TOMS isn't just any other shoe brand. It is trying to make the world a safer place for kids -- one purchase at a time.
When a customer buys a pair of the distinctive shoes, TOMS donates a new pair to a needy child in one of 23 countries. The Santa Monica, Calif.-based company says the five most popular places it donates to are Cambodia, Ethiopia, Malawi, Peru and South Africa.
"I first saw them when I was shopping in California and thought they looked cool, but when I found out that they donate a pair to children in Africa, I knew I had to have a pair," says Palo Verde High School junior Sarah Sanders.
Toms is sold in several retail outlets; the most popular are Nordstrom and Toms.com.
The utilitarian shoes have been seen on men, women and kids of all ages.
Ryan Lipparelli, a junior at Palo Verde, says Toms are a great summertime shoe because they're easy to slip on and off. He owns a tan woven pair.
"A unique thing about mine is that they have been worn in the ocean," he says.
Blake Mycoskie started Toms in 2006, shortly after vacationing in Argentina. The Texas entrepreneur had visited the South American nation in 2002 while competing in the popular CBS reality TV show "The Amazing Race."
He saw many Argentine children who weren't wearing shoes. After getting Toms started, he returned later in 2006 with 10,000 shoes.
The company derives its name from the word "tomorrow." Mycoskie's original name for the concept was the "Shoes for Tomorrow Project."
In Argentina, Mycoskie came across the espadrille, a shoe Argentine workers wear.
He modernized the shoe by placing a rubber sole and leather on the inside, with bright colors on the outside. At first, he planned to sell a few hundred out of his loft in Santa Monica. Then retailers such as Fred Segal and American Rag heard about the shoes and wanted to sell them.
Toms is now pairing up with the Olsen twins (Mary Kate and Ashley) in their clothing line The Row to give Toms a luxurious look that is scheduled to come out in the fall. They will feature plaid, wool cashmere and herringbone styles. These styles will range from $98 to $150.
The average Toms pair costs anywhere from $48 to $69. Toms can be found in many other styles, including canvas wedge and sneakers.
Priya Ram, a junior at The Meadows, says that Toms are great because they go with the school's uniform. "At least 70 percent of the girls have at least one pair," she says.
Toms has a reputation for being comfortable.
"They are super duper comfortable, pretty much my go-to shoe," Sanders says. "I feel like I can do anything in them."
Connar Vela, a senior at Palo Verde, agrees.
"They have really good arch support, which I needed in order to stand for long periods of time at work," she says. "They form fit my feet so every time I put them on, it's so comfy."
Sanders loves Toms' humanitarian initiative.
"They represent more than just a shoe to me; they show me that I have in some way, made the world a better place," she says. "I know not by much but I plan on buying more Toms to fix that."
