I wanted something I can use for walking around town or on city breaks, but that would also work for shorter runs when I am away on holiday - hate taking an extra pair of runners when I travel! Saw these on Instagram and nearly got them previously, but I was nervous buying shoes online without trying them. But I got the chance in Berlin, and they were every bit as comfortable as I hoped. I’ll be getting others soon!
Why we offset
The fact is, Allbirds is polluting the planet. We have ambitious targets to reduce our emissions, but in the meantime, we firmly believe that we (and all other companies) should be held accountable for our climate impact. That's why we tax ourselves for the CO2 we emit and use that money to support climate protection projects. And even if there are still emissions that we cannot currently reduce, we are aware of how important it is to support high-quality climate protection projects. We want to focus more and more on projects that remove or capture emissions.
How we select projects
Nature is inherently our main focus. Our company focuses on the responsible use of natural resources. A harmonious relationship with Mother Nature is at the heart of our product development and some of our key materials (for example wool, tree fibers and sugar cane) come from - that's right - nature.
Our aim is to promote company-related projects. Therefore, we are increasingly focusing on nature-based CO2 removal initiatives - more simply put, projects in the wild that help capture CO2 - that are linked to our value chain (i.e. the materials and techniques we use to make our products).
One example is the Argentina Wool Improved Grazing Projectwhich helps wool farmers switch to regenerative farming methods. This approach allows fields to 'recover' from the sheep and regenerate to grow grass that is both better for the animals and more effective at capturing CO2 from the atmosphere. Allbirds first invested in this project in 2021 when it started with 10,000 hectares of land. Since then, it has expanded to 200,000 hectares of land and aims to reach 1,000,000 hectares in 2030.
We work with partners we trust to support projects we believe in. All projects we support must be certified by an internationally recognized offset standard such as Gold Standard and Verified Carbon Standard and are checked against our criteria (duration of emission savings, additionality, leakage).
Our philosophy is constantly evolving, but we believe that this approach is the most meaningful way to address our emissions today and that the approach promises us the greatest possible potential for positive impact.
Here you can find out more about the details.
The Allbirds philosophy
Comfortably through the day
Light, springy and really comfortable - with Allbirds shoes you can get through everyday life effortlessly. Simply slip them on in seconds and enjoy the comfort.
Sustainable with every step
From materials to transportation, we are working to reduce our carbon footprint to zero. Because we are responsible now and must achieve our climate targets now - not in 30 years' time.
Materials from nature
Wherever possible, we replace petroleum-based plastics with natural alternatives. These include wool, eucalyptus fibers and sugar cane. And because these materials are soft, airy and environmentally friendly, it's a real win-win situation.