Trekking in Toms

Last weekend I shopped for shoes to wear on my trip through Lao and Vietnam in October. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Toms, the shoes San Francisco cool kids embraced last year, and though I wanted to avoid the stink of hipster high fashion, the shoes called out to me. That arch support, casual canvas design and oh-so-reasonable price tag! Reading the tags, I realized Toms is about much more than selling flats to skinny jean-clad bicyclists.

Inspired by traditional Argentinian footwear he saw when visiting poverty-stricken villages, Blake Mycoskie started Toms with the vision of donating one pair of shoes for every pair sold. To date, Mycoskie (listed as "Chief Shoe Giver" on Toms marketing materials) has donated 68,000 shoes to children around the world and signaled the intent of donating 200,000 pairs by the end of 2008. From their marketing and operations through their social media efforts, it's clear the "One for One" campaign is central to the way Toms does business. If you want in on the action beyond buying a pair, you can join Toms for a shoe drop in the United States or abroad. Read up on Mycoskie and his cause, then plunk down $40 to buy a two pairs of shoes: one for yourself and one for a child in need.

Photo: Alejo Nitti and Blake Mycoskie of Toms Shoes (from Blake Mycoskie's blog).