MarBlue’s Foam Headphones For Children

Designed for children as young as three, HeadFoams, from US tech accessories company MarBlue, are the first headphones to be created with an all-foam mono-body design. The unusual material means the headphones are bendable and almost indestructible.

The body is made from a single piece of non-toxic EVA foam and negates the need for moving parts and complex mechanisms that could trap small fingers. The soft, child-friendly material – the same used in synthetic wine corks – allows them to be twisted and bent without breaking.

Available in bold tones of purple, orange and blue, the flexible headphones can stretch to fit most children as they grow; clip-on extension cushions are available for younger wearers. To allay parents' concerns, the headphones feature an output limiter, so sound cannot exceed 85 decibels.

As children become more tech-savvy, consumer electronics designed specifically for their needs will be a growing market for innovation – see The Business of Parenting and Gen Z: Tech Titans for more on this emerging potential.

For similar experimental approaches to vivid colour and unconventional materials, see Curious Tactility and the A/W 15-16 Design Direction Intervene.