Rothys vs Allbirds: Which Brand Is Better Value?

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Stuck choosing between a pair of Rothys vs Allbirds? We’ve got you covered.

In this article we conduct a full brand comparison between Rothy’s shoes and Allbirds shoes, covering styles, materials, sustainability, price and more.

Let’s jump in.

About Allbirds

Allbirds is a San Fransisco-based sustainable shoe brand creating sneakers, running shoes, and ballet-style flats from sustainable materials.

The brand was founded in 2014 by New Zealander Tim Brown and San Franciscan Joey Zwillinger.

Since its launch, Allbirds has become one of the fastest-growing shoe brands worldwide, selling millions of pairs.

About Rothy’s

Like Allbirds, Rothy’s is also a San Fransico-based shoe brand, launched in 2016 by Stephen Hawthornthwaite and Roth Martin.

The brand is famous for its signature knitted style of ballet shoes, pumps, and lace-ups, created from recycled materials.

Since 2016, the popularity of Rothy’s has soared, thanks to gaining a fanbase amongst celebrities, including Meghan Markle. In 2021, Brazilian flip flop brand Havaianas acquired 49.9% of the company.

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Allbirds vs Rothy’s Popular Shoe Comparison

	Allbirds	Rothy’s
Style	Tree Breezer	The Flat
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Materials	• Natural Tree Fibers •Carbon negative sole	•Recycled plastic uppers •Rubber Sole
Drawbacks	•Size runs slightly small	•Size runs very small •Not as much foot cushioning
Waterproof	❌	❌
Vegan	❌	✔
Machine washable?	✔	✔
B Corporation?	✔	❌
Price?	$98	$125
Where to buy	Allbirds.com	Rothy’s.com
Ships to	Worldwide	Worldwide

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Ecothes Reviewed: At Ecothes HQ, we’ve personally tested the Allbirds Tree Dasher and Tree Piper models and love how comfortable the shoes are. Plus, trust me when I say that Allbirds are super comfortable, the sole offers a great amount of cushion, and the inners are made from merino wool, so they’re super cozy!

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	Allbirds	Rothy’s
Style	Wool Mizzles	RS01 Sneaker
Picture
Materials	• Merino Wool Uppers •Carbon negative sole	•Recycled plastic uppers •Rubber Sole
Drawbacks	•Size runs slightly small	•Size runs very small •Not as much foot cushioning
Water Resistant?	✔	❌
Vegan	❌	✔
Machine washable?	✔	✔
B Corporation?	✔	❌
Price?	$118	$175
Where to buy	Allbirds.com	Rothy’s.com
Ships to	Worldwide	Worldwide

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What materials do Allbirds use?

Allbirds are focused on using eco-friendly and natural materials in their shoes. The main materials Allbirds uses are:

? Eucalyptus Tree Fibers

Allbirds have created a renewable tree fiber from FSC certified Eucalyptus Trees. This fiber is knit into its signature styles, including the Tree Breezer, Tree runner, and Tree Dasher.

Thanks to the silky smooth properties of Eucalyptus tree fibers, Allbirds Tree Breezers are soft, breathable, and keep feet cool, minimizing odor.

? SugarCane Soles

Allbirds soles, known as SweetFoam®, are created from renewable Brazilian sugarcane combined with the world’s first carbon-negative green EVA foam.

While Allbirds opts for natural materials, Rothy’s uses recycled materials for its popular styles.

? Recycled Plastic Bottles

Rothy’s recycled plastic thread is spun from plastic bottles, otherwise destined for landfills. The plastic thread is then knit, using low waste technology, into its ballet flats and point shoes.

Using recycled polyester (plastic) saves vast amounts of energy and resources compared to the energy required to create virgin plastics.

Rothy’s trialed its recycling program in 2021, which allowed customers to send back their old Rothy’s to be recycled into new shoes. The recycling program is the brand’s first step toward a circular supply chain.

? Natural Rubber

Rothy’s women’s flat styles, including the point and ballet pump, feature a sole created from 9% natural and renewable rubber.

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Allbirds sneakers fit true to size. We’ve tested the Tree Dashers and Tree Pipers and found that Allbirds fit well, and are comfortable for all day wear.

Allbirds Tree Breezers can run slightly on the small side, according to the Allbirds website.

Rothy’s ballet flats fit small to size, according to the reviews. However, customers recommend going up half a size for narrow feet and a full size for wider feet in the flat style.

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We would consider Allbirds a sustainable brand. The company was awarded B Corporation status in 2016, which means the brand meets high environmental and ethical production standards.

Allbirds uses sustainable materials, including renewable and natural fabrics, and has a transparent supply chain.

Rothy’s is also a sustainable company. The brand uses sustainable and recycled materials to produce its shoes and reduces waste in its supply chain through sustainable practices.

The company operators production exclusively in its sustainable factory in Dongguan, China.

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Allbirds make men’s and women’s shoes in many different styles, including lace up sneakers, ballet flats, slip on sneakers and running shoes.

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Ecothes Reviewed: “Having worn the Tree Dasher model almost every day for a whole year, I’m a big fan of the Allbirds sneakers, and if you’re on your feet all day, I’d seriously recommend the Tree Dasher model.” – Bethany, Ecothes Founder

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Below you can find the pros and cons of some of Allbirds popular styles.

	Tree Skipper	Tree Runner	Tree Breezer	Lounger	Mizzles
Upper Material	•Natural Tree Fibers	•Natural Tree Fibers	•Natural Tree Fibers	•Merino Wool	•Merino Wool
Water Resistant?	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔
Machine Washable?	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Price	$98	$98	$98	$98	$118
Where to buy	Shop Tree Skipper	Shop Tree Runner	Shop Tree Breezer	Shop Tree Lounger	Shop Mizzles

What styles of shoes does Rothy’s make?

Rothy’s also make a range of men’s and women’s shoes, including flats, loafers, sneakers and more. Each style comes in a variety of colors, and sizes.

Check out some of the most popular Rothy’s shoe styles below.

	The Flat	The Point	The Lace Up	The Sneaker	The Loafer
Upper Material	•Recycled plastic bottles	•Recycled plastic bottles	•Recycled plastic bottles	•Recycled plastic bottles	•Recycled materials
Water Resistant?	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Machine Washable?	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Price	$125	$145	$165	$125	$165
Where to buy	Shop The Flat	Shop The Point	Shop The Lace Up	Shop The Sneaker	Shop The Loafer

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Both Rothy’s and Allbirds are creating great, high-quality sustainable shoes from sustainable materials. In my opinion, I’d personally go for Allbirds as they’re cheaper, better value for money and are super comfortable. Plus, I prefer that Allbirds uses natural fibers like wood fibers and wool over polyester (like Rothy’s).

We hope that you enjoyed our Rothys vs Allbirds analysis and have all the information to make your choice a bit easier. If you’re still not decided and want to check out other shoes like rothy’s, check out our favorite Rothy’s dupes.

If you have any feedback, let us know in the comments below. If you’re looking for other Allbirds alternatives make sure to read our guides on Vessi and Atoms.