Key takeaways
- Brands are scattered. "Birkenstock-style" clogs are a category, not a brand: cork footbeds, round toes and wide lasts, made by many companies. Taobao, Douyin and Dewu each list 10 styles, and those 30 places come from 26 brands. Birkenstock itself holds 1 place, on Dewu, and no brand appears on all three lists.
- Taobao has the most volume. Taobao's No. 1 over the past 30 days, from TATA, sold 40,000+, and 4 styles sold above 10,000. Douyin's No. 1, from DONNA CHENEY, sold 8,000+, and nothing there passed 10,000.
- The mainstream shoe looks the same everywhere. All three platforms favour round toes, wide lasts, suede and metal buckles, in low-saturation earth tones such as light beige, khaki and camel brown.
- Chunky soles and waterproofing are design directions, not yet what the lists show. Among the key details, only Taobao names a "stepped, sculpted chunky sole"; Douyin and Dewu both name a "cork-wrapped flat sole". None of the three platforms' key details mention waterproofing.
- Four design directions: one structural (the chunky sole mule), one material (waxed cowhide) and two details (the thickened short-fleece lining and the buckle strap), plus 6 colour directions.
By Valimart VALI Trend Research. Report published 23 October 2026. Sales data are the 30-day Birkenstock-style clog lists for Taobao and Douyin given in the report (as displayed by each platform), plus Dewu's list, which shows no sales.
Why now: light autumn-winter dressing pushes these clogs thicker, waterproof and warmer
The report sums up this round of change as an evolution toward warm, chunky soles for the "smart, effortless" look. The trend for light autumn-winter dressing is raising interest in thicker, waterproof Birkenstock-style clogs. Lasts are moving to a round, wide, big-toe shape that suits many men's and women's foot shapes, and are adjusted for East Asian feet. Chunky soles balance grip and comfort, and waterproof uppers pair with warm linings. The aim is an easy, unisex shoe for light autumn and winter that works indoors and out.
The "smart, effortless" street look keeps spreading on Xiaohongshu (RedNote), and several shoes have appeared in quick succession: the STACCATO clog fronted by a celebrity ambassador, UGG's fluffy chunky-sole mule and the embroidered Birkenstock × ETRO collaboration. The collaboration appeared at Milan Fashion Week for Fall/Winter 2026; judging from the images, it pairs suede uppers with white embroidery and carved metal buckles.
The report's inspiration piece is Birkenstock's own Fall/Winter 2026 collection: a rounded big-toe silhouette with a one-piece upper without buckles. It keeps the cork arch footbed and the clean, flowing body, adds non-slip rubber outsoles, suede and neat stitching, and draws on the recent trend for light autumn-winter shoes worn both outdoors and at home.
The report names two key brands:
- UGG: a comfort and casual footwear brand from California. Its Birkenstock-style clogs rework the classic mule outline, with a wide, full toe on a gentle non-slip chunky sole. It often uses brushed suede and soft wool linings; metal pin buckles, cork insoles and wavy non-slip outsoles are its signatures, popular with young commuters, outdoor fans and fashion bloggers.
- BELLE (百丽): a mainstream women's fashion shoe brand founded in Hong Kong in the '70s. Its core clog refines the classic shape, with a roomy, rounded wide-last toe on a steady non-slip chunky sole. It uses supple cowhide and brushed suede; metal pin buckles and cork edging are signature details, popular with students and commuting women. BELLE is also the only one of the two key brands on the lists: No. 3 on Taobao (10,000+) and No. 4 on Dewu.
Lists on three Chinese platforms: scattered brands, with Taobao the largest
The table follows the report's numbering, 01 to 10. It lists the 30-day Top 10 on Taobao (China's largest online marketplace) and Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok, where live-stream shopping is huge), plus 10 styles on Dewu (also known as Poizon). Sales are the figures shown by each platform; "+" means "or more". The report gives no sales or time window for Dewu.
| Rank | Taobao (brand | 30-day sales) | Douyin (brand | 30-day sales) | Dewu list |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TATA | 40,000+ | DONNA CHENEY | 8,000+ | safiya |
| 2 | CAMEL (骆驼) | 20,000+ | Lishifu (李师傅) | 7,000+ | Champion |
| 3 | BELLE (百丽) | 10,000+ | UBZ | 2,000+ | Madeng (马登) |
| 4 | Devo | 10,000+ | Sangpo (桑坡) | 2,000+ | BELLE (百丽) |
| 5 | BEFFON | 6,000+ | ST&SAT (星期六) | 2,000+ | Birkenstock |
| 6 | hotwind (热风) | 3,000+ | BAILIGE | 1,000+ | VASI LYEV |
| 7 | Duozuilv (多嘴驴) | 2,000+ | CHAOPIN | 700+ | COOL CHAP |
| 8 | Danxingdao (丹行道) | 100+ | hotwind (热风) | 500+ | Khadgar (卡德加) |
| 9 | NOISY TEDDY | 100+ | Xinbailun (新百伦) | 100+ | STACCATO (思加图) |
| 10 | ST&SAT (星期六) | 100+ | CAMEL (骆驼) | 100+ | SANRIO |
Source: 30-day best-seller data for Birkenstock-style clogs on Taobao and Douyin, and the Dewu list, compiled by Valimart VALI Trend Research (published 2026-10-23).
Four things stand out:
- Taobao: the top five are all suede mules with a single metal buckle. TATA (40,000+), CAMEL (20,000+), BELLE (10,000+), Devo (10,000+) and BEFFON (6,000+) look very alike, in colours from light beige to camel brown. The more distinctive styles sit lower: No. 7 from Duozuilv has a punched floral, milled-grain leather upper, No. 8 from Danxingdao has two buckles, and No. 9 from NOISY TEDDY carries fluffy teddy bears. Nos. 8 to 10 sold only 100+ each, so read them for style direction, not volume.
- Douyin: closed-heel styles sell too. No. 1 from DONNA CHENEY (8,000+) and No. 3 from UBZ (2,000+) both have closed heels; No. 2 from Lishifu (7,000+) is the cork mule. The report's summary for Douyin also says "round toe, wide last", without Taobao's stress on the mule.
- Dewu: plenty of decorated styles. The list includes Champion's badge-trimmed style, Madeng's line-drawn pattern, COOL CHAP's whipstitched edges, STACCATO's tassels and SANRIO's cartoon charms. Birkenstock itself is No. 5, and VASI LYEV's one-piece style is the only shoe on the three lists with no strap at all.
- Across platforms: CAMEL, hotwind and ST&SAT appear on both Taobao and Douyin, but in very different positions: CAMEL sold 20,000+ on Taobao and 100+ on Douyin, while ST&SAT sold 100+ on Taobao and 2,000+ on Douyin. BELLE appears on both Taobao and Dewu. The report's other key brand, UGG, is on none of the three lists.
Colours and key details: earth tones as the base, brass gold as the accent
The main colours are nearly identical across the three platforms, all low-saturation earth tones; the differences are in accents and structure:
| Platform | Key colours | Key details |
|---|---|---|
| Taobao | Mainly earth tones such as light beige, khaki, camel brown and dark coffee, low-saturation and retro, with a little distressed brown for variety and metal buckles as small accents | Suede, milled-grain soft leather, a one-piece wide-last round toe, a stepped, sculpted chunky sole and a backless mule structure |
| Douyin | Mainly low-saturation earth tones such as khaki, light beige, camel brown and grey-green, in retro matte shades, with metal buckles as small accents | Soft suede, a full, rounded wide toe, a cork-wrapped flat sole and upper straps with retro metal buckles |
| Dewu | Mainly earth tones such as light beige, khaki, camel brown and light grey, with cartoon trims and coloured accessories as small accents | Soft suede, a rounded wide-toe shape, a cork-wrapped flat sole and upper straps with metal buckles, plus creative trims such as embroidery, tassels and cartoon badges |
The report's colour direction is "relaxed simplicity, chunky soles for autumn, warmth and light steps". Classic plain earth tones set the base, layered with waterproof matte finishes, fine suede and wrinkled soft leather, while brass buckles and square metal buckles add the accent. Differences between styles come from hardware shapes and platform heights, suited to campus and everyday outings.
| Colour | Pantone | Role in the palette |
|---|---|---|
| Oat Beige | — | Base: light suede uppers |
| Suede Brown | 19-1017 TPG | Main: suede uppers |
| Caramel Brown | 19-1250 TPG | Main: warm suede uppers |
| Dark Chocolate | 19-1019 TPG | Anchor: waxed cowhide, wrinkled soft leather |
| Gunmetal Black | 19-0008 TPG | Anchor: leather uppers, outsoles |
| Vintage Brass Gold | 15-0942 TPG | Accent: brass buckles, square metal buckles |
Four design directions
1. Structure: the chunky sole mule silhouette
A square-round closed toe and a backless slip-on structure make it easy to put on and take off. It pairs retro metal hardware with a matte leather texture and a layered, lightweight EVA midsole on a non-slip rubber outsole. Fewer upper panels make waterproofing easier, and the shape suits many feet, for commuting and campus wear. The report sees it as easy to put into production and a mainstream category in women's casual shoes in recent years. The report references styles from adidas, GUILUSHOES, TATA, Red Dragonfly and JOSINY. Keywords: square-round toe, light and waterproof, backless slip-on structure.
2. Material: waxed cowhide
Waxed cowhide on a Birkenstock-style upper brings a natural, retro, worn-in texture. Wax impregnation gives the surface basic stain and scratch resistance, and light scratches fade when rubbed. The leather keeps the natural grain of top-grain cowhide and slowly develops its own patina with wear. The report references styles from Birkenstock, Zaohao, ST&SAT, Aogushideng, Dioniso and Devo Life. Keywords: warm and retro, natural texture, supple yet firm.
3. Detail: the thickened short-fleece warm lining
The short-fleece lining follows the foot and keeps out cold air, while the shoe keeps the classic retro shape and metal buckle, for autumn-winter wear indoors and out, daily commutes and casual outings. The report references styles from hotwind, COOL CHAP and Senda. Keywords: dense and fluffy, locks in warmth, soft on the skin.
4. Detail: the buckle strap structure
A square metal buckle with a leather strap runs across the upper, with flat stitching that anchors the eye. There is no extra decoration; the clean lines of the strap and buckle create the relaxed retro feel. This is also the most common detail on the lists: of the 30 styles on the three lists, only the one from VASI LYEV has no strap at all. The report references styles from ST&SAT, hotwind and DIELANDUO. Keywords: clean lines, restrained, matte texture.
The report turns these directions into four AI-generated reference shoes: a laced style with a dark brown leather toe, a camel suede style on a thick platform, a style on a thick wedge with a lace-trimmed strap, and dark brown leather with a long beige pile lining on an extra-thick sole. All four soles are clearly thicker than those on the lists, so they show what the chunky direction looks like.
What to do next: notes for designers and buyers
- Secure volume first: build core styles as round-toe, wide-last suede mules with a single metal buckle, in Oat Beige, Suede Brown and Caramel Brown. Taobao's top five are all in this style.
- Plan by platform: lead with mules on Taobao; add more closed-heel styles on Douyin, where No. 1 and No. 3 are both closed-heel; try embroidery, tassels and cartoon badges on Dewu, where decorated styles are common.
- Move to chunky soles in steps: Douyin and Dewu still name the cork-wrapped flat sole as a key detail, so treat clearly raised styles as tests. Give core styles a lightweight EVA midsole and non-slip rubber outsole first, raise them slightly, and go higher based on the response.
- Be clear about waterproofing: none of the three platforms' key details mention it, so shoppers may not yet see it as a reason to buy. The report's route is an upper with fewer panels, which makes waterproofing easier; test how well suede and waxed leather actually perform before making it a selling point.
- Differentiate with hardware, platforms and linings, and design before sampling: core styles look very alike, so differences come mainly from hardware shapes, platform heights and short-fleece linings. Use AI to combine these into design images first, pick the direction, then sample, so fewer rounds of samples are needed.
FAQ
What Birkenstock-style clogs are trending for Fall/Winter 2026-27?
The mainstream is still the round-toe, wide-last suede mule with a metal buckle. Over the past 30 days on Taobao, the No. 1 style from TATA sold 40,000+, CAMEL 20,000+, and BELLE and Devo 10,000+ each. The report's design directions are the chunky sole mule, waxed cowhide, the thickened short-fleece warm lining and the buckle strap structure.
Are Birkenstock-style clogs the same as Birkenstock?
Not quite. The name describes a category: shoes with cork footbeds, round toes and wide lasts, made by many brands. The report's three lists have 30 places from 26 brands, and Birkenstock holds just 1 of them, on Dewu.
Which colours sell best for Birkenstock-style clogs?
Low-saturation earth tones. Light beige, khaki and camel brown are key colours on all three platforms. The report's 6 colour directions are Oat Beige, Suede Brown (Pantone 19-1017 TPG), Caramel Brown (19-1250 TPG), Dark Chocolate (19-1019 TPG), Gunmetal Black (19-0008 TPG) and Vintage Brass Gold (15-0942 TPG), with the brass gold mainly on buckles.
Are chunky, waterproof Birkenstock-style clogs already mainstream?
Not yet; they are a design direction. Among the key details on the lists, only Taobao names a sculpted chunky sole, Douyin and Dewu still name a cork-wrapped flat sole, and none of the three mention waterproofing.
This article is the text version of the Valimart VALI Trend Research report "26&27AW Key Item Analysis: Lightweight Waterproof Chunky-Sole Birkenstock-Style Clogs". The full 16-page report (in Chinese, with all product images): https://ai.valimart.net/trenddetail/290.html
Want to turn chunky mules, waxed cowhide or short-fleece linings into design images? Try the VALI AI footwear design platform: pick a direction and generate designs.
About Valimart VALI Trend Research
Valimart is a digital services platform for the footwear and leather industry. VALI Trend Research publishes weekly key-item and colour reports for footwear and apparel, drawing on rankings from Taobao, Douyin and Dewu and on international brand releases. The VALI AI footwear design platform turns trend directions into design images.