Allbirds Shoe Brand Launches in Canada
New Zealander Tim Brown (pictured left) and American Joey Zwillinger, Allbirds founders, chatted with Postmedia News about launching their wool-focused footwear brand in Canada, what their footwear brand is all about – and why comfort and sustainability is possible in the footwear space.
“Allbirds is a shoe company that uses premium, natural materials to create unrivalled comfort, all with a minimal aesthetic. We toil in our labs to create better shoes in a better way and are on a mission to prove that comfort, design and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive,” Zwillinger says.
“At Allbirds, we’re always trying to find new uses for materials that naturally exist right in front of us, rather than relying on cheap synthetics like other footwear companies,” he says. “As a New Zealander, Tim saw the opportunity to create a textile from wool given the surplus of the material around him, and so for our original product we worked with one of the world’s finest textile mills outside of Milan to create a utilitarian and mindful material. The Wool collection uses ZQ-certified merino wool to deliver plush comfort, whereas the Tree collection utilises FSC-certified eucalyptus fibres to provide a silky feel against the skin, with a breathable knit so you can dominate a hot Toronto summer day sans socks.
“With Canada so close to our home in San Francisco, it felt natural to offer our neighbours of the north Allbirds. We thought the wool would resonate well with Canadians given its warming properties and we know Canadians will get behind our commitment to protecting our environment.
“We also have a limited-edition Canadian colour-way which available exclusively on our site that has an embroidered maple leaf to celebrate our launch in the market.”
Original article by Aleesha Harris, The Province, April 17, 2018
Photo by Cody Pickens.
