Allbirds

Allbirds is an American footwear company founded in 2014 by Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger with the goal of creating comfortable shoes with a lower environmental impact. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California and operates a direct‑to‑consumer e‑commerce channel in addition to retail partnerships.

The product line began with a single wool sneaker, the Wool Runners, and has since expanded to include a range of running shoes, flats, boots, and apparel. Allbirds is best known for its use of natural materials such as merino wool, eucalyptus tree fiber, and sugarcane‑derived EVA foam. The brand claims that its footwear is produced with a significantly lower carbon footprint than many conventional sneakers, and it publishes a sustainability report that details raw‑material sourcing, manufacturing processes, and environmental metrics.

Allbirds has grown rapidly; sales reached over $100 million in 2021 and the company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker AB.io since 2021. The firm has also expanded internationally, selling in over 40 countries. It has received recognition from sustainable fashion organizations and has been featured on lists of eco‑friendly companies in the United States.

Criticism has focused on the company’s carbon‑offset program, with some observers arguing that offsets may not fully compensate for the lifecycle emissions of the products. Despite these concerns, Allbirds continues to emphasize transparency in sourcing and remains a prominent example of a consumer‑facing brand that seeks to combine design, performance, and environmental responsibility.