want to prove to the People of Tomorrow that wearing Loops is no barrier to enjoying life and music to the full." - Dimitri O, Loop co-founder
While the stigma of wearing earplugs seems to have faded somewhat in the last two years, quite a lot of prejudices still need to be tackled. For example, 60% of 15 to 25 year olds say earplugs have a negative impact on their music experience. 45% of Belgians questioned describe earplugs as ugly and not sexy. 39% do admit they would wear earplugs more often if it could be bought from a 'cool' brand. Enter Loop Earplugs.
MAGIC AND TECHNOLOGY
Loop and Tomorrowland are setting their sights on breaking the taboo on wearing hearing protection for the second time this summer. Unmatched coolness factor? Check. Elegant design? Check. Comfortable? Check. Perfect sound quality? Double check. The Loop x Tomorrowland Experience earplugs have it all. Besides, the design immerses you all the way into the 2023 festival theme.
Adscendo captures the magic and wonder of Tomorrowland’s 'Great Library'. The stories, experiences, adventures and music that are part of the festival's history are visually captured. This also translates to the special edition earplugs. Think: subtle references to rare parchment, ink, books finished in gold. This combined with Loop Earplugs' ingenious technology where sound waves enter through an acoustic channel, filter and membrane. This attenuates all frequencies equally to 18dB, making us experience sound the same way, only below the limit that could cause hearing damage.
The partnership is part of Love Tomorrow, Tomorrowland’s platform dedicated to sustainability, health and environment at the festival and far beyond. The organisation works closely with Loop Earplugs to raise awareness about hearing damage. Almost half of Belgians experience ringing in the ears after going out. 45% think this is normal. Audiologist Karen Stalpaert: "It is indeed common, but this is not a normal phenomenon and certainly not harmless. Because the ringing disappears each time, it is not considered an alarm signal. But when it happens, tinnitus is a sign of your ear being overloaded. Hearing is in fact (temporarily) impaired. Your body will do everything it can to repair this damage. This usually succeeds, but in case of frequent exposure to loud noise levels, the damage adds up, causing permanent damage over time."
Loop and Tomorrowland want to counter the idea that this is normal. The mindshift started last year, with the 'People of Tomorrow'. "And with success," says co-founder Maarten Bodewes. "We reached an audience who, like Dimitri and I, live for music, who don't want to compromise on sound quality but want to avoid ringing in their ears the next day (and long after that)."
Loop x Tomorrowland Experience earplugs (€29.95/ USD 34.95) will be available from 20/6/2023 in Obsidian Ink and Gold Leaf colours via loopearplugs.com and during festival weekends 21-23 July and 28-30 July.
*Appears from research by Loop Earplugs together with Qualtrics. Survey was conducted on a sample of 1,092 respondents.
About Loop Earplugs
Loop is a Belgian scale-up which aims to give people more control over their ambient noise with reusable and customisable earplugs: 'Live life at your volume'. Maarten Bodewes (37) and Dimitri O (37) from Antwerp founded the company in 2016. The New York Times crowned Loop 'the best earplugs for concerts'. Loop's explosive growth has translated into 4 million earplugs sold around the world, with the US as the largest market, and customers in over 150 other countries. Currently, the Loop team consists of more than 160 FTE, the majority working in Antwerp and others in hubs in Amsterdam, New York and Shanghai.
All Loop products have been extensively tested by the respective authorities and are officially certified as hearing protection. This according to the European Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Act. More info: www.loopearplugs.com
About TOMORROWLAND
Tomorrowland was first organised in 2005 and has since grown into one of the most popular and iconic music festivals in the world. The festival is organised every summer at the beautiful recreational estate De Schorre in Boom, Belgium. The fairytale and magical setting includes 15 stages and last year welcomed more than 600,000 People of Tomorrow. The 17th edition of Tomorrowland in 2023 will take place from July 21 to July 23. And from 28 July to 30 July. More info: www.tomorrowland.com 
Loop x Tomorrowland Experience - Gold Leaf.
Loop x Tomorrowland Experience - Obsidian Ink.