The only sneaker with an original BIRKENSTOCK footbed—the Bend. This season, a special material mix of natural leather and buttery soft nubuck teams up to transform the casual staple into an elevated classic. Through special processing, the underside of nubuck leather is given a velvety soft feel, then turned inside-out to give the upper a luxe look and feel.

• Contoured cork-latex footbed creates custom support with wear
• Natural leather and nubuck leather upper
• Suede footbed lining helps keep you comfortable
• Natural rubber sole for added traction
• “Made in Germany” quality stamp on footbed

Upper material: Material combination

For this shoe, a combination of materials was used. You can find more information on our main materials in our Material Guide.

Insole: Natural leather

Natural leather can be recognized by its untreated surface. BIRKENSTOCK purposely does not treat surface grains and other characteristic features. BIRKENSTOCK uses sturdy leather with a thickness of 2.8 to 3.2 millimeters as upper material.

Footbed material: Cork

Cork is a sustainable material extracted from the bark layer of the cork oak. This natural product is insulating and offers very good cushioning.

Outsole: Rubber

Because of its high elasticity rubber is very well suited for outsoles. Thanks to this property it supports the natural rolling motion of the foot. Rubber is also very robust and has good cushioning.

The Original Birkenstock Footbed

A legendary design

The heart of all models is the original BIRKENSTOCK footbed. The construction, which has been thought out to the smallest detail and makes it feel like you’re standing in sand, helps your feet feel as comfortable as possible for hours on end. This supports health and promotes wellbeing.

Deep heel cup

The very deep molding in the heel area supports the foot tissue and holds the heel bone firmly in its natural position. This provides the foot with nearly as much support when it is in a sandal as when it is in a closed shoe.

Heel mould

Activates the calf muscles, stabilises the back of the foot and improves gait and coordination.

Interior and exterior longitudinal arch supports

The arch supports that run alongside the sides of the footbed surround the tarsal bones inside and out. This gives the foot the stability it needs when it takes a step.

Transverse arch support

The support that runs through the middle of the footbed stabilizes the metatarsal bone. In this way, the transverse arch support helps ensure that the foot has a naturally straight and solid stance.