The sustainable sneaker start-up Allbirds wants to take over your closet
The start-up known around Silicon Valley for its comfy slip-on sneakers is hoping to take over another part of your closet. The launch comes more than a year after Allbirds started selling socks, marking its first foray out of footwear. The new items double down on its commitment to using sustainable materials, including plants, recycled plastic bottles and now, crab shells. The start-up, launched in 2016, is perhaps best known for its $95 wool sneaker. The funding, led by Franklin Templeton, valued Allbirds at $1.7 billion, according to a person familiar with the round.
cnbc.comAllbirds debuts its first running shoe. To succeed, it must face rivals like Nike and the challenges of a pandemic
The running shoe, which launches Tuesday, retails for $125. And if going up against brands like Nike, Adidas and Asics was not daunting enough, Allbirds is debuting its first-ever running shoe in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic. The company said it plans to work on launching additional athletic shoes in the future, for other workouts. Allbirds said it has been working on the running shoe for years. Source: Allbirds
cnbc.comAllbirds co-CEO says company plans to open 20 stores next year
Allbirds is planning to continue its brick-and-mortar expansion with 20 stores next year, the company's co-founder and co-CEO Tim Brown said Monday. "We've got nearly 15 stores at the moment 14 soon to be 15," Brown said. "We'll add 20 stores next year. The stores have helped create even more buzz about the wool sneakers, which the company touts as a environmentally sustainable approach to footwear. Amazon was recently accused of copying one of Allbirds' popular shoes, but Brown does not think competition like this will stop Allbirds' growth as long as the company continues to focus on innovation.
cnbc.comAllbirds, known for its wool sneakers, is getting into the apparel business
Allbirds, the San Francisco-based brand that's amassed a cult-like following of people who wear its comfy wool sneakers, is expanding beyond shoes starting with socks. The company, recently valued at $1.4 billion, has always intended to grow outside of shoes, according to co-founder Tim Brown. "Allbirds has never been just about wool or just about footwear." Forty percent of consumers said sustainable materials were either "very" or "somewhat" important when thinking about buying shoes, according to a February survey from The NPD Group. Having officially launched in March 2016, Allbirds sold its millionth shoe in just two years in business.
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