Allbirds Tree Pipers Review: A Comfortable & Sustainable Everyday Sneaker

Casual & Versatile Sustainable Shoe for Work, Home, or Travel

Price: $105

Made In: Vietnam

Overall score: 4/5

Performance: 5/5

People: 3/5

Planet: 4/5

Allbirds Tree Pipers are an excellent, sustainable everyday shoe. They are comfortable and versatile, you can wear them to work, out to dinner, or while running errands.

They are also a sustainable sneaker choice! Allbirds crafted these shoes from recycled materials, merino wool, tree fibers, and a  sugarcane-based EVA. Allbirds even measures the exact carbon footprint of the Tree Pipers (which for the interested, is 6.94 kg CO2e).

So, if you’re looking for a sustainable shoe that you can wear anywhere, the Allbirds Tree Pipers are a great option. In this review, we’ll explain why.

Allbirds Tree Pipers: Pros & Cons

👍 Extremely comfortable & lightweight

👍 Breathable, great in the heat

👍 Versatile, can be casual or dressed up

👍 Made with sustainable materials

👍 30 day no questions asked return policy

👎 No half-sizes

👎Narrow fit

👎 Fair weather only, not suitable for cold or wet weather

Allbirds Tree Pipers Review: Performance, People, & Planet

With all my Product Reviews, I measure “sustainability” in three ways:

1. Performance – Does the product serve its intended use.

2. People – What’s the product’s effect on the people “behind” the product.

3. Planet – What’s the product’s impact on the planet?

Let’s talk about how the Allbirds Tree Pipers measure up.

Performance

Best Use:

The Tree Pipers are a perfect everyday shoe. They have a casual look but can be dressed up if need be. With a timeless sneaker look, these are extremely versatile, they can look good with anything as long as they are clean (pants, shorts, etc.). You can wear socks or not, up to you!

For me, I’ve worn my Tree Pipers while running errands, out to coffee meetings, going to dinner, or on travel days. I’ve worn them for anything “day-to-day.”

For a couple of recent trips (to warmer weather), I’ve packed my Tree Pipers and an option for working out. Nothing else. Great travel shoes.

They are lightweight and breathable. I live in Texas and spend most of my time in warmer climates, so for me, that’s ideal. If you live in a colder climate, you might alternatively check out the Wool Pipers (Men’s or Women’s).

One drawback to the breathability would be the ability to wear these Allbirds in wet weather. Your feet will get soaked! So, these need to remain as fair-weather shoes, only.

As well, most Allbirds casual shoe styles have very little tread. The Tree Pipers are no different. And, as the tread wears with time, I’d be especially cautious to wear these when it’s wet or icy. Again, for these shoes, fair weather is best.

Durability:

I’ve had years of use out of all my Allbirds styles and have found that they hold up pretty well. So far (I’ve been wearing these Tree Pipers for a few months) there is no noticeable wear to report.

Since I choose the Luna color scheme, I’ve picked up a few scuffs. I imagine this would be less noticeable if you select a darker color scheme. Most of the time the scuffs will wipe off. If your Tree Pipers get a little too dirty for your liking, you can always wash them (like any other Allbirds style).

As recommended on the Allbirds website to machine wash:

1. Take out the laces and insoles
2. Put the shoes in a delicates bag (Allbirds says pillowcases work too!)
3. Wash on a gentle cycle with cold water
4. Air dry
5. That’s it!

Sizing:

The shoes were snug when I bought them and required a brief break-in period. I found my Tree Pipers adjusting after two wears.

I like to buy my Allbirds tight because they always stretch out a little bit. A snug buy (for me) means a perfect long-term fit.

I have smaller, narrow feet, so I never meet the men’s sizing in Allbirds shoes of any style. So, I opt for the women’s 8. Allbirds shoes are unisex, so that’s no problem for me.

Some customers describe these shoes as too narrow for their feet. If you need a wider fit, that’s something to consider.

If this would be your first pair of Allbirds, I recommend finding what your European size is and crossing that with Allbirds.

This is how I came to the perfect size for me.

The Allbirds Tree Pipers are only available in whole sizes. This can be a little frustrating if you think you need something between.

Comfort:

The Allbirds Tree Pipers are extremely comfortable shoes that I’ve worn all day long. The merino wool insoles provide good arch support and the shoe hugs your foot (in a good way).

I don’t have flat feet myself, but for Allbirds customers who do the majority find the Tree Pipers are adequately supportive and cushioned.

Again, the insole, made from castor bean oil and a merino wool material topper makes for a supportive, comfy fit.

If you need more or less arch support and have inserts of your own, removing the Allbirds insoles isn’t a problem.

Allbirds long ago made the pitch that their shoe line offered the “most comfortable shoe.” I’ve tended to agree. The Tree Pipers likewise live up to the brand claim.

Whether you’re looking for a travel shoe to explore a new city or versatile shoes to wear to work and then out to dinner, the Allbirds Tree Piper has you covered.

People

Transparency:

Allbirds is extremely transparent about the environmental impact the Tree Pipers have on the planet.

They even measure the exact carbon footprint!

Of course, we appreciate this. Yet, we’re not seeing the same level of detail on the labor/people side.

The Allbirds factory map leaves much to be desired. While it’s a start, there’s not enough transparency into where and how an Allbirds shoe is made, and who touches it along the way to your foot!

Labor Practices:

Allbirds discloses that the Tree Piper and many other of their shoes are made in Vietnam.

It’s not easy to find a specific city where their shoes are made. Nor, can you find much else about their various manufacturing partners.

Allbirds has information about its code of conduct and its audit and evaluation process, but it all still lacks detail.

Their “detailed” audit and evaluation process which you can find on the Allbirds website is a single-page PDF:

Allbirds is extremely transparent on the materials/climate side, which is great! We’d likewise want to see the equivalent on the people side.

Contribution:
Allbirds has a partnership with SOLES4SOULS®, where lightly used Allbirds shoes are donated across the world.

Planet

Materials:

The Allbirds Tree Pipers shoes are made of many sustainable, natural materials. That includes:

• Eucalyptus tree fiber,
• Sugarcane-based green ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA),
• Recycled plastic bottle shoe laces
• Castor bean oil-based insole foam.

Allbirds boasts the impacts of these materials are far lower than what would be typical.

For example, tree fiber, which is Forest Stewardship Council® Certified, consumes 95% less water than conventionally grown cotton. As well, Allbirds claims the sugarcane-based green EVA is completely renewable.

All together (including transport, materials, etc.) Tree Pipers have a carbon footprint of 6.94 kg CO2e.If you’re curious, you can read more about Allbirds carbon footprint labeling, here.

Shipping & Packaging:

Allbirds shoes come (and ship if you order shoes individually) in a 90% post-consumer recycled box.

End of Life:

Allbirds has launched Allbirds ReRun™️, which allows customers to trade in their lightly used Allbirds for a $20 Allbirds credit.

Shoes are then resold online at Allbirds ReRun™️.

Shoes in worse shape can still be given back to Allbirds and they’ll determine how to best process them either through donation or recycling.

However, this is only available at certain Allbirds retail locations. At the time of writing this review, Allbirds only listed three participating retail locations.

So, I wouldn’t consider this a real “end-of-life” solution yet.

Verdict: Should You Buy the Allbirds Tree Pipers?

Yes, if you’re looking for a comfortable and versatile shoe, the Allbirds Tree Pipers are a great option.

They are near-perfect day-to-day sneakers for warmer weather.

I likewise believe it’s a purchase you can feel good about.

Still, Allbirds needs to be more transparent about the labor side of its operations. We want confirmation that workers are being paid a living wage. Codes of conduct aren’t enough. Full transparency is what we’re looking for.

Allbirds clearly seeks to be a leader in the category of sustainable business, and we admire the work they are doing with their materials.

I’d like to see a more suitable “end-of-life” solution, as that still presents a big gap.

All things considered together, we’re happy to recommend these shoes.

Where to Buy

→ $105 – Allbirds.com, or find an Allbirds store near you, here

Allbirds Tree Pipers Alternatives

For additional everyday or casual sneaker options, consider checking out Veja, Vivobarefoot, or Nisolo.

These brands offer a variety of sneaker options for everyday wear. If you aren’t convinced the Tree Pipers are for you, I’m sure you’ll find something with those alternatives.

Other Allbirds Styles to Consider

If you’d still like to consider other Allbirds styles for everyday use, I recommend checking out the following:

• Allbirds Wool Pipers (similar shoe but for colder climate)
• Allbirds Wool Runners
• Allbirds Tree Runners
• Allbirds Tree Loungers
• Allbirds Wool Loungers

If you’re looking for a more active shoe, consider the Allbirds Tree Dashers or Trail Runners. We’ve reviewed the latest Allbirds Runners model, the Allbirds Tree Dasher 2.

Disclosure:

With these Reviews, my priority is to share honest and objective evaluations of sustainable products.

The shoes were worn and tested by me (Cory Ames)! 

Have you had an experience with the Allbirds Tree Pipers? Anything you’d like to share with me/our team?

Your feedback is appreciated! Whether you leave a comment or contact us directly, we want to hear from you so that we can improve our reviews to help make your planet and people-friendly purchases easier.