The Birkenstock brand traces its roots back to Johann Adam Birkenstock in 1774. He was listed in the church archives at the time as a "vassal and shoemaker" in the German village of Langen-Bergheim. His great-great-grandson Konrad Birkenstock created the first moulded insole a hundred years later, which copied the wearer´s foot. This was in contrast to the flat soles that were in general use at that time. Konrad managed to open his first two shops where he produced and sold his shoe insoles, still dedicated to other shoemakers and their products. The Birkenstock family also starts with education, lectures and courses on the impact of footwear on our health.
In 1925, a large factory is established in Friedberg. Customer demand is huge, production runs on day and night shifts. As from 1932 Carl Birkenstock started to do popular courses, where he trained thousands of specialists for his orthopaedic "Carl Birkenstock System" in just a few years. In 1963 he introduced the "Madrid" sandal, the first fitness sandal with a flexible, deep insole, to the shoemakers guild. These represent the cornerstone of today´s comfortable shoe market.
The shoes were designed so that the wearer had to hold his or her toes to keep the sandals on. This had the effect of toning the calf muscle, which was very useful for athletes, especially gymnasts.
The year 1973 represented for Birkenstock brand a development of an electromechanical shaping machine that could create all sizes and correct proportions in a smooth process. With this method any width, heel and forefoot surface may be modelled. This is where Birkenstock becomes a world leader.
Sandals made famous by Kate Moss
In 1988 the company attracted attention by starting to use eco-friendly adhesives. It became an example for other manufacturers. A few years later Birkenstock reduced the amount of energy used in production. The company, which represents dozens of small, non-profitable companies, groups together to form a concern with a better strategy. In the 1990s, it also becomes an object of interest among fashion lovers when Kate Moss, the top model wears Birkenstock sandals for a magazine photo shoot. In Britain, the German brand and its sandals were also made famous by Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress, who moved here from Hollywood to live with her husband.
Birkenstock also at Robelshoes.eu
Birkenstock footwear is designed with moulded insoles in the shoes to provide greater comfort. The curved foot beds are made of cork and rubber for durability and stability, and follow the shape of their wearer´s foot. Central production is still in Germany, but Birkenstock brand is sold in 90 countries worldwide in total.
At Robelshoes.eu we make sure that the shoes we bring you are not only beautiful and stylish, but also good for your feet. That´s why we´ve included colourful Birkenstock flip-flops and beach shoes in our selection for summer. They´ll be the perfect part of your summer adventures, whenever and wherever you put them on.
