Allbirds, Once Valued at $4bn, Sold for $39m as Sustainable Shoe Brand Struggles

Allbirds, the sustainable trainer brand from San Francisco, has been sold to American Exchange Group for $39m (£29.6m). The brand was once valued at over $4bn but struggled to maintain demand for its wool-based footwear.

The company's value tumbled by more than 99% since its listing on the US stock market in 2021. Allbirds had enjoyed rapid success in its early years, selling over 1m pairs of its original merino wool trainers in the first two years after its launch in 2016.

Celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Barack Obama were early adopters of the brand. However, the company's success was short-lived, and it eventually slipped into losses as competition intensified from eco-focused rivals.

Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, described Allbirds' downfall as going from 'a high flyer to a dead parrot.' The company's co-founder, Tim Brown, and engineer Joey Zwillinger had launched Allbirds amid growing interest in sustainable fashion.

The takeover follows a sharp fall in sales in the third quarter of 2025, with a 23% decline to $33m and a $20.3m loss. Allbirds had been steadily closing stores since 2023 and announced the closure of all but two of its remaining 20 US stores.

Joe Vernachio, CEO of Allbirds, stated that the next chapter for the brand will 'build on the foundational work already completed and set up the brand to thrive in the years ahead.'