BIRK

Birkenstock Holding Plc

A German footwear maker best known for its contoured cork-latex footbeds, Birkenstock makes the classic Arizona, Gizeh and Madrid sandals as well as the Boston clog, worn by everyone from teachers to Hollywood stars. The family name goes back to Johann Adam Birkenstock, a cobbler documented in 1774 in the village of Langen-Bergheim, Germany; a descendant later invented the flexible, orthopedic footbed that made the brand famous. The Arizona, named after the US state, debuted in 1973 as part of a place-named lineup that also includes Madrid and Zurich.