• Mark Buxton
Welcome to the wonderful world of Birkenstock! From humble German origins to a global super brand, join us as we take a comfortable walk through its impressive 250-year history.
Discover where the Birkenstock shoe came from and how they became so famous in this deep dive into Birkenstock history.
Table of contents:
- Why is Birkenstock so famous?
- What is the history of Birkenstocks?
- Are Birkenstocks still made in Germany?
Why is Birkenstock so famous?
Even though Birkenstock has a rich heritage, the sandals didn't immediately make their way into mainstream fashion. It wasn't until the 1980s that fashion designers started using them in fashion shows and magazines.
The rise of Birkenstocks in the fashion world came in the 2000s; before that, the consensus among the fashion-conscious was that sandals were orthopaedic shoes. Fashion collaborators like supermodel Heidi Klum changed this opinion and became one of the first celebrities to help promote shoes.
Birkenstocks is one of the most famous footwear brands because of its shoe comfort, quality craftsmanship, and timeless designs. It creates lasting shoes using eco-friendly practices, and people recognise its benefits as a worthwhile investment.
What is the history of Birkenstocks?
Origins: 1774-1895
The Birkenstock dynasty had humble origins, rooted in a shoemaker's family trade in the countryside between Frankfurt and Leipzig. For over 100 years, the family's first, second, and third generations remained in the same village of Langen-Bergheim. Meanwhile, the women of the Birkenstock family also married into other shoemaking families, giving rise to a shoemaker dynasty.
Johannes Birkenstock traced these back to 1774 and documented them. The dynasty established a wide-ranging shoemaking trade but failed to reap any financial success.
From workshop to manufacturing: 1896-1945
In 1896, Konrad Birkenstock, the fourth generation of Birkenstock, left the countryside to set up a shoemaker's shop in Frankfurt. Konrad stepped away from the family's traditional shoemaking. Full of passion and enthusiasm, he focused on precision and inventing "healthy footwear." His endeavours culminated in his last three-dimensional invention in 1897 and flexible insole in 1902.
Konrad's three-dimensional last is the first time the human foot was mapped anatomically. It made distinctions between the left and right foot. It also acknowledges the anatomical shaping of the downward-facing sole, distinguishing it from other shoemakers' lasts.
Furthermore, insoles of the time did not support the foot arch and weren't flexible. So, Konrad used his new last to create an anatomically shaped insole in line with the "healthy footwear" ethos. Knonrad experimented with cardboard and leather to make it flexible and supportive. However, he increasingly used latex, tar and cork, becoming satisfied in 1912 with his combination.
1925
To produce his flexible insoles and solve financial difficulties, he relocated his workshop to Friedberg in 1915. He then started a machine-based manufacturing operation in 1920. In 1925, he registered the "footbed" trademark for his flexible insoles. He then expanded his machine production in a new production facility.
As the eldest son, Carl Birkenstock took over from his father and developed the "Birkenstock SYSTEM." The Carl Birkenstock system invited retailers and shoemakers to a training course so that they could sell the insoles.
1936-1943
He acquired his father's ideas about "healthy feet" and tried to patent an "ideal shoe" he created in 1936. However, it never underwent serious production. Because of the lack of raw materials during the Second World War, the insole production used substitute materials until 1943.
By this point, several Birkenstock family members had their own businesses. Similar to the First World War, sales of the Birkenstock flexible footbed spiked during WWII. They helped the soldier's foot pain from wearing uncomfortable boots over long periods.
The industrial era: 1946-1963
Carl Birkenstock successfully sold the "blue footbed" in the post-war era, striving towards his "ideal shoe" into the 1960s. However, he abandoned the project and turned to full-time orthopaedic studies.
Carl Birkenstock's son, Karl Birkenstock, joined the company in 1954. With his innovative and creative mind, he created the original Birkenstock sandals, commencing mass production in 1962. The original Birkenstock sandal, or "Madrid", has been on the market since 1979. These sandals featured the iconic "footbed" with the heel cup and toe grip, which are still used in every Birkenstock today.
Unfortunately, Karl did not succeed immediately because the unusual design did not follow current shoe style trends. He instead sent large quantities to physicians to promote foot health.
Birkenstock today: 1963-present day
Birkenstock's success came slowly but surely. It relied heavily on business partners who took it abroad, like Margot Fraser, who brought it to the United States.
Initially only worn in an orthopaedic/medical context, Birkenstock gradually spread into professional environments like the food service industry. They first gained popularity within subcultures worldwide in the 1970s, for example, the US reform and "hippie" movements. They weren't mainstream until the 1980s and 90s when Birkenstock UK, Italy, France, Japan, and Australia were established.
Karl didn't let slow sales results stump his creativity. Between 1964 and 1979, he created models like Zurich, Roma, Athens, Oslo, Noppy, Arizona sandals and Boston clogs. While the footbed remained the same, the upper design changed.
As early as 1983, the fashion world searched for authenticity and found it in the traditional Birkenstock brand. Birkenstocks appeared on high-fashion runways and in magazines, becoming a fashion item from 2000 onwards. Since then, the fashion world and celebrities have shaped the brand's perception.
Who owns Birkenstock?
2013 marked the birth of the Birkenstock Group, the first time management had left the family's hands. Oliver Reichert merged 38 individual enterprises into a group of companies with three divisions: production, distribution, and services. He also provided a corporate construction and global brand strategy. In 2021, a leading international investment company took over a majority stake in Birkenstock, together with the family and Bernard Arnault holding Financière Agache.
The Birkenstock group will celebrate 250 years of shoemaking history in 2024. Join us to celebrate the Birkenstock anniversary and see some of the Birkenstock models also celebrating their anniversary.
Are Birkenstocks still made in Germany?
Birkenstock has always been committed to its German manufacturing roots. But after German reunification, production expanded into Saxony, Görlitz, Bernstadt, Makersdof, and, since 2003, Passewalk. Birkenstock still stands for "made in Germany." Konrad Berkinstock's uncompromising promise of quality remains a key component of the company's philosophy to this day.
Birkenstocks at Daniel Footwear
We hope you've enjoyed learning about Birkenstock's rich heritage, including the family business's origins and crucial moments.
Browse our Birkenstock collection at Daniel Footwear today to take a small part of the impressive Birkenstock history home.
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