TOMS Shoes, the comfy slip-on that has become the shoe du jour for the trendy and the socially conscious, has launched a vegan line. Traditional TOMS, which come in a variety of colors, plaids and sparkles (see below) are made of 100% cotton canvas, leather and ethylene-vinyl acetate.



The vegan line substitutes the leather insole with a comparable sole made from micro-fiber; it is labeled with a green TOMS label, while regular TOMS have a black label. The six styles of vegan TOMS are made from 67% hemp and 33% post-consumer plastic bottles. Currently the shoes, which are modeled after Argentina's alpargata footwear, are sold only at Whole Foods. The vegan line continues the brands one-for-one mission: for every adult pair of TOMS sold, the company donates a pair to a child in need. To date, the company has donated more than 68,000 shoes to children throughout South America and Africa.

The company will release the vegan collection nationwide this spring, in addition to a children's collection, according to a representative for the company. Stay tuned....