TOMS Shoes: A Soul for Soles

In our "get yours first" society, it is rare to find a merchant who takes seriously the act of giving. Charitable donations are usually the first and deepest cuts. When TOMS Shoes opened its doors in May 2006, their goal was to match product purchase and donations--one for one. You buy a pair of shoes, they donate a pair to a child in need. Period. No minimum profit margin or fine print. It is radical, outlandish, exorbitant; and it's the fastest growing shoe company in the U.S. 

Founder Blake Mycoskie (oddly enough a season two contestant on The Amazing Race) knows a thing or two about giving more and spending less. With a title like "Chief Shoe Giver" it's no wonder that Mycoskie began with a nonprofit organization. Becoming profitable grew out of establishing a foundation of corporate responsibility. Starting the company out of his apartment, making the first batch of shoes himself, sales soon exploded. Simply put, TOMS Shoes offers a great product with a greater reward. 

Since it's inception, TOMS Shoes has given 10,000 pairs of shoes to kids in Argentina, 50,000 to children in South Africa, and 37,000 to Ethiopian kids. The basic style is an upscale slipper patterned after the traditional alpargata, a casual Argentinian shoe. Textiles range from burlap and denim to canvas and linen--the spring line is bringing back the corded sole. TOMS Shoes offers shoes for men, women, and tots with a few accessories also. Each piece of footwear bears the TOMS blue and white label on the heel. Do be advised that you'll need to order a 1.5 sizes higher than you usually wear--they run small.

And the ultimate coolness...free shipping to any destination in the U.S.! TOMS Shoes has opened internationally to include Great Britain, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Canada. Put your dollar to work for souls in need of soles and visit TOMSshoes.com.