One-use cotton buds could be a thing of the past thanks to a reusable ear cleaner

7 months ago

A crowdfunder for a reusable ear cleaner has smashed its target.

Eeears are made of silicone and can be washed and reused.

They were created by Sofiane Lozano and Karim Zaouai, who saw a gap in the market as France looks to ban the sale of cotton buds with plastic stems from 2020.

As the product is made with 100% medical silicone, it is completely safe for use on the human body and can be washed and reused, preventing potentially thousands of cotton buds ending up in landfills and oceans across the world.

Coincidentally, in the time the crowdfunder has been running, a picture of a seahorse holding a cotton bud went viral after it became a finalist in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

The distressing photograph showed how polluted seas are becoming and the threat the ocean and its inhabitants face from plastic waste.

Not only is the Eeears cleaner better for the environment than traditional cotton buds, it also claims to be a better ear cleaner.

According to the brand, the cleaner takes the wax and dirt with it as it leaves the ear, rather than pushing it in towards the ear drum.

The crowdfunding initiative, due to close on Saturday, has already raised seven times its funding target at €118,000 (£105,000) so far. The team hopes to ship Eeears to customers in December 2017.