By the end of the 1980s, the Birkenstock family had worked in the tradition of German shoemaking for over 200 years. Though many other industries moved production out of the country in the 1970s in pursuit of lower labor costs, BIRKENSTOCK bucked the trend and stayed put. By the late 20th century, the insoles and footbeds were factory-made, while a team of experienced workers took care of the manual tasks. Finished products were shipped around the world from Frankfurt. Demand continued to rise, meaning BIRKENSTOCK had to increase its capacity.
The early 1990s was the beginning of a new era in Germany: the Berlin Wall had collapsed, along with the Eastern Bloc. It was cause for celebration. In the reunited country, many manufacturers were encouraged to expand their operations into the eastern states in a bid to create more jobs. With unwavering commitment to keeping the production of all sandals in Germany, BIRKENSTOCK enthusiastically began setting up sites across the state of Saxony. The first hub opened in Bernstadt on July 1st 1991, dedicated to processing uppers for the sandals. Next, the brand took over a weaving mill in Schönbach and adapted it for the production of cork-latex footbeds and the BIRKI sandal offshoot collection. In 1993, the assembly of preforms of the clog uppers, insertion of the straps and the attachment of buckles and rivets was relocated to Seifhennersdorf.
Finally, a contemporary site was set up in Görlitz in 2009 for the production of cork-latex footbeds. The two most important factors when choosing a new location have always been a proximity to nature and staying true to the brand’s German roots. The notion of relocating further afield in order to exploit low-wage workers remains at odds with the BIRKENSTOCK ethos. The customers and their ethical values are always a key consideration in the company’s development.