Across the world people love shoes. Men and women in almost every country have been swept into the industry worth 80 billion dollars worldwide- footwear. It’s become a major limb of the fashion market and continues to explode. In particular sports shoes have become some of the most expensive and sought after luxuries due to decades of expert marketing and billions of dollars in sponsorship deals. But with this high level of demand came an unhealthy appetite for consuming mountains of trainers to keep up with the latest trends being dictated by enormous corporations. Something not at the forefront of the average sneakerhead thought process as they drool over the latest/limited edition/vintage – take your pick – shoes; is what are they made of? And what effect does the material choice have on your carbon, wait for it, footprint?
Two men who think about those two questions everyday are Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger. The New Zealander, Tim Brown, first had the idea to make woollen shoes in 2014 and by 2016 the two co-founders launched Allbirds and raised $7.25 million in investments. The San Francisco based company have gone global and was valued at a staggering $1.4 billion at the end of 2018. Impressive growth doesn’t always go hand-in-hand with great design but Allbirds have managed it and deserve a post on this blog. Leisurewear and sports shoes moved away from uncomfortable leather decades ago and into the world of synthetics. Allbirds broke that mould and decided to focus their brand and its values on using natural materials in sustainable ways to produce comfortable shoes. This sounds like a sales pitch from their website and, whilst it could be, it’s not. I can confirm after trying on a pair in their London store my next pair of trainers had to be a pair of Allbirds’ Wool Runners. The soft wool is temperature regulating and they feel so light and cushioning on your feet. Now, after a couple months of wearing them, I can say with confidence they’re the favourite pair of trainers I have ever owned.
They were first inspired to use merino wool, one of New Zealand’s most famous products, in shoes to produce a moisture-wicking, breathable and comfortable shoe. Their choice to use natural materials continues in all areas of their products. The laces are manufactured from recycled plastic bottles, castor bean oil in the insoles reduces the need for artificial plastics and their packaging is made from 90% recycled cardboard. This fresh approach to shoe design from two men with no experience in the industry has shaken up the widely considered norm but their innovation doesn’t stop there. The next shoe to be released came as a result of another natural material centred design process, this time botanically based. The biodegradable tree fibre TENCEL uses 95% less water than traditional cotton and has a much smaller environmental impact in its production and after its life as a product. They used this material to manufacture the Tree Runner and Tree Topper models as a lighter, airier alternative to the original Wool Runner. Allbirds also started utilising bio-TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) to manufacture the eyelets; a high performance bio-plastic instead of wasteful traditional plastics.
Since their first two brand defining products they have increased the breadth of design and colour options but refuse to accept they have uncovered all of nature’s hidden materials. Flip flops for decades have been disposable items manufactured from petrochemicals that are difficult to dispose of. Allbirds’ latest endeavour has been to capitalise on one of the world’s most sustainable crops to produce a carbon negative flip flop; from sugarcane. Their new SweetFoam is produced from processed sugarcanes in a self-sufficient cycle that is powered from the waste biomass. This is another example of Allbirds using natural materials to consciously change an industry standard which has become outdated. This active approach to curving the impact the footwear industry has on the environment is inspiring. Most importantly their products don’t compromise quality, functionality or comfort and always deliver desirability. This is a growing trend for eco-friendly alternatives to be improvements on traditional products rather than second rate. However, it takes true innovation to redefine perceptions and produce truly great design. This is something, I think, Allbirds have achieved.
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