Flats are one of the first things in a woman’s wardrobe. Over the years, they have developed from a casual pair of shoes, almost daily wear to corporate, formal, and even on the runway.
I don’t mind wearing heels a few times a year on special occasions, but I’d spend my entire life in flats.
That’s why I’ve decided to compare two brands that make outstanding flats – Birdies and Rothy’s.
Note: Whatbrandreview is reader-supported. When you buy through affiliate links on our website, we’ll make a small commission, without impacting your price. Thank you. Learn more.
Birdies vs Rothy’s Flats – Table Comparison
| Birdies vs Rothy’s Flats Comparison |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Sample | Starling | The Flat |
| Materials | Calf hair Faux fur Glitter Suede Sweater knit Vegan Velvet Woven | Recycled plastic bottles |
| Size | 5-12 | 5-13 |
| Washable | No | Yes |
| Return policy | 30 days | 30 days |
| Shipping | Free | Free |
| Website: |
Birdies Review
Materials
The majority of Birdies shoes are made from vegan materials – suede, woven textile, linen, velvet, or faux fur. However, there are some shoes (sneakers for example) made from non-vegan materials such as calf hair and leather.
What sets Birdies apart is their seven-layer comfort technology making the flats insanely comfortable.
Style
As I mentioned, the Birdies founders originally made slipper-style flats for women to wear around the house. As the shoes became more popular, Bianca and Marisa, decided to make them more stylish so women could wear them even outside as everyday shoes.
Birdies offers four different styles of slipper flats: The Starling, The Blackbird, The Vesper, and The Heron.
Heel and Arch Support
Remember how I told you Bianca and Marisa spent hours at dinner parties wearing some frumpy slippers or bare feet.
Well, they remember those days (nights actually) when they said goodbye to uncomfortable flats.
The seven-layer comfort technology I’ve mentioned above is definitely something that sets them apart.
When wearing flats, usually you need a pair of inserts for more support, but with Birdies, everything you need is already built-in.
What I Don’t Like About Birdies
Break-In
After you grab your precious pair of flats it takes time for them to break in especially around the toes and back heel.
Non-Washable
Okay, some of them are, but most shoes, including the majority of flats, are non-washable and you’ll realize why I had to mention it after reading the Rothy’s part.
The bottom line is, if you’re a fan of slipper-style flats that are comfy and stylish, YES, you should definitely get a pair of Birdies.
PROS
- High-quality vegan materials
- Seven-layer comfort technology
- Heel and arch support
- Stretchy design
CONS
- It takes some time to break them
- Non-washable
Rothy’s Review
Materials
I was stunned by the fact that something so comfortable and nice-looking could be made from single-use plastic bottles. Yep, you’ve read it well. Rothy’s makes its flats using single-use water bottles.
Also, they use other recyclable and sustainable materials such as merino wool, vegan leather, plant-based oil, algae-based foam, and recycled rubber.
Style
Even though they have the slipper-style flats called The Loafer, they lean toward traditional ballet flats. In my opinion, this makes them more versatile than slipper-style flats.
Rothy’s offers 7 different flat styles – The Point, The Flat, The Loafer, The Driver, The Square, The Square Wrap, and The Mary Jane.
I guess, there’s no way not to fall in love with at least one of them.
Sustainability
As I’ve mentioned Rothy’s makes shoes from single-use water bottles, and they’ve used more than 125,000,000 single-use water bottles so far!
Can you imagine a world with additional 125,000,000 water bottles floating in our oceans and water flows?
Thank you, Rothy’s!
They didn’t just stop there. The algae-based foam used in Strobel boards of their shoes has reduced the harmful algae that are a byproduct of global warming.
If you care about the environment you’ll be more than proud to wear Rothy’s just like some proudly wear Patagonia.
Out of the Box
The great thing about Rothy’s shoes is that you can wear them out of the box! Forget about blisters and that bloody journey you have to go through until your shoes finally break in.
Nice one!
Machine-Washable
This is my favorite feature! All Rothy’s shoes are machine-washable! Yes, when they get a bit smelly, all you have to do is remove the insoles and ditch them into a washing machine and that’s it!
This also means they are waterproof! I mean, they won’t protect your feet during heavy rains since they’re flats, but they won’t get damaged like some leather flats.
What I don’t like about Rothy’s
Heel and Arch Support
Even though Rothy’s flats come with insoles, they still don’t provide enough arch and heel support.
Not for Those With Wide Feet
Rothy’s shoes are quite narrow, therefore if you have wide feet they might hang over the insoles and that certainly doesn’t sound comfortable.
PROS
- Sustainable and recyclable materials
- Unbeatable sustainability efforts
- Versatility
- Machine-washable
CONS
- Not enough heel and arch support
- Not for those with wide feet
Birdies vs Rothy’s Flats Winner?
Comfort
Both Birdies and Rothy’s make comfortable shoes. Rothy’s shoes are so comfortable and breathable that you’ll enjoy wearing them even on hot summer days.
On the other hand, they do lack arch and heel support and it’s quite difficult to beat the seven-layer comfort technology in Birdies.
That’s why Birdies have won this round.
I’d like to add that the only uncomfortableness you might feel with Birdies is in the beginning until they break in.
If that’s too much for you, go for Rothy’s since you can wear them out of the box.
Versatility
Even though slippery-style flats are trendy lately, I still find classic ballet flats more versatile. They simply go with many different outfits and they don’t have that bulk look.
Needless to say that Rothy’s has only one slippery-style option and 6 other options that will definitely make your day.
The winner in this category is Rothy’s.
Options
It’s simple math here – Birdies offers 4 different types of flats – The Starling, The Blackbird, The Heron, and The Vesper.
Rothy’s offers 7 different types of flats – The Point, The Flat, The Driver, The Loafer, The Square, The Square Wrap, and the Driver.
They also offer sneakers, boots, bags, and other accessories.
Rothy’s wins again.
Return Policy
This is a tough one. I’d say here that both brands are the winners, but I promised myself not to put the word “DRAW” in the comparison reviews.
Okay, so both brands have exceptional return and exchange policies. If you get a pair of Birdies, and you’d like to return or exchange them, Birdies has a no-questions-asked 30-day return policy.
If for any reason you’re unsatisfied with your Birdies, you can return them for free within 30 days even you if have worn them outside!
All you have to do is to start the process on their website, print the shipping label, and head over to your local FedEx.
Rothy’s also has a 30-day return policy and they also have a thing called Happy Returns.
Happy Returns means you can grab your shoes, go to the nearest FedEx or USPS and hand them over your shoes (without a box or anything) and show a QR code on your phone.
After the QR code is scanned a worker puts your shoes in a plastic bag and that’s it. You’re done!
No original packaging, no shipping labels. Nice and easy!
Love it!
Even though I admire the Happy Returns idea, I can’t just disregard the fact that you can return your Birdies even if you have worn them outside.
That’s why Birdies is the winner here.
The Verdict – Birdies or Rothys
Two outstanding brands, two incredible stories, and hundreds of thousands of satisfied women.
Birdies have demonstrated that even flats can feel like walking on the clouds.
Rothy’s had the courage to place the planet and its people before their business.
Birdies have developed outstanding shoes using vegan materials that could be worn both around the house and outside.
Rothy’s has gone a step ahead and designed flats women enjoy wearing on different kinds of events and occasions.
Both brands have numerous pros and only a few cons.
If you’ve carefully read each sentence you’ll agree that one brand has slightly more tempting flats.
The winner is… Rothys!