Birkenstock footwear is renowned for its quality, aesthetics and timeless appeal. These sturdy and fashionable shoes and sandals can be enjoyed for many years if you care for them properly. If you don't treat them right, you might need to buy a pair of replacements sooner rather than later.
Why buy more when you can maintain your favourites? Caring for your Birkenstocks isn't as easy as occasionally wiping them, but doing so is worth it. Follow this helpful care guide to learn how to keep your lovely Birkenstocks beautiful and strong.
The Construction And Beauty Of Birkenstocks
This incredibly durable footwear gets its longevity from its high-quality materials and wonderful design. These shoes have three distinct parts that can be individually maintained or replaced:
- The Upper. "Upper" refers to the top, or upper, part of the shoe that covers your foot. This includes the straps.
- The Footbed. Birkenstocks can be identified by their quality and their iconic cork footbeds. The cork footbed is between the upper and the sole and shouldn't make contact with the ground itself.
- The Sole. The sole is the very bottom layer of your shoe or sandal.
Birkenstocks are made from exceptional materials like suede, leather and, of course, cork. Something a bit complicated about Birkenstock care is that each layer is often made of different materials, and each layer requires different care. It's paramount that you use the right maintenance methods for the right materials to avoid accidentally damaging your Birkenstocks.
Caring For Your Favourite Birkenstocks
Although caring for quality Birkenstocks can be challenging for people without much experience, you can smartly learn how by utilising guides like this and viewing helpful resources online. Informative videos from people like Shane Barr on TikTok can show you how to maintain your footwear at home.
However, there are still some jobs that should be left to the professionals. For example, if your Birkenstocks' soles have worn through to the cork layer, you should have them seen by professional shoe repairers. Church Corner Shoe And Bag Repairs is a local repairer that you can take your Birkenstocks to if they need professional care.
We're delighted to offer our Birkenstocks refresh service to customers who have purchased their Birkenstocks from us at Uncommon. We can polish and tighten straps, coat suede or nubuck with a protector, reseal cork and give you some sandpaper to clean up the footbed. This helpful service is available in our store from Monday to Friday.
You should also know that your Birkenstocks can be damaged by being submerged in water or by being exposed to high levels of heat.
Care for the individual layers of your Birkenstocks by following these tips:
For Your Uppers: As mentioned above, your specific care requirements will depend on the materials your Birkenstocks are made of. Birkenstock uppers are often made of:
- Oiled Leather - Use a beeswax-based product to keep your leather supple. You can apply a clear or colour-active polish to remove marks or scuffs from the leather.
- Suede And Nubuck - Use a suede protector to protect the material and a suede brush to remove dust and debris. Take care not to get your suede wet, as water can cause unsightly water stains.
- Birko-Flor - This is an excellent synthetic material that is exclusively used for Birkenstock footwear and is the easiest to care for. Simply use a dampened cloth to clean your synthetic uppers.
For Your Cork Footbeds: Does your cork layer look like it's cracking or crumbling? Then it may be time to care for it. Please avoid getting your cork layer wet, as the cork can absorb moisture.
Cork can be lightly rubbed with fine sandpaper to restore the footbed. This process will produce dust, so you may want to do this with your Birkenstocks over a sink or a bin.
Once your cork layer is in good condition, you can reseal it using products like Cork Renew to restore your cork and make it look shiny and beautiful.
For Your Soles: We recommend regularly checking your soles to check if they have worn through to the cork layer. If they do, your cork could become damaged, and repairing your Birkenstocks will be more expensive.
Be sure to have your soles replaced by an authorised repairer before they wear away and expose the cork.
Experience The Elegance Of Birkenstock Footwear In New Zealand
Join heaps of other fashion-forward New Zealanders in Christchurch by purchasing your own marvellous Birkenstocks from Uncommon. You can find an amazing selection of this footwear in our store. View our full collection online!
Your gorgeous new footwear can last for a very long time if you follow the care tips in this article. You can also take them into our store for professional care if you bought yours from us, or take them to an authorised repairer if they require more extensive maintenance.
Are you looking for anything else? We invite you to explore our store, which includes gorgeous clothing, accessories and more! If you have any more questions about Birkenstock care or would like to speak to us about our products, please call us at 03 389 4507 or visit our site's contact page.
Find beautiful and unique clothing, footwear and accessories at Uncommon!