The IVPS is the German association of companies and organisations which produce or supply personal protective equipment. The IVPS has its headquarters in Berlin, Germany. The association was founded in 1992 and now consists of 25 members, with approximately 100 associated companies. With their products, these companies cover all sections of personal protective equipment.

According to its statutes, the function of the IVPS is to coordinate and promote the common interests of the members in the standardization process.

It is the goal of the IVPS to keep its members informed, to attend to their professional interests facing national legislative authorities as well as those of the European Community, and to cooperate and exchange views and experiences with domestic and foreign trade institutions being active in the field of personal protective equipment as well as with domestic government authorities, institutions and associations. The IVPS does not intend to substitute existing organisations or groups, but intends to look after such topics, especially of economic and competitive nature, for which so far there has been no organisation or group to represent the interests of the whole trade of producers of personal protective equipment.