Allbirds Soars into New Era
The sustainable sneaker brand is betting on brick-and-mortar to fuel its future growth.
Founded as an e-commerce brand in 2014, eco-friendly shoe startup Allbirds has been steadily growing its brick-and-mortar footprint while maintaining a carbon footprint for its sneakers that is 30% less than that of a standard pair of sneakers.
In 2021, the brand added 13 new stores to its fleet — including a nearly 3,000-square-foot store at Brookfield Properties’ Oakbrook Center — and made its debut on the Nasdaq as a publicly traded company under the ticker “BIRD.” This year, the brand plans to open another 16 to 17 stores across the country.
Headquartered in San Francisco, Allbirds first launched with the Wool Runner, its signature sneaker made from New Zealand superfine merino wool, and has since expanded its product line to include new sneakers as well as a line of active apparel. The brand’s product expansion aligns with its move into brick-and-mortar.
For Allbirds, physical stores are a critical element for driving growth and finding new customers. According to the company, shoppers who visited both a physical store and the brand’s website through June 30, 2021, spent 1.5 times more than customers who only went to a brick-and-mortar store or shopped online.
Allbirds' stores incorporate materials that are also used in the brand's products, including merino wool, sugercane, and eucalyptus tree fiber, further driving its sustainability message.
Revenue was strong across channels and geographies, growing 33% year over year, with notable strength in U.S. physical retail.”
Joey Zwillinger, Allbirds Co-Founder & Co-CEO
“We’re at the forefront of a generational change in consumer values and purchase behaviors, led by our mission to make better things in a better way—which means we’re aligning our purpose of reversing climate change with our product quality and financial outcomes,” said Allbirds Co-Founder and Co-CEO Joey Zwillinger in a recent earnings statement. “As we continue to execute our strategic plan, we are focused on accelerating growth, creating value for our shareholders and building for a multi-decade journey. Revenue was strong across channels and geographies, growing 33% year over year, with notable strength in U.S. physical retail.”
1
Brookfield Properties locations
33+
brick-and-mortar stores
$136.7 billion
footwear industry
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