Allbirds, Silicon Valley’s favorite wool shoe brand, just got a whole lot cuter with a new limited-edition line of toddler and kids shoes called–wait for it–Smallbirds.
Allbirds has been a darling of the startup world, having raked in more than $27 million in investment to scale its growth. Founded in 2015 by New Zealander Tim Brown, a former soccer player, and entrepreneur Joey Zwillinger, the company has so far only produced two styles of shoe, a sneaker and a flat, both for $95. The shoes, which are made from superfine merino wool, are soft, moisture wicking, temperature regulating, and odor-minimizing. They can also be worn sock-free.
All of these features make them perfect for toddlers and kids. The stretchy nature of the material means that they can accommodate growing feet, the wool is good for sensitive young skin, and not having to put socks on your two-year-old means saving at least five minutes every morning. Smallbirds are exact replicas of the adult sneaker, just in teeny form, and come in orange, blue, and gray. Brown explains that customers had been asking for kids shoes for a while. “Plus, the naming options were just too good,” he says.
The launch of the kids’ sneakers seems timed for the holiday season, and the fact that the adult and kid shoes look exactly the same means that there will be a lot of mommy-toddler matching sneaker looks showing up on your Instagram feed this Christmas.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
