Birkenstock Steps into a Whole New Market

TOE TO HEAD. Renowned for their collection of casual cork-soled foot ware, German shoe company Birkenstock is now set to launch a skin-care line

 

The news couldn’t be more surprising, but coming this fall, German shoe company Birkenstock will be branching out to release a new line of skincare products. If you are wondering as to how this could happen, it all comes down to the basic element that Birkenstock uses, cork oak. Scientists have recently discovered that an extract from cork oak (the material used to make the sole of the sandals), known as suberin, has powerful anti-aging properties.

Thanks to this new discovery, the company has established a subdivision called Birkenstock Cosmetics that will produce 28 products that’ll make up the Birkenstock Natural Care line. It will include a collection of cleansers, moisturizers, and hyaluron-based skin and lip products, all made from natural ingredients. Other natural ingredients found in the products include arctic moss, argan oil, and baobab. In response to a growing number of men seeking natural cosmetics, three of the products are geared toward male consumers.

Birkenstock has debuted some of its new creations, including a leg and foot oil, moisturizing foot cream, revitalizing shampoo, and facial moisturizing toner. It plans to roll out the full collection this fall online and in stores in the U.S. and Asia with a price ranging somewhere between $17 up to $74. With the cork-soled bottle, now you got something to match to your normcore sandals.