Show & Tell

Show & Tell : Birkenstock Sandals

Showandtell_updated

When my husband spent a summer in the Holy Lands, he took one pair of shoes–Birkenstocks. And while I could never imagine spending all summer with only one pair of shoes to pick from each day, they served him well for his whole trip.

So when I was contacted by Birkenstocks to review a pair of their new Spring sandals, I was excited to try what would be my first pair. And while I was instantly drawn to the colors of the two new spring styles (I chose the Madrid), what impresses me most about the Birkenstock company is their dedication to making the complete process of creating these shoes environmentally conscious. As they say, "They were green long before green was a trend."

Madrid_Peridot Green

Here are a  few things that impressed me about their green commitment:

  • The shoes are made with a commitment to craftsmanship using premium quality, natural, renewable, recyclable and naturally insulating material.
  • They are made from durable cork, no trees are cut or destroyed – the bark is simply peeled away and then allowed to re-grow.
  • The shoes can be repaired, increasing the life of your shoes and decreasing the amount of waste entering our landfills. (I love this. Rarely, in this day and age, do we think of repairing our shoes. We simply toss them out and buy a new replacement pair.)
  • Left-over EVA from the sole production process is broken down and further processed for use in children’s playgrounds, sport fields and sound barriers along freeways.
  • You can read more about their green steps here.

I am impressed with the steps they have taken to have a low-impact on our environment. 

Gizeh_Plum Purple

And guess what? Need a new pair of shoes for Spring?? I get to give away a pair to one lucky reader, in the style (Madrid {the first pair pictured} or Gizeh{the second pair pictured}), size and color of your choice!

Leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway. I have one more crafty giveaway coming up on Friday, so I will announce all the winners on Monday.

And if you don't win, the other good news is that the sandals are pretty affordable, starting at $49.95, which for a pair of shoes that can be as long-lasting as these, is a really good deal.

Yay for shoes! Good luck.

Showandtell_updated

When my husband spent a summer in the Holy Lands, he took one pair of shoes–Birkenstocks. And while I could never imagine spending all summer with only one pair of shoes to pick from each day, they served him well for his whole trip.

So when I was contacted by Birkenstocks to review a pair of their new Spring sandals, I was excited to try what would be my first pair. And while I was instantly drawn to the colors of the two new spring styles (I chose the Madrid), what impresses me most about the Birkenstock company is their dedication to making the complete process of creating these shoes environmentally conscious. As they say, "They were green long before green was a trend."

Madrid_Peridot Green

Here are a  few things that impressed me about their green commitment:

  • The shoes are made with a commitment to craftsmanship using premium quality, natural, renewable, recyclable and naturally insulating material.
  • They are made from durable cork, no trees are cut or destroyed – the bark is simply peeled away and then allowed to re-grow.
  • The shoes can be repaired, increasing the life of your shoes and decreasing the amount of waste entering our landfills. (I love this. Rarely, in this day and age, do we think of repairing our shoes. We simply toss them out and buy a new replacement pair.)
  • Left-over EVA from the sole production process is broken down and further processed for use in children’s playgrounds, sport fields and sound barriers along freeways.
  • You can read more about their green steps here.

I am impressed with the steps they have taken to have a low-impact on our environment. 

Gizeh_Plum Purple

And guess what? Need a new pair of shoes for Spring?? I get to give away a pair to one lucky reader, in the style (Madrid {the first pair pictured} or Gizeh{the second pair pictured}), size and color of your choice!

Leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway. I have one more crafty giveaway coming up on Friday, so I will announce all the winners on Monday.

And if you don't win, the other good news is that the sandals are pretty affordable, starting at $49.95, which for a pair of shoes that can be as long-lasting as these, is a really good deal.

Yay for shoes! Good luck.

300 comments on “Show & Tell : Birkenstock Sandals”

  1. Hurrah for Birkenstocks! I love them so much, I bought my first pair when I was pregnant with my eldest son 10 years ago now(!!!) and they are still going strong. I love shoes that last if you take the time to care for them.

  2. Wow, birks have come a long way since the last time I checked them out. I had a hand-me-down pair like a million years ago and loved them to pieces! The green ones just shout Spring. 🙂

  3. I was just saying the other day how much I missed having a pair of Birkenstocks. They are so comfortable, and at the same time, very durable. I would love to win!!

  4. I pretty much live in my birks. I still have my first pair from almost 20 years ago (gosh it’s been that long?!) and I don’t plan on getting rid of it any time soon. I’d love to win a pair of Madrids– I don’t have that style. What a sweet giveaway! How do I get to try out a pair?!

  5. I have been a birkenstock wearer for a long, long time. I really love the company, their commitment to the environment, and their comfort and durability. I have a lot of feet issues, and these are just so super comfy all the time. I adore the purple Gizeh pair – they’re so cute!!!

  6. I haven’t worn Birks for a long time…but they used to be my favorite shoes back in high school….would love to have a pair again….thanks for letting me play along…Jamie

  7. Oh, once again, AWESOME giveaway. I love Birks so much, as every true Oregonian does, and I’m down to one pair of shoes (my beloved red patent Danskos). Bring on summer!

  8. This is quite the giveaway! I do love Birks although it’s been ages since I had a pair. I do remember leaving my college pair in the trunk of my car, tucked alongside a wet sleeping bag, for a couple weeks. That was kind of gross. A sweeter memory is seeing my dad’s pair — which I’m pretty sure were the same ones for at least 15 years, just resoled over and over — on the floor at the foot of their bed, toes of the sandals curled up the way they do — all through my childhood.

  9. I bought my first pair when I began waitressing in college. They lasted through years of hard wear, and, 10 years later, are still in use! I’d love a summer pair…

  10. loovveee the birkenstocks! i bought my first pair when i was 16–i used the first paycheck from my first job to buy a pair and i wore them for over 10 years. now i wear mine with handknit socks in the spring and fall, and practically every where i go in the summer.

  11. I wear my birks all the time and have had them re-corked twice! I could sure make use of a new pair and I love the spring colors.

    Enjoy!

  12. yikes — those are some cute birks. my old pair, though comfy and long-lasting, not so much in the cuteness department. what a great giveaway chance. thanks molly!

  13. oh! wow! this would be an awesome win! i have a pair of teva’s that are 15 years old. really. i need a new pair of summer sandals. if i don’t win some, i’ll be buying some in a week or two!

  14. ooh! i haven’t had birkenstocks since i was in high school! i haven’t even seen any of their new styles, but the madrid and gizeh look really nice!

  15. They are the only thing I wear on my fat feet over summer (need to go to a wedding this weekend and I need to find something other than birkis to wear – ahhhh.)

  16. cool!! I haven’t had birks since college, and I can’t think of something more appropriate for my chicken raising, breadmaking, homeschooling self. Can you?

    okay, maybe my clogs.

  17. oh my, yes! It’s time for a new pair for me – Gizeh has been my favorite for awhile, and the new colors rock!

  18. Oh my goodness! Birks! What fun! I think I shall have to put these on a wishlist for me for the summer, in case I don’t win…

  19. I wear Birks everyday (for three quarters of the year, anyway. I dread winter, and a decision about which closed-toe shoes to wear).

  20. How beautiful are those? My mom worked for Birkenstock when I was in college at UCSC (can’t get more appropriate than that). I had too many pairs then. (Now I think, too many? Really?) I’m down to my Arizonas which don’t fit (39s and I wear 41s) and a prototype pair. The colors are snazzy!

  21. They are cute. I have to say though that especially as times are getting tougher people are getting their shoes repaired. My brother repairs them for a living and business is booming. It would be nice for me to own a pair of high quality shoes worth repairing!

  22. oh wow… I have always wanted a pair of these, but when I was working near their shop in london, you had to queue to get in as they were so popular, and I never had the patience!

  23. sweet! i am completely digging the bright colors. i think i may be totally old-school this summer with some of these and my dr. scholl’s!

  24. In college I was one of those birk wearers who wore them until the snow was too deep with wool socks. Since then I’ve drifted. I like the brilliant green of the first one.

  25. I still have my original pair of Birkenstocks. I pull them out every once in a while, slip them on and take a walk down memory lane. Time to create some new memories with some new Birks!

  26. I know how your husband chose those for an entire summer! I work festivals too on all types of terrain. I bet during a 3-dayer, they would be soooo much better than flip flops! 🙂

    PS. I just joined your blog following and I really like the way you have it set up to send updates. The rss feeds a ok, but they usually don’t look very good!

  27. Hi again, Molly. Here I am again, standing in line with my cup out. You’re going to think I just like you for your giveaways! But no, that’s not even the half of it!But I would love a pair of those sandals!Best wishes, and take care…Tara

  28. I’m in!I bought my first pair of birk’s 3 years ago after practiacally ruining my feet with flip flops. They are now my “as soon as snow is off the ground” shoe.. and my feet have totally recovered from the flip flop pain!

  29. What a coincidence! I’ve been trying to choose a colour in the gizeh for summer but haven’t been able to decide. What a great giveaway!

  30. I’ve entered for giveaways before, but this one is calling to me! I’ll be spending my summer trekking around Italy and Switzerland, and a pair of Birks would be FANtastic!!!!Please pick me!

  31. I LIVE in birkenstocks in the summer. When we lived in Singapore, my kids lived in birkenstocks. They are just awesome. And you can get them resoled. I did that for my kids’ ones as they grew. Fantastic shoes and an excuse to wear flip flops all the time without the crippling pain. LOVE them.

  32. I had a pair of Birks in college that I just loved. I wore them all the time with thick wooly socks, heavy sweaters and shorts – as did everyone at my college! lol I haven’t had a pair since (I wonder what happened to those?) but I’d love a new pair.

  33. Kate I went to a wedding a couple of years ago and the bride and all her attendants wore Birks during the reception. The Bride had a white pair and the girls all had matching floral pairs. 🙂 They were able to dance the night away!! So go for it!

  34. I LOVE Birkenstocks!!!! When in Europe a few years ago, I bought three pair. The first pair hasn’t worn out yet and I wear them constantly. You can’t beat them for comfort and they go with almost everything. I know my sister has 50 pairs. So much Birk-love!

  35. i’ve always kind of looked longingly at birks, but never owned a pair myself. i’m starting to see the value of buying things that will last, though, even though they might be slightly more costly. i am drawn to the green sandals…pretty.

  36. Wow! What a great giveaway! I used to wear my Birks every day in college, and had them recorked and soled a few times. That green pair is adorable!

  37. At the end of last summer, I finally pulled out my old Birkenstocks because I was having major foot problems. They are sooo comfy, and I’m liking the fashionable ones you have here.

  38. That first pair is cute–and that’s not a word I would put in the same sentence with Birks! 😉 My Birks are about ten years old now, and every summer when I put them on, I’m always surprised at how comfortable they are.

  39. I think Berkinstocks were part of our University uniform in Bellingham, so many people had them. You could always tell when spring had arrived when students stopped wearing them with wool socks! ~Heather

  40. I was going to enter this for my husband who’s birks are so tired. My mom keeps offering to buy him new ones, but it likes his old friends. But since they are women’s I’ll just enter for me. I’m expecting another babe in Sept. and these would be good supportive shoes for a growing mama- and more stylish than that blue suede one’s from high school!

  41. LOVE these! I love that Birkenstocks are now being made in pretty styles and colors. They are so, so comfy!

  42. Thanks for hosting the giveaway. I love birks – I just keep getting them resoled/filled in, and they just keep going. But it would be wonderful to have a cute green pair in addition to my comparatively dull black and brown ones.

  43. I love that they are making them more femanine looking. I actually really like the Gizeh. I would never pick those for myself, but I’m drawn to them.

  44. I love Birks! They are so comfortable. I had a pair when I was younger and wore them until they fell off my feet and then I still kept them even though I could wear them. Would love a new pair of these in one of those awesome colors.

    Thanks for letting us play along!!

  45. I love birkenstock sandals. Haven’t had a pair in years, but they are so comfortable! I would love to win a pair!

  46. I wore Birks everywhere, including all over Greece and in the water (before Chaco’s were invented!) and they’re such a classic now. I love the Gizah! Your review was great. Thanks!

  47. OH YAY! Sandals! Exactly what I NEED! Fingers crossed ~ Thank you for this fun give away opportunity! Birk’s no less—the BEST!!!!!!!!!

  48. I love my well-worn-but-still-functional Birks, but a new pair would be much appreciated. Who doesn’t love new spring sandals?

  49. I am a geek according to my family. I have been wearing my Birks (first pair I ever owned…and wanted one for 10 years!!!) that I finally purchased last Spring, since the ground began to thaw this Spring. Oh, I know, but my toes aren’t really cold since I am wearing my SOCKS with them. Hence the geek part.

  50. Does it mean I am old if I wore Birks back in the day when “they were green long before green was a trend”?

  51. we were in the birkenstock store this afternoon. over here in japan. buying my husband his first pair. i just love this company. and would love to add a new pair to my collection. whoohoo.

  52. we were in the birkenstock store this afternoon. over here in japan. buying my husband his first pair. oh, i love this company. and would love to add a new pair to my collection. whoohoo!

  53. Birkenstocks are my favorite summertime sandals. In college they were also my favorite winter time sandals, worn with thick wool socks. I hope I win, since I haven’t been able to afford Birks for years.

  54. I have been dreaming of a pair of birks for ages and actually had a wonderful conversation on Easter with a cousin about them. She’s been wearing the same pair for 15 years – resoled of course. Oooo those Gizeh are adorable!

  55. Oooh, I love my Birks. They are about the only shoe I can wear throughout pregnancy. I just have regular clogs, but I’d love a sandal. =)

  56. What a wonderful giveaway, I have never owned a pair of these perfect shoes……everyone who tries them swears by them.

  57. My hubby has had the same pair of Birks for 15 years…resoled a few times of course…and I have recently begun to wish for a pair of my own. Those “Madrid’s” look pretty perfect!

  58. Oh my! I love my Birks…but they’re clogs for quick trips to the garden, etc. I would love to try these on (at the very least!). 🙂

  59. Birkenstocks are my sandal of choice for the summer, so when i saw on flickr that you’re giving a pair AWAY, i hopped right over to enter. Not that I ever win, heehee. (=

    Great giveaway!

  60. Oh, I could definitely live in only birks for a summer. I have my dress birks, my casual birks, my winter & summer birks. However, I can always use a new pair. I’ve got my fingers crossed on this one…

  61. all through college, at least when it wasn’t snowing all I wore was my birks. I still have a pair from 15 years ago. I’ve always loved them!

  62. okay, molly, i bite. i never sign up for give-aways, but this is something i already love and know i will use. so count me in.

    and like your husband, i wore one pair of birks for 3 of the 4 years i lived in india, every day, through heat, dust and monsoon. i just kept re-applying sealer on the cork and they were perfect.

  63. A friend and I were just trying to decide which colour birkys to choose. Such a coincidence that you are reviewing them today.

  64. i used to wear birks and loved them…its been a while, time to reunite with them! i also used to live in israel and dream of going back one day!

  65. What luck! My six-year-old Gizehs are beginning to show the sole through the cork. I forgot that I could have them re-corked, though. Does anyone have any tips for cleaning suede? They’re looking pretty grubby these days. I have to admit I’d love a colorful pair.

  66. I LOVE Birkenstocks. I wear them every hour of the day unless I’m sleeping. Seriously. I even have the insoles to put into non-Birk shoes (which I only wear 2 days of the week)

  67. Just in time for summer! I didn’t realize they came in such wonderful, fun colors! I’ve always wanted to try a pair of Birks! Great giveaway!

  68. These are sooo much nicer than the old, dusty pair in my closet. Thanks for the great giveaway! Fingers crossed…

    I just read your habit post about closing the door and letting her play. A hockey coach said to me last night, quoting hockey legend Ken Dryden, “unstructured time is the incubator of greatness”. You are such a good mama!

  69. I went to a pretty crunchy college, so I bought my first pair of Birks before packing up and heading to school. You know, it was part of the uniform. 😉 I wore mine until they practically disintegrated. I still miss them.

  70. I love the whole idea and style of Birkenstocks. Sadly, my feet are as flat as a pancake so I can’t wear them. A fact that makes me even sadder having seen the gorgeous patent versions 🙁

  71. I wore Birks all the time in college. I even brought them to the cobbler when the sole started to fall off and the cork began to crumble. They lasted a few more years after they were repaired. I would love a new pair. Great giveaway!

  72. ~~~~~~~~

    Another good thing about birkie’s is that a quick swipe of a MR magic eraser and they look like new.One of my pairs is on it’s fourth year.please enter me~~~~~~~

  73. I bought my first Birks last year and love them. I never wanted to be known as the hippie chick in birks, I was far too cosmopolitan and high-maintenance for that. Three children later and they are my favorite go-to everyday shoes!

  74. I heart Birkenstocks. They are about the only shoe I wear, and I preach about them to anyone who will listen.Spread the Birk love.

  75. I am finally ready to throw out my beloved Born sandals (9 yrs old)…these would go a long way towards easing the pain! =)

  76. I am on the fifth and presumably final year on mine – they are so comfy on my old feet that I probably will have to give them a proper Christian burial when the time comes:)

  77. I really need a new pair of summer shoes, and of course this is such a great and reliable brand. Their shoes are so comfortable. The colors are great, if I don’t win then I will just have to buy a pair.

  78. Wow- I remember when I used to wear Birks in college with wool socks… I think I would rather have a pair of these new ones and try the look again with bare feet- oh the good old days:)

  79. I love Birks! My old ones are comfortable, but not so cute. Thanks for the opportunity! Both styles and colors are great!

  80. I had forgotten about my old Gizeh birks until I saw this post… blue suede… they were beautiful and wonderful until they couldn’t be repaired anymore. I miss them! Crossing my fingers…

  81. oh, I loved my old birks. Still have them, but they are so seriously not as cute as their new lines… I still like to pad around in them in the house though. 😉

  82. I have problems with shoes due to arthritis in my feet. I’ve heard great things about Birkenstocks but didn’t want to pay a lot and then find they don’t work. This would be a great way to test the waters. If they don’t work, I’ll share them with someone else. If they do work, I’ll be in 7th heaven 🙂 I especially love the Gizeh as they are easier for me with the arthritis 🙂 Thanks for a fun contest!

  83. Love the green pair! I’m going to L.A. this summer. I need something stylish, so I can look a little younger! I don’t want my feet to hurt and with Birks I know they won’t.

  84. I’ve always wanted a pair of Birks!! My parents have had theirs for forever! They just keep having them resoled. I should follow in their footsteps…haha

  85. Great giveaway! I’ve never owned a pair of Birkenstocks, but with my third baby due in August, I bet I’ll be loving a pair of comfy, slip-on shoes this summer!

  86. Birkenstocks!!! I’m so excited…I wore these butstropped somewhere along the way. I have RA and am looking for affordable shoes!!! They are much cuter than I remember:) pick me?

  87. I’ve always loved the look and feel of Birks, but I have very narrow feet and find it hard to find just the right Birks for me. Do they exist? Are these sandals, the ones? I’d love to try ’em and find out.

  88. Ah good timing. I’ve finally worn out my very pretty birkenstocks (with flowers) that I’ve worn faithfully every summer for the past 6 years. So I can certainly vouch for good value!

  89. I really need a new pair of Birks. I’ve had fakenstocks the last few summers and they’re just not the same. I’ve got birks on my summer shopping list.

  90. I just bought my first pair of Birkenstocks recently – they were recommended to me when I got my first case of plantar fasciitis. I’m glad they’re so stylish and green as I’ll be wearing them all summer!

  91. Never had a pair of birks before and this post is SO making me want to try them! Didn’t know birks had such trendy styles!

  92. Birkies….mmmm…. like chocolate for feet. My family (children included) are all Birkenstock wearers. Now I’m trying to convince my mum she would love them as much as we do if she’d try them. I can imagine her in a pair of pretty birkies..she’s a cool 70 year old nana. Wow! light bulb moment! you just helped me decide what to get her for her birthday.

  93. Hi – can you believe I’m German and NEVER had a pair of Birkenstocks? There they have (had? – I left 7 years ago) a really bad image as sloppy, hippy, so-not-cool shoes… Now I’m surprised how cute the new styles are and am considering getting the silver gizeh. Love the combination of cork and sparkle!

  94. Love love Birkenstocks. Had a heel spur and my doctor told me to go get some Birkenstocks and wear them all the time . . . no more heel spur. Would love these!

  95. My birks were the most comfortable pair of shoes I ever had. I wore them into the ground. I’d love another pair– thanks for reminding me!

  96. I LOVE these cuties!! Would love to have a pair for the summer. Thanks for the giveaway…. I look forward to reading your blog everyday.

  97. I used to wear Birkenstocks all the time, but it’s been a while. I would love to win a pair – especially after reading your glowing review!

  98. I love the comfort factor of Birkenstocks. It is so great that they are also pretty cool to look at as well.

  99. I wore the old earthy leather ones for years and resoled them. When they quit making the purple leather ones I was bummed. I would love to win a pair- I’ll take purple please!

  100. I have always wanted to own a pair of birkenstocks, but thought they were a bit out of my price range. But $49.95 is quite reasonable. They look so comfortable. Great giveaway.

  101. Birkenstock me please!! I have never had a pair of Birkenstocks but have admired them for years. My only pairs of casual summer shoes consist of my $2 flip flops on clearance from JoAnn Fabrics. No joke! And the green is calling my name! Julie!!…Julie!!

  102. I’ve had my birkenstocks for 13 years now (wow, I didn’t realize until right this minute that they were that old!). In that time, they’ve had two new pairs of soles and one new pair of footbeds. I guess the only original parts on them are the straps! Wouldn’t you say I’m due for a fresh new pair?

  103. Birkenstocks are the greatest things ever! I couldn’t live without mine. Though mine are looking a little rough after wearing them nonstop for four years. Please enter me! Thanks!

  104. I’ve been wearing Birkenstocks for 30 years – not the same pair all that time! They are great shoes. Melissa M

  105. My mother in law swears by these shoes, and ever since I’ve wanted to try a pair, but I could never justify the $50 price tag. (That’s two months of diapers for us!) I’d be so stoked to win a pair. I love the Madrid, in plum or chocolate.

  106. What you said about the durability is so true! My first pair (from college) just bit the dust now!

  107. My mother started wearing Birkenstocks in the 80’s. My first pair has been resoled, recorked and resealed numerous times, but has lasted since 1989. 20 years. Wow, that makes me feel *really* old.Maybe it’s time to shake up my birk collection with a new pair!

  108. My birks are three years old and still going strong but not very hygenic! A new pair would be fantastic. Please enter me for the draw. Thanks

  109. I am finally in a place where it gets over 65 during the summer and I can’t wait to wear skirts… But cute shoes? Those I can’t make myself! How cute would these be with a few skirts?? Thanks for the chance at a pair:)

  110. I remember my suede-topped Birks from my college days. I love the shiny brights they’re going with – perfect for a hip mama on the go (like me)!

  111. I’m not sure if this giveaway is still going on, but if it is I’d LOVE to be entered! I’ve been wanting a pair of Gizehs for a while but have never had the extra money to spend. Thanks so much!

  112. I would love to give these shoes a test drive on my feet as I have arthritis in them. I’ve heard great things about Birkenstocks but have held back for fear they’d be like so many other shoes I’ve tried and still hurt. I appreciate this fun contest that might give me the chance to test them for free – always one of my favorite things to do 🙂

  113. I am a dedicated berk wearer from way back and really have never found another shoe that makes me as happy as they do. What a great giveaway count me in! Also Green…my favorite color!

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