50 Hands · Comfort Journal a0b4f8

Over the years, we’ve finessed the method, the materials and the models – not to mention expanded the team – but one key detail remains the same: Birkenstocks are still made with a combination of handcraft and bespoke machinery, much of which was developed by members of Birkenstock family. This is the magic at the heart of an iconic, beautiful design.

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.

Throughout the process, from raw materials to finished articles, each of our products is passed from one dedicated member of the team to the next, and the next, and the next, every step of the way until fifty human hands have worked together to create one pair of Birkenstocks.