Their footwear is comfortable and affordable. Their core attribute is being "greener" using biological material (not so different in this respect from Rayon) in some of their manufacturing input...
But... their footwear wears out quite quick (the soles esp.), so overall, I do not know that if you were to study its carbon footprint over two years, if they would actually come ahead compared to conventional footwear.
Most sports shoes kids wear in highschool will run about the same, unless they are on sale. Nike, Adidas, etc. They will run the same or more, sometimes less. That's my reference.
I guess that goes to show there's a wide range of needs and desires in the market.
I've been wearing the same line of tennis shoes for a handful of years. Outside of work boots for projects, I wear the tennis shoes for almost every other event and task, breaking out dressy black shoes a handful of times per year.
They run around $65 unless I find a deal. That shoe is adequate for my needs and budget, fits well, and the variations from year to year are minimal. I'm hesitant to deviate away from something I know works well.
I've never found a pair of Nike tennis shoes that are comfortable. Nike shoes would probably be more expensive than my go-to pair, but I'm sure for some people my tennis shoes would be really uncomfortable.
All that said, I am considering trying a pair of Allbirds. I'm 4 hours from their nearest store, and have never bought a pair of shoes online, so I may swing by next time I'm in Minneapolis.
That's disappointing to hear. I personally try to buy things that will last for years. I'd rather spend a lot of money on, say, a pair of Red Wings and wear them for a decade, maybe with an occasional resoling, than a pair of boots that will be a mess in a year or two. Also, NYC (where I am) will really tear a pair of shoes up from all the city walking, so that's a bit of an extra incentive to go for quality.
It's good that their inputs aren't horrible for the planet, but if they break down in a couple years it might not make that much of a difference.
Most sportswear shoes, "sneakers" in vernacular, don't accommodate resoling. But evenso, the plastic mesh or wool upper (depends on model) tends to wear out in obvious spots (same as where socks might wear out, like toes).
Most footwear is fast fashion. People throw out shoes well ahead of them being worn out. I appreciate all the natural materials for this purpose, because at least they biodegrade better, which may have something to do with being worn out faster.
But... their footwear wears out quite quick (the soles esp.), so overall, I do not know that if you were to study its carbon footprint over two years, if they would actually come ahead compared to conventional footwear.