UF students and faculty took a crafty approach Tuesday at Style Your Sole, an event organized by the UF Office of Sustainability, where participants purchased and decorated a pair of TOMS Shoes at the Reitz Union Colonnade.
"People think of sustainability just as an environmental issue, but we're looking at social aspects," said Stephanie Sims, program assistant with the UF Office of Sustainability.
TOMS has gained fame for its charitable mission: For every pair purchased, TOMS donates a pair of shoes to a child in need.
Paint, ribbon and glitter were among the provided artistic media. Innovative students wrapped their canvas sneakers in tape, painting over the lines to create geometrical patterns and designs.
UF sophomore Amanda Aschenbrenner bought her pair of TOMS Shoes at the event, splashing yellow and red paint on the bare canvas and quoting Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go" on the side of the sneakers.
The shoes start at about $44.
"You spend about the same on a pair of shoes anyway," Aschenbrenner said. "But you're getting two pairs of shoes."
Roberto Evans, owner of The Exchange, an authorized retailer of TOMS Shoes, guided students through the design process. An industry insider, he's ready for a moral makeover in the business market.
"People buy shoes all the time, but they're often not made under very ethical conditions," Evans said. "Our buying practices can make a big difference for others."
And, for now, that change is evolving one shoe at a time.
Evans sold about 40 pairs of shoes.
"We didn't anticipate such a response," Evans said. "It's like, 'Dude, that's a lot of kids that get shoes.'"
