TOMS: the fair trade shoe

Who would have thought that? A child's life can depend on a pair of shoes. In fact it is not so strange, with shoes we can run, go to school, move with our feet, without them risking getting hurt, precisely with a cover that guarantees them protection from external dangers and the ailments of the weather.

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Who would have thought that? For a couple of shoes it may depend on a child's life. In fact it is not so strange, with shoes we can run, go to school, move with ours piedi, without the risk of getting hurt, precisely with a cover that guarantees them protection from external dangers and the ailments of the weather.

Unfortunately, in different areas of the world, the shoe is still something of a di status symbol, as in Ethiopia for example, where not only the footwear protects children from the risk of infections or parasites that can be contracted in direct contact with the soil (hookworm, tetanus, etc.), but allow their insertion into social life and the same attendance at school.

In Argentina, home of the "alpargata" (espadrilles, shoes with hemp, jute or straw soles, ed), the American Blake Mycoskie - during one of his trips - he had the brilliant idea of create a brand that allowed to reconcile the purely commercial aspect with the human one: "One for one", for each pair of shoes purchased, one for "children in need".

This is how TOMS was born, a fair trade brand which, taking its cue from the canvas footwear seen in Argentina, produces shoes on which the purchase of a child may depend. There are for all tastes (and for all seasons), come on Wrap Boots (the boots in wraparound band), to the Vegan line, despite the TOMS policy is already "earth and animal-friendly".

Brian Mycoskie and his parents work closely with humanitarian organizations that have a long stay in the places where they operate, precisely to ensure - through these - that children can have their own pair of TOMS. In short, the fashion as a universal means to help these children on their way to a less uncertain future.

Sebastiano Piras