Repair Page

Some key care tips/instructions to ensure proper fitting and to prolong the life of your Birkenstocks can be found on our blog post here.

1. You will find that the main instructions are to not immerse your Birkenstocks in water and to avoid extreme heat. Water can damage the cork and dissolve the glue/sealant. If your Birkenstocks happen to get wet, dry them slowly and away from direct heat. Never dry them directly in front of a heater.

2. Do not leave your Birkenstocks in direct sunlight or in the car on warm days. It is very common to see Birkenstocks lying in the hot sun, especially at the beach in Australia. This is something that you should avoid doing.

3. If the straps are Birko-Flor, wipe with a damp cloth to clean. If the straps are leather, use a leather nourisher and allow to soak in.

4. Lastly, ensure that when fitting, you have 5mm of space at the front of your toes and 5mm behind your heels. You should not see your toes touching the front. If your toes are hitting the ends or you are resting back onto the heel cup, they are too small and you may end up compressing the cork, making them deteriorate quicker. Your feet should be comfortably sitting in the shape of the footbed and not resting on any edges.

Birkenstocks with exposed cork footbeds may require a cork repair due to general wear over time. When Birkenstocks are first purchased, they are stiff and rigid with no flexibility. This is because they have not moulded and adapted to one’s walking pattern and feet. Over time, you may notice cracking at the flex points of your Birkenstocks. Do not be alarmed by this! If they did get this cracking in the cork and latex, your Birkenstocks would not become flexible or nearly as comfortable. Additionally, you may notice cracking and chipping of the cork, possibly near the back and front of the sandals due to general wear and tear.

A cork repair is a great option for this. It is completed by using heat-moulded cork, which is then re-built (injected) and ground back to the original shape of the footbed and finished with cork life sealant. When you first purchase your Birkenstock’s, a cork sealant is already painted all over the cork. It appears to have a sheen which makes it easy to notice when worn off. The cork will appear matt and dry once this has worn off and you can then repaint this sealant on yourself once a bottle has been purchased (recommenced about twice a year or when needed). This is general cork maintenance to prolong the life of the cork and is usually done once or twice a year.