If you belong to the generation of sixties, you may well be able to recall the first time you saw somebody with a pair of Birkenstock sandals. Yes! Those rustic, ugly looking shoes, would never give the impression of their being comfortable to any onlooker. Subsequently, you must have realized how expensive they were. Well, that almost defined Birkenstock sandals! They surely were distinctive.

It is indeed difficult to figure out that for generations, the Birkenstock family has been skillfully making shoes since 1774, when Johann Birkenstock strenuously worked as a shoemaker in a small German village.

It was in the 1890s that Konrad Birkenstock, Johann’s descendant and a custom shoemaker himself, got an innovative idea. He thought of creating a shoe that would really follow the contour of a human foot. And, he did make them by hand and they were a great success. However, the following decade introduced mass produced, factory-made shoes and the demand for custom-made footwear dwindled.

But the Birkenstock family saw an opportunity therein. It produced an insert that would hug the natural contours of the foot, especially the arch of the foot, and could be fitted in almost any shoe. Konrad and his son Carl remained busy improving and modifying the arch supports for the next 50 years. Their exceptional and exceedingly popular item was dubbed as the “footbed supports” and the word “footbed” was registered as a Birkenstock trademark.

In 1954, Karl, grandson of Konard, joined the board of this family run business. He never felt comfortable of the idea of family business being known just for making shoe inserts that were mainly meant for a limited number of patrons comprising of folks with awful feet. He wished to make shoes for common people who would feel as comfortable wearing the shoes as if walking barefoot. Now, that seemed a far fetched idea, because so far the idea of wearing shoes had been to prevent feet from getting in touch with the ground and thus prevent them from getting hurt. Comfort or style didn’t matter really. Karl, while extending the idea of flexible arch, as inherited from his grandfather, combined it with his personal knowledge of how the foot flexes while in motion.

As a result of ten years of research and design, the first pair of Birkenstock sandals was introduced and named as Madrid.

In the mid sixties of last century, just in time for the Woodstock generation, one Margot Fraser, bought her first pair of footbed sandals while in Germany, her native place. Soon she realized that the sandals relieved her of nasty foot pain that she had continued to live with since her childhood. She introduced Birkenstock sandals to America, and the rest as we know is history.

As of date, Birkenstock has more than 400 styles for its patrons. You get them in sandals, shoes and clogs. They come in a large variety of colors, materials and sizes. Every year it introduces shoes in new materials and designs. The producers are creative in designing their product – one of their hallmarks. They still lack those pleasant looks, continue to be rather expensive, yet, perhaps the best footwear available anywhere in the world.

7 Reasons Why You Should Buy Birkenstock Sandals

1. Birkenstock shoes are designed to conform to the natural mold of foot. Many of the shoes are designed to have a narrow tapered area for toe. Now, that not only causes pressure on toes, but also keeps the foot out of alignment. The contours of Birkenstock sandals direct the toes and feet to align correctly. That results to even distribution of weight and helps to maintain proper posture. The footbed is made form flexible cork and latex that’s precisely shaped to give the most comfortable environment for your feet. As you wear them, they conform to your feet which means that the more you wear them, the more comfortable they become.

2. The molded deep heel cup provided with footbed liner goes to align your foot naturally and that facilitates an even distribution of your body weight over the entire foot. The heel part is quite roomy and good for users with a big heel.

3. As you continue using them, they conform to the exact contours of your feet and become still more comfortable.

4. They are really long lasting.

5. Birkenstocks with soft footbed are much more comfortable than their non-soft footbed counterparts. They have a formed footbed to support the arches of your feet and make your walk easy and comfortable even if you have been standing on your feet for long hours.

6. With their shock-absorbing EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) soles, these sandals are superb for those having foot problems. They are also good for people who develop swelling of feet, because they come with adjustable the strap which can be loosened or tightened as per the requirements of the wearer.

7. Nothing beats the design, comfort and support that Birkenstocks are designed to provide!