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If you’re looking for a stylish flat shoe, but can’t decide between Birdies vs. Rothys, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered.
We’ll discuss the key features of Rothys vs. Birdies, including comfort, drawbacks of each brand, price, materials, and styles.
- Brand Comparison: Birdies vs. Rothys
- About Birdies
- About Rothy’s
- Popular Birdies Styles
- Popular Rothy’s Shoes
- Key Features of Birdies
- Key Features of Rothy’s
- Drawbacks of Birdies Shoes
- Drawbacks of Rothy’s Shoes
- Which shoe is more comfortable Birdies vs Rothy’s?
- Which shoes are more eco-friendly?
- What is the price difference between Birdies vs Rothy’s?
- Birdies vs. Rothy’s alternatives
- Birdies vs. Rothy’s vs. Vivaia
- Birdies vs. Rothy’s vs. Allbirds
- Wrapping Up: Birdies vs Rothy’s
Let’s dive in.
Brand Comparison: Birdies vs. Rothys
| Brand |  |  |
| What they make? | Womens’s flats, sneakers, and loafers | Women’s flats, sneakers, loafers, Mary-janes, plus kid’s shoes, and men’s styles |
| Key Features: | •Comfortable and Stylish •Great range of colors and styles | •Comfortable •Made from recycled plastic bottles •Great choice of colors and styles |
| Machine Washable Styles? | ✔ | ✔ |
| Vegan Styles available? | ✔ | ✔ |
| Half sizes available? | ✔ | ✔ |
| Removable insoles? | ❌ (Except the Blackbird & Swift Styles) | ✔ |
| Sustainable materials? | ❌ | ✔ |
| Waterproof styles? | ❌ | ❌ |
| Free Shipping & Returns? | ✔ | ✔ |
About Birdies
Birdies is a female-founded American footwear brand created in 2015 by friends Bianca Gates and Marisa Sharkey, who saw a gap in the market for comfortable yet stylish house shoes.
Fast forward seven years, the brand creates a whole range of stylish flats for wearing both in and out of the house.
About Rothy’s
Rothy’s is an American brand founded in San Francisco by Stephen Hawthornthwaite and Roth Martin in 2012. The brand is famous for turning recycled plastic bottles into its signature recycled knit shoes.
The brand creates a range of ballet flats, sneakers, loafers for women, and a small selection of men’s shoes. Rothy’s knit shoes are adored by famous fans and worn by Meghan Markle and other A-listers.
Popular Birdies Styles
| Birdies Shoe | The Starling | The Heron | The Blackbird | The Swift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Style |  |  |  |  |
| Key Features | •10mm heel •7 layer cushioned sole •Wide-fit available | •10mm heel •7 layer cushioned sole •Rubber outsole for indoor and outdoor wear | •Knit uppers •Removable insole | •20 mm hidden wedge inside and a 20mm heel •Removable insole |
| Machine Washable? | ❌ | ❌ | ✔ | ❌ |
| Vegan? | ✔ | ✔ (Some styles are not vegan friendly) | ✔ | ❌ |
| Review Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.8/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Price? | from $98 | from $130 | from $130 | from $98 |
| Where to buy? | Shop The Starling | Shop The Heron | Shop the Blackbird | Shop The Swift |
Popular Rothy’s Shoes
| Rothy’s Shoe | The Point | The Flat | The Driver | The Sneaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Style |  |  |  |  |
| Key Features | •Made from recycled materials •Breathable •Sleek point toe and V-shaped vamp | •Seamless knit design •Recycled materials •Rounded toe and V-shaped vamp | •Loafer Style •Nubbed outsoles for extra grip and durability •Seamless knit design from recycled plastic | •Slip on sneaker style •Robust sole |
| Machine Washable? | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Vegan? | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Review Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Price? | from $145 | from $125 | from $185 | from $125 |
| Where to buy? | Shop The Point | Shop The Flat | Shop The Driver | Shop The Sneaker |
Key Features of Birdies
Great Reviews
One main feature we see from all popular birdies flats is the excellent reviews from customers praising the comfort of the shoes. For example, Birdies’ bestselling Starling flat gets an average of 4.7/5 stars with over nine thousand reviews.
Greater Arch Support than Rothy’s
Birdies shoes have more arch support and heel support than Rothy’s flats. In addition, birdies have a slightly more built-up heel than Rothy’s, with the Birdies Starling flat model featuring a 10 mm heel height.
Great variety of patterns and colors
Birdies, like Rothy’s, have a great color and pattern choice in their signature styles.
Supporting local charities
Through the Birdies impact programs, Birdies gives back to nonprofit organizations which empower women, helping them to recognize their true potential. The charities Birdies support include Step Up, Soles4soles, and Angel City Football Club.
Free Shipping and Returns
Birdies offer free shipping and returns on all U.S orders.
Key Features of Rothy’s
Sustainability
A key feature of Rothys shoes that we don’t see from Birdies is the brand’s focus on sustainability, circularity, and utilization of recycled plastic materials.
Rothy’s knits its shoes from recycled yarn spun from recycled plastic bottles collected from landfills and marine waste. So far, Rothy’s has recycled over 120 million plastic bottles into its recycled shoes. In addition to recycled plastic, check out other responsible materials Rothy’s uses in the image below.
The brand has also released a range of shoes from merino wool, a natural, breathable, and renewable fiber.
Rothy’s is also trialing a recycling program where old Rothy’s shoes are recycled back into new Rothy’s shoes. Rothy’s recycling pilot program is an essential step for the footwear industry and an initiative we hope that many other brands set up, as currently less than 5% of footwear is recycled yearly, leaving millions of old shoes sent to landfills.
Using recycled plastic reduces plastic waste pollution in landfills and oceans. Plus, by using recycled polyester, this reduces our use of non renewable crude-oil.
Machine Washable
Every Rothy’s style is entirely machine washable, compared to Birdies, where only certain styles are machine washable. If you are washing Rothy’s shoes, we recommend you use a washing machine filter or guppy bag to catch any microfibers which the shoes may shed – microplastics can enter waterways and oceans, contributing to the plastic pollution problem.
Great selection of colors and patterns
One thing we love about Rothy’s is the variety available in every style. Unfortunately, you’ll be stuck for choice as Rothy’s creates sixteen styles in its classic range and over ten seasonal patterns in its pointed flat shoe alone.
Free Shipping and Returns
Like Birdies, Rothy’s offers free shipping and returns on all orders.
Drawbacks of Birdies Shoes
Poor performance in wet weather
Birdies might not be your first choice of shoe if you live in wet conditions, as some people say that Birdies shoes, including the best-selling Starling velvet shoes, don’t hold up well.
Not all styles are Machine Washable
While Birdies design a range of washable shoes, this forms only a small part of the Birdies collection. In addition, most Birdies shoes aren’t machine washable, so if you’re prone to getting your shoes dirty, you might want to consider choosing either the washable style or looking at Rothy’s.
A drawback of Birdies is the lack of removable insoles; if you require your orthopedic insoles, Rothy’s is a better choice.
Drawbacks of Rothy’s Shoes
One main drawback we’ve picked up is that Rothy’s popular styles tend to run small, with some customers complaining that Rothy’s shoes are far too tight.
We’ve also noticed that there is also a mixed bag of reviews on Rothy’s popular styles, with many reviews raving about how comfortable the shoes are. However, this is conflicted with reviews that comment on how small and narrow the shoes can be. Judging by the information given by Rothy’s reviews, we would recommend sizing up.
Another drawback of Rothy’s flats is that there is minimal arch support. However, despite the lack of arch support, Rothy’s insoles are removable. They can be changed for orthopedic insoles like Fulton’s, for example, as a remedy to the lack of arch support.
Which shoe is more comfortable Birdies vs Rothy’s?
The fit and feel of a shoe differ from person to person. Both Rothy’s and Birdies bestsellers, including the Starling shoe and the Pointed Rothy’s, get great reviews for comfort while also receiving a mix of negative reviews.
Overall though, judging by the ratio of negative to positive reviews, we’d say that Birdies were the winners when it comes to comfort.
Birdies have a seven-layered cushioned sole for added comfort. Plus, Birdies offer medium and wide-fit styles in its Starling style, which may be more suitable for people with wider feet. In addition, Birdies offer a 30-day comfort guarantee on its shoes.
On the other hand, Rothy’s has a flexible seamless knit upper, meaning no rubbing and blisters from seams.
Which shoes are more eco-friendly?
Overall, Rothy’s is the most sustainable out of the two brands, thanks to its use of eco-friendly and recycled materials.
Rothy’s uppers are knit with recycled plastic bottles, and their soles are created from bio-based algae bloom foam, an eco-friendly alternative to EVA foam.
Birdies don’t give detail on the transparency of the materials and where its shoes are produced; this is something we’d like to see the brand improve on in the future.
What is the price difference between Birdies vs Rothy’s?
Both brands are pricy, with styles retailing at around the $100 mark, but Birdies retail at a slightly cheaper price point, with their best-selling style, The Starling coming in at 30% cheaper than Rothy’s best-selling style, The Point.
Birdies vs. Rothy’s alternatives
Suppose you’re still not set on either Birdies or Rothy’s. In that case, many other sustainable brands are using eco-friendly materials, including natural fibers and recycled materials, including the affordable alternative Vivaia and Allbirds flats – the Tree Breezer.
Birdies vs. Rothy’s vs. Vivaia
https://www.vivaia.com/Vivaia is a footwear brand which is a great affordable alternative to Rothy’s and Birdies. Like Rothy’s, the brand creates it’s comfortable and stylish flats from recycled plastic bottles.
Vivaia is a great option especially for people with wider feet, or those looking for a budget option.
Birdies vs. Rothy’s vs. Allbirds
Allbirds is a sustainable footwear brand creating comfortable and eco-friendly sneakers, flat, and sandals from sustainable materials.
Allbirds’ Tree Breezers are a great alternative to Rothy’s and Birdies, and retail for a more affordable price.
Check out our complete guide to Rothy’s alternatives here.
Wrapping Up: Birdies vs Rothy’s
Overall it’s clear that both Birdies or Rothy’s are stylish and comfortable, but both brands have pros and cons. However, in our opinion, Rothy’s takes the overall top spot and would be our shoe of choice, thanks to the sustainable materials used and the seamless knit design.
If you enjoyed this comparison, and want to check out other great sustainable brands, take a look at sustainable sandals and sustainable heels.
