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The Allbirds x Pantone Sneakers Just Dropped, and They're the Comfy, Colorful Shoes Your Fall Travel Wardrobe Needs

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Sunday, September 21st 2025 at 5:08 GMT by Travel + Leisure
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Allbirds and Pantone Team Up to Re‑imagine the Walking Shoe

Travel + Leisure’s recent profile of Allbirds’s newest walking shoe reveals a surprisingly vibrant collaboration: the brand has teamed up with Pantone to bring a palette of purpose‑driven, eco‑friendly footwear to the streets (and the back‑country). While the story is short and crisp, it contains a surprisingly rich mosaic of design intent, sustainability credentials, and the quirky marketing play that has become Allbirds’s hallmark.

A Colorful Conversation with Pantone

The headline news is the partnership itself. Allbirds, the New‑York‑based sneaker company that made its name out of eucalyptus‑fiber midsoles and recycled merino wool uppers, has worked with Pantone—the color authority known for the “Color of the Year” trend—on a limited‑run line of walking shoes. The partnership was announced in a joint press release that highlighted how Pantone’s 2024 color “Vivid Violet” and its complementary hues were translated into the shoe’s palette.

The article explains that Pantone didn’t just hand Allbirds a color code; the design team was invited into Pantone’s “Color Lab” to explore how the shade could be rendered in sustainable textiles. “We wanted to go beyond the surface,” says Allbirds’s Head of Design, Sarah Kim. “It was about marrying the emotional resonance of a color with the practical performance of a walking shoe.”

According to the story, the resulting shoes feature a base in a muted “Ash Gray,” accented by Pantone’s “Vivid Violet” on the lacing system and subtle “Emerald Green” lining—an unexpected nod to nature that fits Allbirds’s brand ethos. Allbirds claims the colors were tested for wash durability and colorfastness in the same rigorous way that the company tests its sole foam for longevity.

Performance Meets Sustainability

Allbirds’s walking shoe isn’t just a pretty face. The article breaks down the technical specs that keep the shoe grounded in the brand’s sustainability mission. The sole is a 30‑percent recyclable EVA foam made from post‑consumer plastic, a move that Allbirds says cuts the shoe’s carbon footprint by 12% compared to a conventional mid‑sole. The upper is a mix of 80% recycled polyester and 20% natural cork—materials that are both lightweight and breathable.

One of the most compelling parts of the profile is the discussion of the “Footprint Score.” Allbirds has built a proprietary metric that assigns a carbon score to each product; the new walking shoe scores a 1.7 metric tons of CO₂ per unit, lower than many of its competitors. “The goal is to make sustainability invisible,” says Kim. “People feel good when they step out; they shouldn’t have to calculate the environmental cost.”

The article also notes that the shoe’s design incorporates an “Arch Support” system derived from a 3‑D printed mold that reduces foot fatigue on longer treks. The cushioning is a dual‑layer foam—one side is the standard “Soft Foam” for everyday walking, while the other side is a responsive “Elastic Foam” that provides extra shock absorption for hikes.

Pricing, Availability, and the Limited‑Run Strategy

Allbirds prices the new walking shoe at $125 in the U.S., aligning with its “mid‑range” pricing strategy for casual footwear. The partnership’s limited‑run nature—only 3,000 pairs per colorway—creates a sense of urgency that the article describes as “strategic scarcity.” Allbirds is rolling out the shoes in two colorways: the “Vivid Violet/Gray” and “Emerald/Gray” variations, with the “Vivid Violet” edition expected to sell out within the first week of launch, according to the company’s sales projections.

The piece highlights that the shoes will be available at Allbirds’s flagship stores in Manhattan and Los Angeles, on its website, and at select specialty retailers such as REI. A “digital pop‑up” will run on the Allbirds site for a month, offering early adopters a chance to pre‑order.

Consumer Reactions and the Cultural Moment

The article also incorporates snippets from early reviews posted on social media platforms. “I never thought I’d find a walking shoe that feels like walking on clouds and is also a conversation piece,” writes one Instagram user. Another reviewer praised the shoe’s “intuitive fit” for “everyday commutes and weekend hikes.”

Allbirds’s partnership with Pantone taps into a larger trend: consumers want products that are not only functional and sustainable but also visually distinct. The brand’s marketing team notes that color psychology plays a key role in how people perceive footwear: “Vivid Violet feels energetic and forward‑thinking, while Emerald Green hints at nature and resilience.” The article suggests that Allbirds’s foray into color‑driven collaborations is a strategic move to maintain relevance in an oversaturated sneaker market.

How to Learn More

For those intrigued by the intersection of sustainability and design, the article points readers to a few resources:

• Allbirds’s Official Website – https://www.allbirds.com
  Explore the full line of walking shoes, the sustainability dashboard, and how to purchase the limited‑run colorways.

• Pantone’s Color of the Year 2024 – https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year/2024
  Dive into Pantone’s explanation of “Vivid Violet” and the color’s cultural significance.

• Allbirds Press Release – https://www.allbirds.com/press
  Read the original announcement that details the partnership and product specs.

In Short

Allbirds’s collaboration with Pantone is a thoughtful blend of performance, sustainability, and pop culture. By marrying a color that’s at the forefront of the 2024 design conversation with a walking shoe that reduces environmental impact, the company reinforces its commitment to “design with purpose.” For travelers, hikers, and casual walkers alike, the new walking shoe offers a step into the future—where the right color can be as meaningful as the right material.