In 1918, a French pharmacist invents a noise-reducing cotton-and-wax earplug for one of his customers. He then started a company called Quies, a Latin word meaning “quiet”, “calm”, or “rest”. Zoom Health offers the full range of Quies Earplugs, all kept in stock in our UK warehouse for quick distribution to wherever you are in the world!
All About Quies Earplugs
Quies has dedicated almost a century to the development of products that promote wellness. In 1918, the iconic “pink pearl” earplug was developed by Quies. Three years later, Quies earplugs were distributed and sold in a box decorated with a Sparrowhawk, a symbol of silence.
Quies continues to grow, with new products introduced every year.
1918
A pharmacist at a Paris pharmacy invents an earplug using cotton and wax to reduce noise. After hearing from the customer that earplugs were in high demand, the pharmacist decided to sell them at his pharmacy.
1921
The new earplugs are marketed and sold through a venture company. Quies, a Latin word meaning “quiet” or “calm”, was the company’s name at that time.
1930
Quies earplugs become widely popular. Winning numerous awards for health and safety at national expositions at the time:
- In 1922 First prize at the Marseille Pharmacy Expo
- Honorary Certificate at Mulhouse Pharmacy Expo in 1933
- Awarded an honorary certificate at the Pharmaceutical Products Expo in 1935
1940
Quies earplugs are still made by hand. Utilizing Bunsen-like burners, skilled workers roll wax into balls that are then covered with cotton wool. The aluminium package was temporarily replaced by cardboard boxes during World War II.
1960
Quies manufactures many millions of earplugs annually. But they’re not handmade anymore. The business begins to use mechanized manufacturing techniques, which have resulted in a significant improvement of production quality and speed.
The old cardboard box has been replaced by a white plastic one. The next 40 years will be accompanied by the brand’s use of the Sparrowhawk logo.
Quies also introduces its relaxation eye shade in this decade, helping to complete its line of sleep products for light sleepers.
1980
Quies becomes the biggest name in consumer wax earplugs. New formulations, waxes, and quality control processes are used.
The earplugs are made with custom-designed machines capable of providing even better quality. Quies earplugs have been certified to CEN (European Committee for Standardization) standard EN 352-2.
1998
Quies obtains its ISO 9001 certification for the first time in 1998. The certificate demonstrates that the company’s design, manufacturing, packaging, as well as sales and marketing processes conform to the highest international standards.
2008
Since the beginning of the decade, Quies has introduced new wellness-enhancing products such as:
The Quies Hearing Protection line now includes foam earplugs in fluorescent colours, flesh-coloured varieties. They also added silicone for swimmers, corded plugs for intermittent noise protection, individually packaged plugs for on-the-go use, and pressure-regulating plugs for travel.
Quies’ ear knowledge helps it design products including Otospoon dual-action earwax removal swabs, Doculyse earwax removal spray and Docuspray ear spray.
Quies further cements its “active wellness” positioning with the launch of the Flash Frais line of soothing eye masks.
Quies’ anti-snoring treatment consists of two new products: a spray and a lozenge, both backed by scientific research.
Today
Quies continues to develop new wellness-enhancing products for consumers. In the early 2000s, new ear, nose and throat products were released. Researchers at Quies are always working to produce new innovations.
Two new product lines were introduced in 2011. Quies Optik offers complete contact lens solutions that ensure comfort and ease of use. The second product is the Flash Frais skincare towelettes for minor burns, bug bites, and nettle stings.
Quies launched Médusyl dual-protection cream in 2012 to provide protection against both UV rays and jellyfish stings.
Quies is also diversifying its product assortment to better satisfy customer needs, offering a variety of new flavors, formats and colors. New nasal strips have been introduced to the company’s already existing anti-snoring product line, alongside the addition of swimmer’s ear bands to the Quies range of ear protection products.