TOMS Shoes

TOMS Shoes business plan is simple – for every shoe you purchase, they send a pair of shoes to a child in need. Since 2006, they have given 10,000 pairs to children in Argentina and 50,000 pairs in South Africa. This year alone, they plan on giving 200,000 pairs of shoes to children in need around the world. Here is a clip of an acutal shoe drop in Argentina back in 2006.

Incorporate giving in what you do!

This just gave me goosebumps. Hat tip!

See the full post over at minordetails.

11 Comments leave a comment below

  1. and the shoes are good too!

  2. and the shoes are good too!

  3. As an Argentinian myself, each time I see this campaign I have real mixed feelings.

    Those shoes, know here as “TomShoes” are one of the most typical shoes in rural argentina since eons, and they are called “Alpargatas” there, that was in fact a brand that became a generic name for them.

    You can find them there for as cheap as U$ 4 to $8 (final price to the consumer) and they were many years ago “the” shoes in what was the rural environment, being them so cheap and comfortable.

    Years later they become fashionable in the city too… (personally I love them even when they really don’t resist time very well).

    Still… on one hand I am glad about the Robin Hood part of this project, (steal to the rich charging 40$ for them to give to the poor…)

    On the other hand, I feel there is some stealing from the poor too (making them TomShoes as if they were his own invention what they are not) and also because for what they are charging one pair, they should be giving at least two…

    Maybe I am being too sensitive, but it rubs me the wrong way that they use the giving as part of their marketing when they are charging what they are charging to give back so little. At the same time, I understand that is better that than nothing… (sigh)

    As I said, mixed feelings…

  4. See the founder tell the TOMS Story:
    http://peoplesdesignaward.cooperhewitt.org/2007/

    TOMS won the 2007 Cooper-Hewitt People’s Design Award!
    http://peoplesdesignaward.cooperhewitt.org/2007

  5. nice 1 !!! realy

  6. In response to the post from ‘mark,’ it is also important to realize that Toms is not keeping t a secret that the shoes are based on the Alpargatas. The other more important point is that Toms is a business venture, not only a charity event. As such, there is a starting point of any entrepreneur to create a viable business that supports the owner and employees, making them money. The next step is that there was an obvious desire to help others in a way that this entrepreneur believed he could. So giving away two pairs of shoes for every pair purchased by “the rich” would not, for an American company, even remotely resemble a viable financial return. The business has to keep running, and the people involved have to be in a better financial situation than they were previous to the company’s inception, in order for the company to continue to exist. If they can make all of that happen, get people involved who take shoes as fashion statements and who are accustomed to a paying $100 for a decent (not fancy) pair of shoes, and still give away a pair for EVERY pair purchased, then they have accomplished something entirely outside of the normal American marketplace. In this country, we applaud businesses who give 1% to charity. 1%. I get your mixed feelings and your sense of propriety and ownership towards the style, but i think to view this business in the context in which it functions – American capitalism – is an entirely different, and more laudable, viewpoint.

  7. i feel the same way as “san”. something rubs me the wrong way about this business pursuit. the shoes are practical to their origin in south america where they came from initially. to market them in america as a “trendy” shoe that also supports a cause to lure the buyer for 40 bucks a pop just seems like ulterior motives to me. the business man makes his money and comes off as a “hero” and humanitarian. it just seems trite and uninspired to me. sorry. maybe his heart is in the right place but if you are going to sell a product; it should be a well thought out quality product. otherwise why not just start a non-profit that buys shoes for those in need from donations and grants?

  8. Thanks for helping spread the word of TOMS. I was so inspired, I setup a blog to comment and follow the TOMS story. http://www.tomsshoefans.com/

  9. I really love what they are doing at Toms Shoes. I hope other companies will follow this model.

  10. Wow! I really love what they are doing at Toms Shoes. I hope other companies will follow this model.