Owning and making a profitable investment in a good pair of footwear can be quite the task. First, one may need to go on a journey of finding what kind of footwear they require, be it Casual, Formal, Athletic, Industry-Specific and Specialized, Seasonal, or Cultural/Traditional Footwear. Secondly, you may need to figure out if the desired footwear style comes in your size or if the brand offers customization services. Thirdly, after choosing the right footwear in style, size, or customized preferences, one may need to try them on and walk a few steps to truly feel good and comfortable. A good pair of footwear for everyday adventures makes a nice investment if it is stylish, performance-effective, durable, long-lasting, affordable, requires low maintenance, and is comfortable. What is an even better investment in a good pair of footwear, is if the brand is transparent in communicating its sustainability initiatives in making the environment’s ecosystem and biodiversity a safe place for our present and future generations.
With eco-friendly environmental ingredients ethically and sustainably sourced to manufacture, produce, and distribute products, several footwear companies and brands today are leaning toward creating and delivering fashionable footwear making all three aspects of comfort, design, and sustainability important and possible in achieving high standards without forfeiting anything essential. The importance of bringing one of the main big industries that are massively polluting and contaminating our dear Earth, we strive to reduce the overall carbon footprint in the retail fashion and apparel industry together as manufacturers, consumers, and policymakers. Therefore, in line with acknowledging the importance of investing in a good pair of environmentally conscious footwear, this article will share insights on a retail apparel and fashion brand specializing in sustainable footwear called Allbirds. This article will also shed light on how the brand’s co-founders – Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger were inspired to deliver a footwear product line that “proves comfort, design, and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive.” Launched in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, CA, USA, Allbirds believes in building and leading a business that does more good to the Earth than making selfish wishes and raking in profits and is just all talk and no action. Elevating comfort, design, and sustainability, Allbirds is all set as a Certified B Corporation using premium natural materials of Merino Wool.
Mother Nature Inspired:
Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger – the co-founders of Allbirds started their journey together as a retail fashion and apparel brand specializing in sustainable, comfortable, designed footwear. It was initially just Tim Brown and his interests in the qualities and capabilities of Merino Wool. Wanting to use this sustainable and natural resource of Merino Wool in making efficient and performance-effective footwear, Tim began his research into why the footwear industry hadn’t come up with this idea and eco-friendly initiative yet. So, being an action-driven person, Tim partnered up with Joey Zwillinger a few years later, and in 2016 Allbirds was born. With a mission to provide the type of footwear that “proves comfort, design, and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive”, but that which is simple in design boosting confidence in wear-all-day comfort, breathable, and is sourced naturally from our mother nature. Eliminating synthetic and cheap footwear that has a high chance of contributing to rising foot concerns and problems in the long run, the footwear manufactured, produced, and distributed at Allbirds prioritizes and supports sustainability and environmentally friendly products by being a Certified B Corporation.
Allbirds’ Initiatives and Impacts:
Allbirds acknowledges that the fashion and apparel industry is one of the main industries that contribute to the 2.1 Billion tonnes of CO2 emissions generated yearly. Similar to pollution being generated from 456,707,817 cars yearly, it is a commonly known fact that such industries are powered by fossil fuels. Their love for the already depleting non-renewable resource to run anything from ingredient sourcing to product finishing and distribution, fossil fuels are used in massive quantities. At Allbirds, the natural FSC Certified materials that are used are Merino Wool sourced from New Zealand, Tree Fiber from Lyocell sourced from South African tree wood, Sugarcane sourced from Southern Brazil, and Trino(Tree + Merino). Other recycled materials used to make other footwear parts are recycled bottles and nylon. The enhanced Trino called TrinoXO is the first-ever apparel fabric produced from pure chitosan fiber and harvested from the discarded shells of snow crabs.
Allbirds has established a three-fundamental approach in the mission toward achieving a zero-emission goal by 2030. By measuring the brand’s total CO2 emissions, reducing the overall carbon footprint generated, and working hard to support the zero-emission goal in the atmosphere. With the strategy and approach to reduce the overall carbon footprint generated, Allbirds take to practicing Regenerative Agriculture, use of Renewable Materials, and adopting Responsible Energy consumption. With the approach to working hard in support of achieving a zero-emission goal by 2030 in the atmosphere, Allbirds provides its full support and participation in Carbon Projects.
The Commitments and Promises:
Not wanting to be a brand that is just all talks and no action, Allbirds agrees that “talk is cheap”. Striving to do their part in reversing adverse climatic changes around the world,
The brand addresses this and bridges the gap in trust and commitment, by completely focusing on the year 2025. Having made a fiver-year to-do list, Allbirds hands us – the consumers, their reins and allows us to hold them accountable for adherence to this deadline.
Allbirds’ Achievements So Far:
Regarding Allbirds’ achievements in their zero-emission and climatic changes sustainability plans, in 2018 Allbirds created the SweetFoam – a midsole foam created from carbon-negative and sugarcane-derived green EVA. In 2020, Allbirds became the first-ever fashion brand to label all of its products with carbon footprints. Later the following year in 2021, Allbirds partnered and collaborated with Adidas in innovation creating a 2.94kg CO2e shoe which was the world’s lowest carbon footprint at the time. Afterwards in 2023, the brand released M0.0NSHOT – The World’s First Net-Zero Carbon Shoe, at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Promising to be the brand that takes the giant leap across having the smallest carbon footprint generated in shoes for the shoe industry, Allbirds’ sustainability goals in the future of the footwear industry are indeed “Free For The Taking.”