uvex
uvex: A Century of Protecting People
uvex has built its global reputation on a single, unwavering mission: protecting people. Founded in 1926 in Fürth, Germany, by Philipp M. Winter in a small optical workshop, the brand has grown into one of the world's leading specialists in personal protective equipment (PPE), covering everyone from industrial workers on the factory floor to elite athletes on the world stage. With nearly a century of innovation behind it, uvex today operates across 49 locations in 23 countries, with the majority of its manufacturing firmly rooted in Germany.
The uvex group is organized around three core pillars — the uvex safety group, the uvex sports group, and the Filtral group — each bringing specialized expertise under one cohesive brand identity. What sets uvex apart from many PPE manufacturers is its high degree of in-house manufacturing control. By overseeing key steps from design through production, uvex is able to test beyond standard regulatory requirements, refine materials and components, and ensure long-term performance across every product it makes.
From Eyewear Specialist to Full-Body PPE Leader
uvex began its journey as a protective eyewear specialist, and that heritage of optical expertise continues to define the brand's identity. Over the decades, the company expanded its product range to cover protection from head to toe — helmets, face protection shields, safety goggles, hearing protection including earmuffs and earplugs, gloves, safety footwear, and workwear. Each category reflects the same core philosophy: protection should never come at the expense of comfort, fit, or style.
A key strength of uvex is the cross-pollination of knowledge between its sports and safety divisions. The demands placed on equipment by professional athletes — precision engineering, lightweight construction, ergonomic fit — directly inform the development of industrial PPE. This synergy gives uvex a distinct edge in producing gear that workers will actually want to wear throughout a full shift.
Hearing Protection Built for the Workplace
Noise-induced hearing loss remains one of the most common occupational injuries, making quality hearing protection essential in many industries. uvex addresses this with a comprehensive lineup of earmuffs and earplugs. Standout products like the uvex K series earmuffs combine high noise-attenuation ratings with extra-soft memory foam ear cushions and low overall weight — engineered for comfort during extended wear. The innovative pheos K2P model even features a magnetic attachment system, allowing earmuffs to be disassembled and reattached in seconds without tools. For in-ear protection, uvex offers both disposable foam and washable TPE reusable earplugs, including detectable variants for use in food production environments.
Face and Eye Protection: Precision Engineering You Can See Through
uvex's legacy in optical protection is front and center in its face protection shields and safety goggles ranges. The uvex Bionic Face Shield, for instance, is widely recognized for its revolutionary ergonomic design, offering ANSI Z87.1 and CSA Z94.3 certified protection against impact, chemical splash, dust, and optical radiation. The modular uvex pheos faceguard system takes versatility further with a growing ecosystem of compatible accessories — including replaceable faceshield inserts — allowing users to configure protection for everything from chainsaw work to welding. uvex safety goggles are equally well-regarded, offering anti-fog coatings, UV protection, and award-winning ergonomic designs across a wide range of industrial and workshop applications.
Why Choose uvex?
- Nearly 100 years of PPE innovation and manufacturing expertise
- High in-house manufacturing control ensures rigorous quality at every stage
- Products tested beyond minimum regulatory and certification standards
- Unique cross-division knowledge transfer between sports and industrial safety teams
- Full head-to-toe PPE ecosystem with modular, compatible accessories
- Designs recognized in international competitions for both function and aesthetics