For most, shoes are easy to obtain and dispose of, but for some that is not the case. Toms's shoe brand engages with people around the globe to bring shoes to those in need. Toms give their shoes to people that do not have access to shoes or can not afford them. This action is just one aspect of sustainability that this company covers. The founder of Toms, Blake Mycoskie, saw a problem children around the world did not have shoes; he saw this firsthand in Argentina in 2006 (Naeini 1). He then decided to start a company that would change many lives, but he did not stop with the people. The company moved to also benefit the environment through their decisions on constructing a company based on helping. Toms’s website displays their mission of making their company truly sustainable; working for the belief that “a thriving humanity means a thriving planet” (Mycoskie 2006). Tom's Shoes help the environment, provide an affordable price through a for-profit business, and are showing support for their efforts to improve people’s lives.
Toms demonstrates sustainability through their line of vegan shoes. The Lowell Center describes sustainability as a product’s ability to “ minimize environmental and social costs throughout the product lifecycle and aim to maximize environmental and social benefits to communities while remaining economically viable” (Edwards 10). Toms is truly sustainable and actively conducts all three aspects. Through different aspects of the company, Toms makes it a priority to help the environment. Toms continues to go beyond expectations to support the earth. From their website, Toms claims to use recycled polyester, chemical-free plant dye, “Eco fibers,” “Ortholite insole,” and many more sustainable aspects that benefit the environment (Mycoskie 2006). They continue to make each detail of the shoe specifically made from recycled goods. The website provides more information about their plans to make their company more “green” in the future. These plans include using “100% sustainable cotton by 2025” in their shoes, and continuing to measure their carbon footprints at the end of every year in the hopes of improving it (Mycoskie 2006). The company's research and findings of new ways to create sustainable shoes were not put to waste.
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The sustainable efforts that Toms implements in their company to help the environment are seen in their line of vegan shoes. Starting with the core, or in this case, the sole is made out of recycled rubber. This series of shoes is made up of approximately half hemp and the other recycled polyester (“Sustainability: Buzz”). Toms not only creates a shoe consisting of recycled and natural products, but the company also avoids using any leather or animal-based materials in its vegan line of shoes. In an issue of the Environmental Magazine, Toms is recognized for their success in the “enormous popularity of the casual, comfortable shoes” that sends “both the message and the look” (Downey 1). The success of Tom's helping the environment is not overlooked. The environmental aspect of sustainability is achieved when a product is shown to have increased “benefits” to the environment while reducing the “cost” the product causes to the environment (Edwards 8). Toms is aiding the environment through their use of recycled materials and caution against harmful ones. The framework of the shoe is productively made to benefit the earth and is not meant to produce stress on the consumer's finances.
Toms shoes not only help the environment, but are affordable to consumers. In most cases when a product is good for the environment it is not affordable for the middle-class consumer. Most people come to the conclusion that when a product is profitable to the company then the environment is suffering, but that is not the case for Toms. Toms is an affordable price that the average American can choose over other shoes. The variety of sustainable shoes from Toms cost only $50 (“Sustainability: Buzz”). This affordable price does not only buy one pair of shoes but two. The price for the shoes that are donated to a child in need is included in the price the consumer pays for their own shoes (Naeini 2). This allows for the company to be profitable while providing a way for their consumer to give conveniently. Their concern for the earth does not hurt the profit the business makes from being a “green” company. The Lowell Center discusses the results of two different surveys conducted on the people's view of the environmental impacts of the product. Both surveys show that over half of the consumers are altering their shopping habits to buy earth-friendly products (Edwards 5). The results go against most business leaders’ misconception that consumers are not willing to pay a little more for products that will help the environment. Toms has surprised many with their results of being for-profit and the amount of change they have done.
Toms has done what most see as close to impossible; they have created a great amount of change for people around the world and the environment by being a for-profit company with an affordable product. This company continues to be recognized for the impact it has on the world. Marketing News featured Toms in their article “For-profits Are The New Non-profits;” This article describes the marketing advantages that for-profits have in reaching consumers (Soat 15). Most people label companies that produce change as non-profits, but now the truth is revealed that this is not always the case. The profits that come from the shoes sold have the potential to increase the trust that consumers have in the product and reduce the cost that the environment can take from not investing in it (Edwards 16). The company’s choice to obtain a profit or not does reveal its true intentions, but it is the change they implement with its profit that reveals its intentions. This company continues to provide evidence that they are directly changing the world; this change includes proof that a business can help people and thrive off of it. Once people see that the quality and price of the product are the same, they then look to see the reason for which the product was created (Soat 15). Toms is successful in creating shoes made with good quality material, affordable, and have a purpose people are willing to support.
Many people support the actions that this for-profit company is doing to affect people around the world. Support can be shown through many things: gifts, and verbal praise, but the most effective of them all is action. Action shows that a person does not only agree with the aspects of the company but believes in them and wants them to be conducted to the fullest. Toms has received a lot of “free” publicity through famous influencers. The company did not ask the celebrities to advertise, but they did it on their own through social media. Anne Hathaway, and Julia Roberts, along with many more celebrities have used the power of social media to spread Tom's story by “adopting the brand” (Naeni 2). This awareness that the famous advocates for Toms created allowed for a huge ripple effect of people becoming aware of Toms and their mission. This led to many different magazines, including ones that promoted sustainability and well living, supporting Toms. The Organic Spa magazine featured Toms in their “Living Well” issue and discusses the mission of Toms and concludes by suggesting to the readers to “get yourself grounded- literally and spiritually” with these shoes (“Relax 12). The support is strengthened through different social media influencers promoting the brand, and targeting the younger population. This fraction of the population most likely does not read magazines about living well or have read the book that the founder of the company wrote: Start Something That Matters (Naeini 2). The youth is reached through their source of influence- social media. The support is shown through many forms of media and advocates for Toms. The support that is given to the company is produced by the support the company gives others.
Toms has not only had the interest of the environment and an affordable price but also the interest of the people. Toms has built their brand off of helping people, and this urge to help has led to helping other aspects of the world. After only a few years of starting the company, there have been two million shoes provided to impoverished children around the globe (Saller 19). This donation is led by the customers: they see the need for change and they pursue it by purchasing a pair of shoes with Toms. Once they purchase Tom's shoes, a pair of shoes will be sent to one of the 70 countries that they help around the world. Now, there have been over 35 million shoes given to children in need (Naeini 1). This business that started in Argentina is now helping a vast number of regions around the globe. Toms is helping children by providing them with shoes to lower their health risks and to ensure their risk of injuring themselves is minimized (Downey 40). The impact that this one pair of shoes can make on this child is the source of the donation. Toms is not just creating change in the impoverished children, but also the consumer themselves.
Toms is creating awareness among the people who come in contact with this company. They show how convenient it is to support a cause like Tom's. This hopefully causes a ripple effect into their other purchases and gives them the concern of finding the best and most affordable product that can benefit the environment and the people in it. Toms continues to supply consumers with a responsive way to give back to the environment through materials that are friendly to the earth. This company does not only provide shoes to consumers at an affordable price but also provides a purpose. Their purpose is to give a pair of shoes to a child in need with every pair of shoes purchased. Tom's shoes are truly a sustainable product that leaves consumers thinking about how they can shop responsibly to help the environment and society.
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