Allbirds is changing the landscape of sustainable footwear by taking every step of the process into consideration. The journey of the brand began when founder, Tim Brown, became curious as to why merino wool, being such a resilient, sustainable material, was yet to be used in the footwear industry. Together with a team of engineers and renewables experts, they crafted a revolutionary natural wool fabric made specifically for footwear. Allbirds is proudly B Corp certified, meaning the environment is at the core of everything they do, from the recycled packaging to the insoles and laces of the shoes. The other main aspect Allbirds value is comfort, each style is unbelievably comfortable, it feels like you’re walking on a cloud!
Allbirds shoes come in a range of different styles using two main materials which are equally as sustainable and comfortable. Their breathable, lightweight ‘Tree’ style is made from TENCEL Lyocell which is sourced from South African farms that minimize fertilizer and rely on rainfall. Compared to traditional materials like cotton, it uses 95% less water and cuts the carbon footprint in half. The ‘Wool’ style which is made from Merino Wool trimmed from sheep in New Zealand, uses 60% less energy than materials used in typical synthetic shoes. All the styles use SweetFoam soles which are made from sugarcane, a renewable source that grows quickly, removing carbon from the air in the process. The laces are manufactured using Sugar Zeffer straps made from recycled plastic bottles and the eyelets are created out of unique microorganisms that consume plant sugars.
As well as this, Allbirds is going carbon neutral in 2019, meaning for every tonne of carbon they emit as a business, from the sheep on the farms to the lightbulbs in their headquarters, they’ll pay to take a tonne of carbon out of the atmosphere. They even take things a step further by investing in environmentally projects such as capturing potent methane from landfills and livestock operations, building new solar plants and wind farms around the world to replace coal and utilising the natural ability of plants and soil to take carbon dioxide out of the air, then using it to produce nutrients and oxygen through photosynthesis.
If like us, you’re making sustainable switches where you can, Allbirds need to be added to your wish list. Check out their shop in Covent Garden to see how comfortable they are for yourself, perfect for those days where you are constantly on your feet.
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