Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Do Your Soles Have Soul?

Several months ago, my mentor/friend/partner-in-crime Rhonda—who runs the divine positive apparel company, KarmaThreads (http://www.karmathreads.com/)—told me about TOMS shoes (http://www.tomsshoes.com/). She said I’d love them, not just for their funky design, but for their admirable mission: For every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS gives a pair of shoes to a child in need.

I made a mental note to check out their website. And then I lost the mental note.

Recently, I was shopping at a great green store, The Hempest (http://www.hempest.com/) in Northampton, Massachusetts—one of my favorite cities—and I was on a mission to buy a pair of eco summer shoes. I found a neat pair in camouflage and bought them, never once looking at the label.

It wasn’t until I got home that I noticed the TOMS label on the side. “That sounds familiar,” I thought and I hate to admit that it wasn’t until I peeled the sticker off the bottom (the one that repeats the company’s mission to donate a pair for every pair purchased) that I made the connection.

My verdict? After wearing them almost non-stop for days, TOMS shoes are incredibly comfortable and I love the design. Of course, I also love the mission. Get yourself a pair.

Thanks for the recommendation, Rhonda. You were right, as always!

Question of the blog: Do you have a favorite environmentally friendly shoe designer?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My favorite green shoes are EcoSneaks by Simple Shoes. They are fun, stylish and comfortable. I wore them on a trip to Chicago last month and walked every where. The shoes are made from recycled PET, organic cotton and recycled tires. Yes that is right if you look at the bottom of the shoe your will see actual tire tread. When I wear them and I like to picture where the shoes have been. You can find a further description and how to buy them on www.greensceneusa.com.