TOMS Shoes - buy one, give one to a needy child
By David on Apr 30, 2008 in World
TOMS Shoes (Santa Monica, CA) was founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie to provide shoes for disadvantaged children around the world. Purchase one pair of shoes and another pair is donated to a child in need.
TOMS Shoes has distributed 50,000 pairs of shoes in Argentina. Another ’shoe drop’ is expected to deliver 50,000 pairs of shoes to African children. A future drop is planned for Asia.
The shoes are available in eighteen colors and combinations for men and women and were inspired by the Alpargatas, the trusted utility shoe of Argentine workers. While travelling in South America, Blake became quickly aware of the impoverished people in Argentina, many who were lacking basic needs, including shoes and basic health care. TOMS Shoes was soon created to make life more comfortable for these children in poverty.
The shoes are sold at fine boutiques and footwear retailers across the United States, or can be purchased online. Retailers include Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdales, and Urban Outfitters. T-Shirts and Hats are also available online. Not only for shoes, but for every t-shirt you purchase, TOMS will also give a pair of shoes to a needy child.
TOMS currently uses factories in Argentina and China and plans to soon have factories in Brazil and Ethiopia. All factories operate in fair labor conditions and pay fair wages.
Information on applying for a headquarters internship, or participating in a shoe drop, or other program details can be found on their website.
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ben | Sep 7, 2008 | Reply
But truly folks if we want to help “the POOR” [ there’s a degrading , dismissive moniker if ever there was one no?] then let’s support them via trade. THAT creates JOBS which in turn give people hope and the pride that comes from standing on their OWN feet and not simply always being the recipient of yet another form of AID from the WEST ! Trade gives people the chance to stand among nations as EQUALS unlike AID which often simply creates relationships of dependency and hey who wants that right?
to that end there are some GREAT brands being sold from places like ethiopia RIGHT HERE IN THE USA. Brands that are employing their fellow citizens , thereby improving their lives in a lasting + direct manner , while also making valuable exports that help their countries economies develop + grow. One brand in particular that I like are soleRebels from Ethiopia. They’re produced in ethiopia by disadvantaged artisans and some disabled veterans (hence the name sole Rebels) . they have re-invented the traditional selate , that’s the traditional used tire sole shoe indigenous in ethiopia , in some incredible ways while operating in an IFAT [www.ifat.org] certified fair trade manner. IFAT is the body that certifies the Fair Trade practices of companies . As I understand it to get IFAT certification is pretty hard to get and the company must undergo rigorous auditing to ensure they are practicing Fair Trade not just talking . the IFAT certification makes me as a consumer feel good because I KNOW with total certainty that soleRebels is a fully fair trade committed company that’s walking the talk in ALL its facets and practices . and their shoes are hot , AUTHENTICALLY eco-friendly - they use a TON of traditional local and recycled inputs- and they’re available on amazon.com [www.amazon.com] , endless.com [www.endless.com] + urbanoutfitters.com PLUS many other web sellers [just type in sole rebels on google and you’ll find them all] so you don’t even need to get off the couch to get some !
who knew- we can all be couch potatoes and still change the world! God bless America I say…..
ben