who invented earmuffs

Chester Greenwood, a 15‑year‑old from Farmington, Maine, is credited with inventing thermal earmuffs in 1873 and later patenting his “improved ear- mufflers” in 1877.

Quick Scoop: Who invented earmuffs?

• Thermal earmuffs were invented by Chester Greenwood in Farmington, Maine, when he was just 15 years old in 1873.

• He reportedly got the idea while ice skating; his ears were freezing and normal hats and scarves weren’t helping enough.

• Greenwood asked his grandmother to sew fur onto wire loops that fit over his ears, creating the first practical ear protectors.

• In 1877 he received a U.S. patent for “improved ear-mufflers” (ear protectors) and began manufacturing them locally.

• His factory in Farmington produced earmuffs for decades, eventually making hundreds of thousands of pairs a year and providing long-term employment in the town.

• Maine later honored him with “Chester Greenwood Day,” celebrated annually since 1977 to commemorate his invention and its impact.

Little historical twist

Some historians note that Greenwood’s patent was technically for an improvement to ear protectors, not the very first idea of covering ears, but his design, business, and publicity cemented him in popular history as “the inventor of earmuffs.”

TL;DR: When people ask “who invented earmuffs,” the widely accepted answer is Chester Greenwood, a teen from Maine who turned cold ears on an ice rink into a patented product and a thriving winter-wear business.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.