Allbirds supports the NHS with shoe donation initiative

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Mar 25, 2020

Allbirds is the latest footwear company to announce a donation programme to show its support to frontline NHS workers.

The sustainable shoe brand will donate 2,000 pairs of running shoes to those fighting the battle against Covid-19, with NHS staff invited to fill in an online form to receive their free shoes.

“It’s hard to navigate the unknown, but as we continue to better understand how to slow the spread of Covid-19 we want to do all we can to keep our customers, employees and local communities safe,” said Allbirds co-CEO’s Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger in a statement.

All Allbirds stores in the US and Europe closed their doors for two weeks on 15 March, with the closures likely to continue in countries including the UK and Germany. 

In the US, the donation programme has seen the brand give shoes worth $500,000 to healthcare workers. In light of the high demand, the company rolled out a buy-one, give-one option to bring consumers into the initiative.

This means that every time a customer buys a pair of Wool Runners, Allbirds will match the sale with a donation. Customers can also just choose to donate a pair.

Allbirds joins a group of footwear brands donating shoes to support frontline efforts. Kurt Geiger and Sophia Webster have also announced similar campaigns, while H&M, Balenciaga and Saint Laurent have committed to producing surgical masks.