The start-up business known around the famous Silicon Valley for its comfortable slip-on sneakers wants to dominate one part of your wardrobe.
Allbirds is moving further into the fashion category, introducing four new items: a wool puffer-jacket, a wool cardigan, T-shirt made from discarded crab shells and a wool jumper. All of these are created from the same merino wool, and all are sourced from New Zealand.
This launch comes more one year after the brand started selling socks, signalling its first ever foray out of footwear. In early 2020, it began selling underwear, and then hinted that more clothing pieces are on the way.
These new items use sustainable, eco-friendly materials, including crab shells, recycled plastic bottles and even plants. According to Tim Brown, it’s co-founder, the fashion community doesn’t need another T-shirt design, unless it’s better.
He said that they determined a waste stream – a snow crab shell surplus in the Canadian seafood industry. To make the shirts, minerals are extracted from these shells, and then combined with wool. This resulted in an antimicrobial garment that can kill bacteria. For him, this result is really special.
Allbirds’ new shirt will cost $48, $250 for the puffer, $135 for the jumper and $145 for the cardigan.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has decreased apparel sales, with fewer individuals getting dressed for special occasions and work, there has been an increase for Allbirds. More and more customers are looking for comfortable pieces, and this brand is known to provide that. Allbirds first launched its first ever running shoe back in April. Moreover, it recently launched its very own mobile application.
Brown said that their business has been so resilient through a difficult period. They have seen a great uptick in customer interest in sustainability.
According to the label, it plans to further expand the apparel selections. However, as it did with footwear, it’s starting small. They are focused on some essential items.
Allbirds was launched back in 2016, and was best known for their $95 wool sneaker. In just two years in the industry, they were able to sell their millionth shoe. Thus, it sparked the interest of popular investors such as Leonardo DiCaprio.
Just landed, it gained $100 million in a funding round (Series E). The funding was by Franklin Templeton. It valued the brand at $1.7 billion, as per an individual who is familiar with the round. The sustainable footwear business raised $50 million in 2018.
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