The footwear brand Birkenstock breaks the boundaries between fashion and interiors launching, at this year’s IMM Cologne furniture fair, six new sleeping systems.
The same principles adopted for creating shoes have been applied in making beds. The feel-good element of the German made sandals has been traslated into mattresses. Just as the Birkenstock footbed fits the natural form of the foot, these mattresses recognise and adapt to the natural contours of the body, ensuring a healthy, restful sleep; healthy stance and healthy position when laying down are complementary aspects of the same well-being philosophy.
To realize the project, the brand has collaborated with Germany's Ergonomie Institut München and has worked with the Austrian upholstered furniture manufacturer ADA. Several of the bases feature undulating beech wood slats in different shapes for various body types. Another bed base features elastic discs that are made of cork, like the brand's shoes, and set on springs to relieve pressure on the body.
BIRKENSTOCK is today one of the top five global footwear brands. The company’s historic roots can be traced as far back as 1774. Since the 1930s, Birkenstock has created orthopaedic footbeds by studying the anatomy of the foot and using natural materials and shape to stabilise it. BIRKENSTOCK became a global player by the late 1970s. Manufactured in Germany, the sandals are sold in 90 countries on all five continents. In addition to the legendary sandals, BIRKENSTOCK also has a growing range of closed-toe, children’s, and work shoes as well as specialist products for orthopedic retailers.