Are TOMS Alpargatas worth it, and are they comfortable for all-day wear?+
The TOMS Alpargata is a simple canvas slip-on adapted from the Argentine espadrille, and it shines as a light, easy, broken-in casual shoe rather than a support-heavy one. Plenty of wearers love how soft and effortless it feels day to day. It is worth it if you want a relaxed, lived-in slip-on for warm weather and short days on your feet; if you need real cushioning or arch support for long miles, the thin sole is its honest limitation.
Does TOMS still do One for One — give a pair of shoes for every pair sold?+
Not anymore. One for One was TOMS' founding model, a promise to deliver a free pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair sold, a phrase the company even trademarked. In 2019 TOMS announced it would move away from One for One and instead expand its giving to include impact grants, so today the brand still gives, but no longer one-pair-for-one-pair.
Where can I buy TOMS, and where are they actually made?+
TOMS are sold at more than 500 stores internationally, including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Whole Foods Market, alongside the brand's own site. On the manufacturing side, TOMS presently makes shoes in Kenya, India, Ethiopia and Haiti, having moved a chunk of its supply chain to countries where it actively gives. So you have plenty of mainstream stockists, with production spread across those four countries.
What is the alpargata, and why did TOMS choose it as its signature shoe?+
The alpargata is a simple canvas slip-on that is popular in Argentina, and it is the shoe TOMS was built around. Founder Blake Mycoskie decided to develop a version of it for the North American market after a 2006 trip to Argentina where he met a woman volunteering to deliver shoes to children. That canvas slip-on, light and unstructured, has stayed the brand's defining product ever since.
Where does the name TOMS come from — is it short for a person's name?+
No, it is not a man named Tom. The name is derived from the word tomorrow and evolved from the original concept, the Shoes for Tomorrow Project. That tomorrow-focused idea ran through the early business, which set out to give a new pair of shoes to children in Argentina and other developing nations for every pair sold.
Who founded TOMS, and when did it start?+
TOMS was founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie, an entrepreneur from Arlington, Texas, and the company is based in Los Angeles, California. The idea came after Mycoskie visited Argentina, encountered many shoeless children, and decided to build a business that paired sales with giving. He financed it by selling an online driver-education company he had been running for $500,000.
Who owns TOMS now — is founder Blake Mycoskie still an owner?+
No, Mycoskie is no longer an owner. In December 2019 the company was taken over by its creditors, Jefferies Financial Group, Nexus Capital Management and Brookfield Asset Management, and founder Mycoskie ceased to be an owner at that point. Earlier, in 2014, Bain Capital had acquired 50 percent of TOMS in a deal that valued the company at $625 million, with Mycoskie keeping the other half before the later creditor takeover.
Does TOMS only make shoes, or other products too?+
It has grown well beyond footwear. TOMS designs and markets shoes plus eyewear, coffee, apparel and handbags. The eyewear line launched in 2011, TOMS Roasting Co. coffee arrived in 2014 with each purchase tied to providing safe water, and the TOMS Bag Collection launched in 2015 to support maternal health. So the brand now spans several categories beyond its canvas slip-ons.
How do TOMS compare to other casual canvas slip-ons?+
TOMS lean softer and more relaxed than a structured skate-style slip-on, with a flexible canvas upper and a thin, easygoing sole built for comfort rather than grip or durability. Their appeal is the lightweight, barely-there feel and the brand's giving heritage. If you want a structured footbed and a tougher build for heavy wear, a sturdier canvas sneaker may serve you better; if you want the lightest, most laid-back slip-on, TOMS is squarely in that lane.
What is the criticism of TOMS' giving model that people sometimes mention?+
TOMS has faced criticism from parts of the international development community, who argued the One for One model was designed to make consumers feel good rather than address the underlying causes of poverty, and who questioned whether donated shoes help more than a cash donation would. TOMS responded by moving a meaningful share of its donation supply chain into the countries it gives in. It is a fair debate to be aware of, and it is part of why the brand evolved its giving in 2019.
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