What makes a Birkenstock a Birkenstock?

Lots of features set Birkenstocks apart from other shoes. But it really comes down to one simple fact: Birkenstocks were designed specifically to accommodate the human foot. In fact, a Birkenstock is shaped like a healthy footprint. A foot in a Birkenstock is free to function the way a foot was meant to function. That's the key to keeping feet healthy and comfortable. The famous contoured footbed was designed to recreate the experience of walking barefoot on a gently yielding surface. It's no wonder feet are happier in Birkenstocks.

Classic Footbed Construction EVA - flexible, durable, lightweight and shock-absorbing. The footbed is shaped like a healthy footprint to guide your foot into its most natural walking position. The cork footbed is encased in jute. The bottom layer adds strength and makes the shoe easy to resole. The top layer wicks moisture away from your feet. Raised toe bar encourages the natural gripping motion of your feet, exercising your legs and improving circulation. When it comes to comfort, feet don't need cushioning, they need support -- backs are the same way. That's why doctors recommend a firm mattress. Our footbed's firm, resilient cork/latex surface gives your feet the support they need to walk farther without fatigue. Soft, supple suede lines the footbed to keep your feet comfortable and dry.

Deep heel cup cradles and stabilizes your heel and keeps the heel's natural padding directly under the heel bone so it can absorb shock, as nature intended.

The footbed's curves mirror the arch structure of your feet, ensuring proper support and even weight distribution.

Birkenstock Materials

Birkenstock footwear is assembled from the finest materials available. This means that each pair will provide maximum wear and comfort for years to come.

Cork
Only the lightest, premium-quality cork is used for our footbeds. We use cork because it's lightweight, resilient and shock absorbent. It's also a renewable resource. It comes from the bark of cork oak trees which grow in Spain and Portugal. The bark is peeled by hand. This, by the way, doesn't harm the tree. It simply grows more cork bark, which can be reharvested every 7 years. Most of the harvested bark is cut into corks, bottle stoppers or ground up and made into Birkenstock contoured footbeds.

Leathers
Birkenstock uses the highest quality leather available. We start with 3mm-thick hides, the thickest in the shoe industry, and dye them all the way through for color that lasts.

Smooth All shoes denoted simply as "leather" have this classic smooth finish.	Silky Suede A suede that has a light polyurethane coating applied to the outer surface. Helps to make it more stain resistant and resilient.	Suede This soft, thick, napped leather from select hides is exceptionally comfortable.
Nubuck Leather is buffed until it's soft and velvety.	Memphis A smooth leather in reverse. Brushed leather on the outside and a smooth surface inside.	Waxy A waxy finish applied to buffed leather results in this fashionably distressed look.
Synthetics Birko-Flor™ is our alternative to leather. Soft, flexible and breathable, it requires no break-in time. It's also easier to care for and less expensive than leather.
Smooth Birko-Flor™ Wipes clean with a damp cloth. Notable for the way it takes to intricate textures and patterns.	Birkibuc A synthetic version of nubuck. Made from soft felt fibers, it has a very convincing texture.