Toms and Apple Team Up to Fight Poverty

Toms has teamed up with Apple Watch on a collection of fabric wrist straps. The collaboration includes two lines: the Utility Collection offers a grosgrain fabric strap and comes in five colors, while the woven Artisan Collection, inspired by Toms founder, Blake Mycoskie’s own collection of friendship bracelets, comes in three different color choices.

And as with all its endeavors — for each pair of Toms sold, the brand gives a pair of new shoes to a child in need — there’s a charitable cause involved.

For every wrist strap that is purchased, the shoe label has pledged to provide one year of solar light to a person in need.

To this end, it has partnered with charitable organizations Solar Sister and Solar Aid, which provide solar-powered light to those who need it most. According to statistics from the International Energy Agency, about 1.2 billion people lack access to safe and reliable electricity, which negatively impacts on their income, health and potential.

“We love the idea of incorporating the act of giving into a product you use on a daily basis,” said Mycoskie. “With our new Toms for Apple Watch straps, we will not only help provide light, but we will be positively impacting education, economic opportunity, health and safety for so many people who desperately need it.”

As of today, the Toms for Apple Watch collection is available online at Toms and at the brand’s retail stores in London and Amsterdam. Prices range from $50 to $80.