For years, I’ve resisted the TOMS Shoes craze. It wasn’t just because the early shoes look like slippers, but because it seemed to perpetuate an out-of-style paradigm of charity.
But today, the shoes I’m wearing proudly display the blue and white TOMS flag. I’ve finally joined the tribe and I have to admit, these shoes are really comfortable and way more stylish shoes than anything I’ve ever owned. More importantly, I finally feel good about supporting them. Here’s why.
The philosophy of TOMS Shoes—buy a pair of shoes and give one to a child overseas—sounds good.
But I’ve seen enough bad results in the wake of good intentions to know that giving stuff is never the solution to global poverty. We’ve seen how indiscriminate charity ends up hurting the local economy. It puts local producers and sellers out of business. And it creates unhealthy dependency.
And what happens when shoes wear out? You now have a community that no longer has local producers or sellers.
Simply stated, handouts tend to create dependency in the long term and can actually undermine a local economy (read Uncharity).
But now, TOMS Shoes is changing their approach. And I’m dancing in my new shoes.
TOMS Shoes will open a shoe-manufacturing business in Haiti this January. 100 Haitians will be on the payroll. It’s a small step. Yet it’s a huge change in the company’s approach.
They recognize that the greatest good might not be the shoes they give away, but the jobs they create.
TOMS Shoes has pledged that one-third of their shoes will be produced locally by December 2015. For more of the story, read “TOMS Shoes rethinks its ‘buy one, give one’ model of helping the needy.”
So today I’m proudly wearing my TOMS and celebrating the jobs they’re creating.
October 25, 2013
YES! So good to hear of this important strategic change. Thanks for your inputs and challenges which have helped them rethink.
October 25, 2013
Great post, Peter. I need to go out and buy a pair too! Here’s to hoping those 100 jobs in Haiti are the first hundred of thousands of jobs they’ll create in Haiti in the coming years!
October 25, 2013
Outstanding. I might even consider buying a pair now… but the style… We’ll see!
Good example of good intentions and good heart evolving to something that actually does good too.
October 25, 2013
Thanks for the post (and the evening at Aussie & The Fox in Lancaster on Monday)! I think that your philosophical opposition to TOMS is warranted (I share the same perspective).
But I’m not sure that this step in the right direction would instantly convert me to support TOMS; after all, there are still 2/3 of their shoes being produced in China and elsewhere…
Maybe I’m taking a hardline approach, but maybe it’s still too early to run to the store and buy their shoes…
October 25, 2013
Really glad to hear they’re working to change the model. I might actually buy a pair now 🙂
October 28, 2013
Looks like I’ll be jumping on the TOMS bandwagon now. Thank you for the insightful dialogue.
November 6, 2013
[…] of HOPE International, Peter Greer, explains why he refused to wear TOMS in the past, but now champions the […]
November 10, 2013
I won’t ever intentionally support a company that uses sweatshop labor even if it’s only 1% of their manufacturing (let alone 2/3!). Don’t give in Peter! There are lots of American made shoe companies or one Ethiopian based boot company that is impressive is Oliberte.
December 16, 2013
Toms shoes can be seen everywhere and really during any seasons as well.
http://www.tomshoesale.com
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2013 New Toms Women Blue White Stripe Shoes
2013 New Toms Women Red White Stripe Shoes