Birkenstocks are some of the most comfortable footwear you can find nowadays. The sandals are light, breathable, and airy, but are strong, durable, and well made enough to last you more than just one summer. They’re great. But what a lot of people struggle with is the different types of Birkenstock sandals on offer, and more importantly, knowing the differences between them. So, to make things easier for everyone else, we’ve looked closer at Birko Flor vs Birkibuc, so you can decide which is the better pair for you. Quick hint before we start though: they’re both great!
Birko Flor Key Features
Birko Flor is a sandal made from acrylic and polyamide felt fibers. To the average person, that means nothing, but to those fashion-forward people out there who look at what these materials actually mean, they tell us that it gives a smooth, leather-like finish. Leather-like being the important word.
It’s still as water-resistant, durable, and fade and scratch resistant as leather, but it deals with some of leather’s key flaws. You know how a new pair of leather sandals always takes FOREVER to break in? Yeah, not Birko Flor sandals. Like leather, they’re also tear resistant and feel great on the skin, with a lovely cooling effect, too, for some added bonuses.
Because it’s only leather-like and doesn’t take any time at all to break in, there’s virtually no chance of you developing blisters with these sandals either. The material is breathable and has a fleece lining on the underside of it, so not only do you get the cooling effect on your feet, but a soft touch, too!
With leather, there’s always the known fact that it will break down, eventually. As a natural product, there’s only so much maintenance and care you can give it before it deteriorates naturally. But because Birko Flor is synthetic, it doesn’t have that problem either.
But something that makes Birko Flor sandals especially exciting is that there are no color limits to it. The material can be stained and colored in any way, giving Birkenstock a huge playground of design choices to experiment with. And, if that wasn’t reason enough to be excited, Birko Flor is cheaper than leather and more ethical too. What’s not to love?
Birkibuc Key Features
The most exciting thing about Birkibuc sandals has to be the way they look and feel. In terms of their appearance, you’d never be able to tell it apart from nubuck leather sandals. Even in the way it feels – Birkibuc has the same textured, soft finish as nubuck leather does, and the two are almost inseparable.
Almost.
To the untrained eye, Birkibuc sandals look almost identical to nubuck leather, but for the slight nap on the surface. To the untrained foot, though, you’d never be able to tell. And why is that so good? Because in fashion, for a very long time now, nubuck leather is seen as almost the height of sophistication. You see somebody in nubuck leather sandals, and you’re looking at somebody with class. Look at somebody in Birkibuc sandals, and heck, you wouldn’t know the difference!
Like Birko Flor, Birkibuc is made of acrylic and polyamide felt fibers again, but it is treated in a way that’s a little different to give it that all important nubuck leather look. The material is buffed lightly to create that slightly textured finish, but it still remains easy to clean with just a little water and mild soap.
Just like the leather it emulates (and Birko Flor too, for that matter) the material is durable and strong, but has a soft backing that makes them all the more comfortable. The soft backing also provides a little give, meaning fitting these isn’t a problem, but the material doesn’t stretch in quite the same way as leather, so there may be an awkward breaking them in stage to go through before the real comfort begins!
Ethical, but with a natural looking leather appearance, these are some of the most stylish sandals around. With just a little adjustment to the strap of your Birkibuc sandals, these will fit perfectly!
Birko Flor vs Birkibuc – The Major Differences
You might already be seeing some of the major differences between Birko Flor and Birkibuc already, just from us comparing the two in the sections above. But here are some of the major differences (since they’re both pretty similar) to help you decide between the two different types of sandals.
First, is the way the different sandals look. If you want something with a little more variety, then Birko Flor is the best option for you, because they have so many color options available. Birkibuc is designed to look like nubuck leather, so there aren’t as many shade or color alternatives for these sandals.
Talking of leather, if you’re avoiding leather for environmental or ethical reasons, but you’re still a fan of that leather look, you’ll get a much better result with Birkibuc sandals than Birko Flor since Birkibuc is specifically designed to look like nubuck leather. If you’re aiming for a more sophisticated, as-close-to-leather-as-possible look, then Birkibuc is for you.
Moving on to comfort for a moment now, Birko Flor is definitely a sandal with more comfort on offer. There’s the soft fleece lining on the inside which is super comfortable, which the Birkibuc sandals don’t have. But there’s also the fact that Birko Flor doesn’t have a breaking-in period and will fit like a glove right out of the box. Birkibuc will need a breaking-in period because the material isn’t as flexible as Birko Flor.
The eagle eyed amongst you might also have noticed that we pointed out Birko Flor’s tear resistance, a major plus when it comes to durability and longevity, but Birkibuc doesn’t boast the same features and can be torn if mishandled.
And finally, the most obvious differences you’ll notice in terms of wearing them and the way they look are that Birko Flor is shiny, and Birkibuc is not. Birko Flor is also smooth, but Birkibuc is textured. This creates very different styles and feels, which will ultimately be the biggest differences that help you decide between the pair.
Round-Up
With Birko Flor vs Birkibuc, there aren’t any glaringly obvious differences that might make you choose one over the other, until you get down to their look and feel. Want a leather-like sandal that’s convincing and textured? Go Birkibuc. Need something a little shinier, with more color options? Then Birko Flor it is! Besides that, the two are pretty similar, and both make for excellent sandals!