TOMS Shoes: what are they and what makes them so special? Other than being stylish and comfortable, TOMS Shoes are a movement.
One for One; for every pair of TOMS you buy, TOMS will donate a new pair of shoes to a child in need. That's their mission, and their movement is all about "people making everyday choices that improve the lives of children." TOMS was founded by American traveler Blake Mycoskie in 2006 after he had befriended children in Argentina who had no shoes to protect their feet. Driven by the desire to help his newly-found friends and all other children with the same problem, Mycoskie created TOMS and later returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends, and staff, along with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS One for One policy.
But why shoes? The fact is that many children around the world are forced to grow up barefoot. Now, before you start thinking 'kids walking abound barefoot? That doesn't sound so bad to me,' think again. These shoeless children are from third world or developing countries, where a leading source of disease transmission is sicknesses received through contact with the soil. This makes anyone walking around in bare feet vulnerable to any and all long-term physical and cognitive harm that can be caused by said diseases. Lack of shoes can also lead to cuts, sores, and eventually even dangerous infections. And it's not just for disease-prevention -- having shoes can even benefit children's education, as many schools require footwear as part of their uniform, and unfortunate children are denied access to a valuable education because of their bare feet. These are also children who live in areas where there are no buses or other modes of public transportation, therefore they are required to walk many miles to go to school or just get drinking water -- far more walking than most children and adults need to do here.
Like many things, TOMS wasn't magically started in a day. Mycoskie along with friend and TOMS supporter Alejo Nitti had to do a lot of footwork before they could start giving away any shoes. The very first thing they had to do was find out how to manufacture shoes in a way cost effective enough to enable their one for one mission. Many of the fabric dealers they talked to didn't believe they could really pull off giving one whole pair for each pair bought, and some suggested giving one individual shoe for every pair bought. Finally, though, they were able to find one dealer who believed in the success of their mission and helped them make it possible.
As you know, TOMS was able to make it over that first challenge of getting it all started and making their first shoe drop in Argentina back in 2006, and as of 2008, TOMS had given away over 68,000 pairs of shoes. After only two years TOMS was able to expand so much that they had gone from making a single shoe drop the first year to making drops worldwide every month, but they're not stopping there. Even after all those shoes they've given away, there are still millions of people still in need. In fact, 40% of people in the world have no shoes, and to everybody at TOMS, that's simply unacceptable.
Every day TOMS is thinking of new kinds of shoes and merchandise to add to their product line, and just recently they've introduced their new wrap boots. For every pair of these new boots, TOMS is giving away a special pair of rubber shoes to children in Ethiopia to help fight the spread of Podos. Podos is a debilitating disease transmitted through soil and causes outbreaks of boils and severe swelling on the feet of those affected, making them outcasts in their own communities. Other than their wrap boots, TOMS really has expanded their line from the simple canvas flats they're so famous for. With all the stylish shoes they have to offer, TOMS makes it easy for you to help people in need all over the world.
Perhaps now you've got your mind set on buying yourself a pair of these fabulous shoes but aren't sure where you can get them (other than the internet, of course). Well, you're in luck! There is, in fact, a boutique right here in Omaha that sells a wide variety of TOMS: our very own Roots & Wings! In an effort to learn more about TOMS Shoes in the local scene and the shoes themselves, I went over and talked to the owner of Roots & Wings.
There are just some things that cannot be completely confirmed over the internet (or at least I think so), and one of those things was in regards to the practicality of TOMS Shoes. So the first thing I asked Roots & Wings owner Jackie was: how comfortable and durable are TOMS? After she assured me that they are, indeed, durable and very comfortable to boot (no pun intended), I asked her about TOMS in Omaha: how do customers like them, and are they pretty popular? The answers were a definite yes and yes. In fact, half Roots & Wings customers come in looking for them specifically!
Roots & Wings also hosts TOMS Style Your Sole parties from time to time, where a bunch of local TOMS enthusiasts and artists come in and paint their shoes. Apparently the Style Your Sole parties have been very successful here in Omaha, and Roots & Wings even makes a point to have paint around their store so people can come in and paint their shoes anytime!
They're TOMS: a mission, a fashion statement, and whatever else you'd like to make of them. All you have to do is reach out and buy a pair (or two)!
