The company’s historic roots can be traced as far back as 1774. Birkenstock used the term ‘footbed’ as far back as the 1930s, helping to shape the way it is used today. Birkenstock became a global player by the late 1970s. 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, distributed in over 90 countries in the whole world.