Buy TOMS from toms.com if you want the full catalog and the wide-width cuts, from Zappos if you are unsure of your size and want 60 days to send unworn pairs back, and from a Famous Footwear, DSW, Shoe Carnival or Rack Room store if you need to feel how a canvas pair fits before paying. Clearance hunters should start at 6pm and Nordstrom Rack, where last season’s colorways land.
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Below: a store-by-store breakdown, five picks, honest alternatives, and what buyers ask most. For more footwear shopping, see our guides to running shoes and shoes of all kinds.
The Alpargata and Everything the Brand Added Since
The alpargata is a flat slip-on with a canvas upper and a flexible sole, adapted from the rope-soled espadrille long worn by farmers in Argentina. Blake Mycoskie built the company around it after a 2006 trip there, and it is still the core product: the official site lists Alpargata versions for women, men and kids, including the Classic, the cushioned Alpargata CloudBound, the Alpargata Plus and a Mary Jane cut.
The TOMS collection has spread well past canvas into loafers, wedges, boots, slippers, sneakers and sandals, with crib, toddler and youth sizing for kids. The gear page adds socks and sunglasses; for frames, our sunglasses buying guide compares other places to shop.
They suit warm-weather casual wear, travel packing, and anyone who wants a slip-on that reads more put-together than a flip-flop. Skip them if you stand on concrete all day. The barebones classic gives almost no arch support, and no insert fixes a flat footbed.
Quick disambiguation: in drumming, toms are the cylindrical tom-tom drums on a kit. This page covers the footwear label only.
Who Owns TOMS Now and Where the Giving Goes
Lenders have owned TOMS since December 2019. Facing roughly $300 million in debt due in 2020, the company handed control to a creditor group led by Jefferies Financial Group, Nexus Capital Management and Brookfield Asset Management in exchange for debt relief. That ended the ownership of Mycoskie and of Bain Capital, the private equity firm that had bought a 50 percent stake in 2014.
One for One ran from 2006 to 2019: for every pair sold, new shoes went to a child in need, and the impact page counts more than 100 million pairs of shoes given. Development economists argued that shipping free footwear into communities facing poverty undercut local sellers.
The replacement, formalized in 2021, committed at least one-third of net profits to grassroots organizations working on mental health, access to opportunity and equity. The current impact page, built around a “Better Tomorrows” banner, no longer quotes a percentage. It says a purchase supports children’s education, health and well-being through grants and shoe donations, naming Save the Children, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and GirlForward as giving partners. Shoes still go out, but through partner programs rather than a pair-for-pair promise.
The company also holds certification as a B Corporation, a third-party standard for verified social and environmental performance, and the one giving claim a shopper can check independently.
Features That Change How a Pair Feels
The insole decides how a pair feels, and it is the spec most product pages bury.
Footbed technology. The plain canvas Classic ships with a thin insole. CloudBound styles add a thicker cushioned footbed, and that gap shows up past the two-hour mark.
Upper material. Recycled cotton canvas breathes and stretches. Suede holds its shape better but stains. Leather costs more and lasts longer. Rubber belongs on a boot, not a summer style.
Sole construction. A vulcanized rubber sole is flexible and thin. A cupsole wraps the upper in a thicker molded unit, adding support and grip, and it lasts longer on pavement.
Width options. Wide width is sold as its own product on select styles, such as the Classic Alpargata and the Diana sandal, rather than as a size option. If your foot spreads across the forefoot, that is the fix, not sizing up.
Washability. Canvas survives a cold gentle cycle and air dry. Suede and leather do not, which matters most when buying for a child.
| Style family | Footbed | Sole | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic canvas slip-on | Thin, minimal | Flexible, thin | Casual wear, short walks |
| CloudBound slip-on | Thicker cushioning | Flexible, thin | Longer days in a slip-on |
| Cupsole sneaker | Cushioned insole | Molded cupsole | Travel, errands, standing |
| Sandal and slide | Contoured | Molded | Summer, poolside |
| Boot and bootie | Cushioned insole | Varies, including wedge | Fall and winter |
Where to Try a Pair On in Person
Trying canvas on matters more than with most footwear, because cotton stretches. The chains below list the label on their own sites, but store-level stock varies, so check the store page or call before driving.
Famous Footwear
Its brand page covers men’s, women’s and kids’ styles, mostly Alpargata slip-ons plus boots and sandals, and buy online, pick up in store lets you reserve a size before the drive.
DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse)
DSW puts canvas slip-ons, sneakers, and sandals on the open shoe wall, so you can try sizes without waiting on staff. Clearance racks are worth a walk-through, and the free VIP rewards program applies points to future purchases.
Shoe Carnival and Rack Room Shoes
Both run dedicated brand pages and skew toward family and kids’ sizing, which makes them the easiest option outside major metros. Call ahead, because store-level stock is uneven.
Macy’s and Kohl’s
Both carry a rotating assortment weighted toward women’s styles; time the visit to their sale events rather than paying list price.
Target
Target is the least predictable stop, since listings come and go, so check stock at your store before driving over. Target Circle Card holders (the card formerly called RedCard) get 5 percent off.
Where to Buy TOMS Online
Buy TOMS shoes direct for the widest catalog and exclusive colorways. Buy third-party when a promotion beats direct pricing, which happens often on last-season stock.
The Official Site
toms.com is the only place carrying every current style, limited collaborations and the full wide-width range, and shipping is free on orders of $75 or more. Check its Sale section first, since past-season shoes often sit there a color or two behind the full-price version.
Amazon
The Amazon selection covers core styles in men’s, women’s, and kids’ sizing, with Prime delivery as the draw. Filter to the brand storefront rather than open search results, because third-party listings are where counterfeits surface, and a knockoff canvas upper separates from the sole fast.
Zappos
Zappos carries a broad assortment, wide versions included, with free shipping and a 60-day return window for unworn pairs in the original shoe box. Shop there when you are torn between two sizes; its reviews carry fit-specific comments. Our list of stores with the best return policies covers other generous options.
Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack
Nordstrom stocks current-season canvas and sneakers, while Nordstrom Rack is where prior-season colorways land at a discount. The Anniversary Sale in July is the one predictable current-season price cut.
6pm and Walmart.com
6pm, run by the same parent company as Zappos, is a discount site for past-season stock that rotates fast, so buy when you see your size. Walmart.com lists a smaller assortment, including the Cordones canvas sneaker; check whether Walmart or a marketplace vendor is the seller before you commit.
Timing beats retailer choice: sandals discount in late summer and boots in late winter, so buying a sandal in May is the most expensive way to do it.
Alternatives Worth Considering
Four alternatives solve the same problem, and two are genuinely better for specific feet.
- Sanuk Sidewalk Surfer. Same slip-on shape with a yoga-mat footbed. More cushion out of the box, less structured styling.
- Skechers BOBS. Memory foam inside, and the line supports animal shelters. Build quality is a step down.
- Converse canvas sneakers. The same breathable cotton upper with laces and a vulcanized sole that holds the foot better. The footbed is just as flat.
- Crocs and Birkenstocks. Both beat canvas on arch support and rinse clean in seconds. Neither dresses up as easily.
Skip the category entirely if you walk several miles a day or work standing shifts. A cushioned walking shoe serves you better.
Five Picks Matched to How You Will Wear Them
These five cover what buyers shop for most: a classic slip-on, a supportive sneaker, a summer sandal, a cold-weather boot, and a wide-width cut. Prices move with colorway and promotion, so compare at checkout.
Best overall: TOMS Classic Alpargata. The original canvas slip-on, and the reference point every alternative gets measured against. Thin footbed is the tradeoff; step up to the CloudBound version if you want padding. Check price on Amazon | view at Zappos
Best for long days: TOMS Cordones Cupsole Sneaker. Lace-up canvas on a cushioned cupsole. Handles errands, airports, and standing better than any slip-on here. Check price on Amazon | see at Target
Best sandal: Majorca. Sold in cutout and ankle-strap versions for poolside and around the house. Check the upper material on the listing, because suede versions stain. Check price on Amazon | see at Target
Best boot: Astrid Boot or Maude Wedge Boot. Both sit among the official site’s best sellers. Order your normal size, since boots do not relax the way canvas does. Check price on Amazon | see at Target
Best for wide feet: Classic Alpargata Wide. The classic silhouette with real forefoot room, sold as its own product rather than a size option. Check price on Amazon | see at Target
- Pick the style family that matches how you will wear them; cushioning and sole type differ more than color.
- Check whether that style lists CloudBound or another cushioned footbed, because the plain canvas insole is thin.
- Measure your forefoot width and buy the wide cut instead of sizing up.
- Compare the official Sale section against Zappos and 6pm, then buy where the return window suits you.
Start with the style, not the sale. Once you know which pair of shoes you need, buy your TOMS from whichever retailer combines the current price with a return window you can live with, and order a half size down from your sneaker size if you are going canvas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you size up or size down?
Size down a half size in canvas classics if you are between sizes, because cotton relaxes with wear and a roomy fit in the box ends up sloppy within weeks. Cupsole sneakers and rubber boots do not stretch, so order your normal sneaker size there. For broad feet, buy the wide-width version rather than adding length.
What happened to the company TOMS?
Sales declined through the late 2010s, and in December 2019 a creditor group led by Jefferies, Nexus Capital Management and Brookfield took ownership in a debt restructuring, replacing founder Blake Mycoskie and Bain Capital, which had held a 50 percent stake since 2014. The business still operates and still sells worldwide.
What kind of company is TOMS?
It is a privately held, for-profit footwear company with B Corporation certification, not a nonprofit. Sales fund grants and shoe donations through partners such as Save the Children.
Does anyone still wear them?
Yes, though the peak-2012 ubiquity is gone. The label holds shelf space at Famous Footwear, DSW, Zappos, Nordstrom, and Shoe Carnival, a national United States retail footprint. The catalog also widened past canvas into sneakers, boots, loafers, and sandals.
Are they good for walking long distances?
The plain canvas classic is not. It has minimal cushioning and no arch support, fine for errands and poor for a full day on your feet. Choose a Cordones Cupsole, or any style listing a CloudBound footbed, if distance is the point.
Editorial review: wheretobuyguides.com team.