Today, Allbirds is known as one of the most innovative fashion and footwear brands in the world—built on sustainability, material science, and a new way of thinking about comfort.
But according to Allbirds Korea, the brand’s early journey was far from easy.
When Allbirds first attempted to create shoes made from wool, factories around the world gave the same answer:
No.
Wool, they said, could not be used to make footwear.
At the very beginning of Allbirds’ development, the idea of turning wool into a functional shoe was considered unrealistic.
Factories across multiple countries reportedly declined the project, citing material limitations and production risks.
But one factory in Busan responded differently.
Instead of rejecting the idea, the Korean manufacturer said:
“Let’s try making it.”
That moment marked the true starting point of Allbirds as a material innovation brand.
This was not a coincidence.
Busan has long been a center for:
Advanced textile and material engineering
Footwear and performance product manufacturing
High-skill, problem-solving–driven production
What Allbirds needed at that stage was not scale—but experimentation.
A factory willing to prototype, fail, adjust, and try again.
Korean manufacturing culture—especially in regions like Busan—has historically excelled at exactly this kind of challenge.
As Allbirds grew and demand increased, production eventually shifted to Vietnam, where the brand now manufactures its footwear at scale.
This transition reflects a common global manufacturing path:
Innovation and prototyping in high-skill environments
Mass production in regions optimized for volume
But the origin story matters.
Without that early willingness from a Korean factory to attempt what others rejected, Allbirds’ wool shoes may never have existed at all.
Allbirds’ journey highlights an important truth about global manufacturing:
Innovation rarely begins where production is cheapest.
It begins where capability and mindset exist.
Korea’s role in Allbirds’ early development was not about cost or volume—it was about belief, technical confidence, and execution.
And this is exactly why so many innovative global brands continue to look to Korea when they are building something new.
Stories like Allbirds remind us that where a product is made—and where it begins—matters.
That’s why MadeinKorea (MIK) exists.
MIK is a platform that shows where products are actually made in Korea, from early-stage material innovation and prototyping to full-scale manufacturing. We help brands and buyers understand not just what is made—but where and by whom.
If you care about where products begin, who took the first risk, and how innovation truly happens—join MIK.
