Every pair of Birkenstocks passes through around fifty human hands as the individual components are stretched, snipped, sculpted, smoothed, set, glued and, eventually, transformed into functional footwear. Making a Birkenstock is meticulous work. No matter the model, it all begins with the footbed. This is made up of layers of carefully selected natural materials – jute, cork, latex and suede – which are then molded into an anatomical form that took decades of development to perfect, following orthopedic principles. From this starting block, the upper materials are attached, fastenings are fixed and outsoles secured.
Every pair of Birkenstocks passes through around fifty human hands as the individual components are stretched, snipped, sculpted, smoothed, set, glued and, eventually, transformed into functional footwear. Making a Birkenstock is meticulous work. No matter the model, it all begins with the footbed. This is made up of layers of carefully selected natural materials – jute, cork, latex and suede – which are then molded into an anatomical form that took decades of development to perfect, following orthopedic principles. From this starting block, the upper materials are attached, fastenings are fixed and outsoles secured.