Conscious Shoes for Conscious Consumers: TOMS Shoes

Today, the canvas slip-on shoe called TOMS can be seen on the feet of Hollywood celebrities and many of fashion’s greatest trendsetters.  However, the company known as TOMS Shoes was not begun with the intention of creating the next outfitter for the stylish and chic but rather as a line of conscious shoes with a cause.

It all started as designer and founder of TOMS Shoes, Blake Mycoskie was doing some volunteer work in a town in Argentina and noticed two peculiarities about shoes there; the first was that everyone in that town, from the field workers to polo players, wore a casual and comfortable day shoe called an alpargata, the second was that there also seemed to be a lot of impoverished people there that didn’t have any shoes. And it was in that instance that the simple idea was born to create a line of conscious shoes where for every pair sold, someone in need would receive a pair.

“One for one” become the motto for this conscious business that has reinvented the alpargata for the American Market.  This casual canvas shoe comes in a variety of colors and is now found in retailers throughout the States including Fred Segal, Bloomingdales and Urban Outfitters.

Where the company’s success really shows, however, is in the number of shoes donated. Since its inception in 2006, TOMS Shoes has given away over 50,000 pairs of shoes in South Africa and over10,000 pairs of shoes to children in need in Argentina.  And Mycoskie’s vision does not stop there.  He says, “I believe TOMS is going to give away millions of shoes one day.”

Conscious Business Practices

It is clear how Mycoskie understands the bigger picture of this simple shoe and how it truly is a winner, for all.  For the consumer, he explains that TOMS are “incredibly comfortable, they’re perfect for traveling, and you know, giving back is a great message that everyone understands… No one buys a pair of Toms without feeling good about it.”

And while Mycoskie knows that his margins are likely lower than most other shoe manufacturers, providing thousands of needy children and adults with a basic need such as shoes proves to be well worth it not only to the heart but to the bottom line.  His conscious business model and practices quickly demonstrate their value in terms of profit as they naturally result in increased publicity and sales, an outcome that makes up for the decreased margin.

The motivation behind Mycoskie’s line of conscious shoes shines through many other areas of the company’s efforts as well.  One of the first things that stands out is how the shoes made for donating are actually produced using a sturdier leather insole than those created for the American market with the intention of providing those in need with a long lasting shoe.

On the manufacturing side, TOMS ensures that all their factories operate using fair labor practices where they maintain proper conditions for workers and pay fair wages.  Currently, TOMS has factories in both Argentina and China with plans to expand to Brazil and Ethiopia.  In all cases, they go to great lengths to ensure fair labor conditions are met by regularly visiting factories and also employing third parties to audit the factories.

TOMS:  Tomorrow’s Business Practices Today

This 31-year-old entrepreneur embodies a different kind of business spirit than many before him.  In regards to his approach to business, as he puts it, “For me it was always about making money… and then giving it away.”  And it is this revolutionary approach to creating a line of conscious shoes and uphold conscious business practices that is setting him apart in the hearts of fashion lovers and needy families world round. Most importantly, it is making his objective to “make life more comfortable for those without shoes” an easy and successful one.

You can visit Tom’s Shoes at http://www.tomsshoes.com/

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