TOMS Shoes Reaches 1 Millionth Pair

September 2010 will be a big month for Blake Mycoskie. After founding TOMS Shoes in 2006, Mycoskie will be placing the company’s millionth pair of donated shoes upon a lucky child’s feet.

In 4 short years, a small company with a big heart grew quickly. With simple designs modeled off the traditional alpargata shoes worn by Argentinean farmers, TOMS shoes began as a simple pledge of giving a child in need a pair of shoes for each pair bought. The premise took off and with the support of non-government organizations and the public alike, the company has grown, expanding their product range to include different styles of shoes, as well as clothing and other merchandise.

While the TOMS company insisted that Mycoskie never established the company with a set goal in mind, it is evident through the company’s events and line expansion that the company is trying their darnedest to help developing communities across the globe. With factories in Ethiopia, China, and Argentina, TOMS ensures that all their factories work within reasonable labor rules, promising livable wages for workers and regular factory inspections to keep things above standard. TOMS also sponsors an annual “One Day Without Shoes”, in which participants forgo shoes for one day to help bring awareness about the importance of shoes.

Pairs of TOMS Shoes are available in many department stores as well as through the TOMS website. Starting around $50, these shoes are small amount of money to make a big difference in someone’s life. {TOMS Blog}