Have you ever bought Birkenstock or Betula shoes? Well, you might have realized that Birkenstocks and Betulas have similarities. As they are so cute, you might be wondering if they are from the same company. This article gives you the differences between the two.
Definitions
Birkenstock is one of the oldest shoemaking businesses, dating back to 1774. Initially started by the shoemaker Johann Adam Birkenstock, contoured foot beds were invented to fit to the shape of the foot. Following the discovery of Birkenstock shoes around the world, they have been worn for different reasons from house slippers in Germany to casual wear by the young and college students.
Betula, being a brand within the Birkenstock company, was primarily established with a focus on providing affordable footwear in a wide range of styles and colors. Chiefly pioneered by Christian Birkenstock in 1994, Betula shoe models feature the Birkenstock contoured foot bed, explaining the inclusive matches between the two brands.
Though the two brands are similar, there are slight differences you should be aware of.
Comparison chart
| Birkenstock | Betula |
| Expensive (from $40-$210) | Less expensive (from $30-$80) |
| Limited availability | Easily available |
| Are traditionally-made with a wide variety of sandals | Features traditional, trendy and modern styles with fewer varieties. |
| Made of high quality materials | Made of cheaper materials |
Betula vs Birkenstock
What is the difference between Betula and Birkenstock?
- With Birkenstock being the parent company to Betula, age is an obvious difference between the two brands. While the Birkenstock brand was started in Germany by the shoemaker Johann Adam Birkenstock in 1774, Betula was created as a subsidary of Birkenstock by Christian Birkenstock in 1994.
- Even though all the Birkenstock shoe models have a Betula counterpart, what Birkenstock offers mainly is a wide variety of classic sandals, clogs and shoes artistically made with tradition in mind. Betula, on the other hand, features both traditional styles from the parent company and trendy modern styles.
- Quality is another differing factor between the two brands. While Birkenstock offers shoe customization with three therapeutically prepared insoles, Betula does not have these offers because they are costly to produce.
- Quality and price goes in hand, thus, price is another great difference between the two. Because of the high quality materials that Birkenstock uses to create their shoes, they are expensive compared to their counterparts. Birkenstock uses authentic suede in the straps and their prices range from $40-$210, while Betula, because of affordability, uses cheaper faux-suede materials. Their prices range from $30-$80 based on your choices.
- Even though both Birkenstock and Betula shoe models feature in many online stores, Birkenstock models are said to be less available compared to Betula ones. Birkenstock footwear is only found in recognized Birkenstock stores, some independent shoe stores and selected department stores. On the other hand, Betula brand shoes are sold in various retail stores.