23 May 2007

Toms Shoes: Feel good consumerism

The concept is simple, really. When you buy a pair of shoes, you also buy a needy child a pair of shoes.

Blake Mycoskie founded Toms Shoes after a vacation in Argentina. Struck by the extreme poverty and the fact that many children did not have shoes, he came up with a simple business plan. Mycoskie says:

I was overwhelmed by the spirit of the South American people, especially those who had so little... And I was instantly struck with the desire – the responsibility – to do more... What if I took the traditional Argentine shoe, redesigned it for the U.S.A. and made a commitment to give one pair of shoes to a child in need for every one pair sold?
He's been at this since May 2006, and business is booming. With recent write-ups in Oprah Magazine, Relevant Magazine, Vogue, Elle, and the L.A. Times (just to name a few), it's no wonder why hipsters, fashionistas, movie stars, and the every-day do-gooders are supporting Toms. The fact that this young company is doing so well is a miracle, really, since they made the brazen decision to give away 10,000 pairs before making a profit.

It is important to note that when you support Toms Shoes, you also support the company's credo of no sweatshop labor. All of the materials and products are produced and manufactured in Argentina under the strictest guidelines, ensuring both fair labor practices and minimal impact on the environment. The factory pays a a living wage, does not employ children, and is revitalizing its community, economically.

The coolest part? All the donated shoes are hand delivered and placed on the child's feet by loving volunteer workers. At least 18,000 pairs of shoes have been hand delivered to indigenous children in Argentina, and plans are being made to do shoe deliveries to the children living in the infamous garbage waste-town of La Chureca, Nicaragua as well as children in Africa.

If you'd like to do something kind and anonymous on a global scale and you could use a pair of excellently made and good-looking shoes, I recommend buying a pair of Toms so that a needy child can have shoes, too.

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