Browsing Tag

birkenstock

Eco Friendly fashion

Birkenstock’s 250 year focus on sustainable materials

Birkenstock shoe, sole, manufacturing process, environmentally friendly, sustainable materials

Celebrating 250 years of this iconic shoe, the focus for Birkenstock is becoming more and more about the environment and manufacturing their creations sustainably.

Dating back to 1774, every Birkenstock footbed is made of natural cork, natural latex, jute and suede, which is used as the top layer.

Birkenstock shoe, sole, manufacturing process, environmentally friendly, sustainable materials

BIRKENSTOCK AND SUSTAINABILITY

The brand uses the highest-quality leather, working with textile materials, such as high-quality wool felt, made from pure merino wool. For those customers looking for animal-free products, there is our proprietary synthetic material Birko-Flor®.

Birkenstock shoe, sole, manufacturing process, environmentally friendly, sustainable materials

RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN

A high proportion of the natural materials that Birkenstock uses are from sustainable sources: cork, natural latex, jute, leather and wool felt are among their most important materials.

One of the main raw materials used is cork – a natural and sustainable product that boasts high elasticity, outstanding cushioning, and excellent heat and sound insulation. It is comprised of dead thin-walled cells that have been filled with air. The cork layer is reproduced and can therefore be harvested again and again without harming the tree.

A single tree can provide 100 to 200 kilograms of cork during its life. To ensure that the cork is hygienically clean, the bark that has been removed is cooked thoroughly in tanks. It is then cut into strips that will be used to punch the bottle corks.Natural cork oak forests only exist in the western Mediterranean basin. The majority of the cork processed by Birkenstock comes from southern Portugal, the world’s largest raw cork-exporting region. Natural and planted cork oak forests in Portugal cover a total of some 750,000 hectares – about 8% of the total surface area of the country.

Birkenstock shoe, sole, manufacturing process, environmentally friendly, sustainable materials

Then there’s jute, which provides additional stabilization of the cork and latex core in the original Birkenstock footbed. In addition, the plant fibers improve the moisture-regulating properties of the footbed. Jute is a renewable resource as well.

Natural latex serves as the natural binding agent in the production of the footbed. Like cork, natural latex is also a renewable resource. Natural latex is obtained from the resin of rubber trees.

fashion

The Biggest Beach Trends from International Fashion Weeks

Now that summer’s officially over, we can sit back and think about the things that were the trendiest on the beach, and we can definitely try to speculate about the things that will be huge next summer. Seeing fashion runways being transformed into beaches and checking out all the amazing outfits and combinations out there gives us many ideas about the way we want to look next summer. Let’s take a quick look at the most important beach trends this year, that will definitely make an appearance come the next one as well:

Photo by Ana Pavlyuk on Unsplash

Photo by Ana Pavlyuk on Unsplash


1. Swimwear
According to Funkshion (Fashion Week Miami Beach) – the simpler the swimming suit, the better. Having a swimming suit that’s not of a pastel colour was kind of unpopular this year, since the rocking colours were beige, navy blue and white. Things won’t change in the following year either – Issa di Mar’s and Liliana Montoya’s swim collection for the following year also incorporate these colours, with both the one-piece retro and the classic two-piece swimming suit being pulled off, but with a twist. Don’t be surprised if you see someone wearing a two-piece corset-like swimming suit, it’s so much in.

Photo by Jessica Bristow on Unsplash

Photo by Jessica Bristow on Unsplash


2. Bags
Woven beach bags have made a comeback this year – and we’re not only talking about the beach. If you have seen a girl rocking one to and from work, she might have been a fashion guru. Taking the very elegant Eugenia Kim Flavia or any bag from Frances Valentine to the beach will surely catch everyone’s attention. Moreover, light, woven backpacks were also dominant on the sandy beaches, and it’s definitely a trend that will be very popular in the following year, as well.


3. Accessories
You can never go to the beach without being properly accessorized. Having good-quality sunglasses, nice, summer-inspired necklaces and bracelets is something that never goes out of style. According to Elle, one of the most important accessories this year were printed kaftans and cover-ups. If you happened to choose one that’s cheerful and elegant, going without any extra accessories was totally forgivable. Moreover, choosing a nice summer-themed phone case, and nice foot-bracelets can also do the trick.


4. Shoes and tops
A girl can never spend too much money on shoes, and the ones for the beach also count. Having good footwear and combining it well with the outfit you’ve chosen for that day is totally an eye-catcher. Long tees that you wear as a dress (preferably a single-coloured one with motivational quotes) were very big this year, so mind these during the summer of 2018 too. When it comes to footwear, you don’t (and you shouldn’t) be wearing stilettos – Victoria Secret’s double-strap beach sandals or the classic and elegant Birkenstock shoes were, and will be, a total must-have the coming summer. If your outfit is on point, you can match these with whatever. It doesn’t leave the impression you were trying too hard and, yet, it looks classy and cute.

Photo by Anna Demianenko on Unsplash

Photo by Anna Demianenko on Unsplash


5. Hats
The bigger the hat, the cooler you look. A good hat has always been a must for a day at the beach, and this year, big, straw hats were very dominant. They don’t have to have patterns – Ralph Lauren released a summer 2017 straw hat collection with such amazing colours that we wanted to take all of them home. However, the classic big black summer hat was definitely a hit, and it can never go out of style. 2017 proved it, and so will the following year.

The things that make your beach outfit are not the swimming suit you’re wearing. If you keep it minimalistic yet trendy, there will be so many combinations you can make with the clothes and accessories. A tip for next year: choose a simple, beige or brown swimming suit, and you’ll see that everything can match well with it – even your new, tanned skin.