A vamp with loop protection eyelets and a manufacture method thereof are disclosed. The vamp comprises a vamp body including a middle part having a notch which functions as a shoe tongue part. The vamp body is one-piece knitted fabric or a sheet-splice-vamp. Strings are projectively fixed on the upper surface of the vamp body. Threads embroider and fix the strings on the vamp body along a path of the length direction of the strings. The strings not only form a pattern on the vamp body but also leave loops on the shoe tongue part. Loops protrude inwards from both side edges of the shoe tongue part. The vamp has ventilation and has good supportability and straightness, is not only esthetic but also can protect feet. Protection eyelets are connected very firmly and do not come off easily. The pattern with a stereoscopic visual effect is formed on the vamp.

There is provided an instep cover in which various designs can be provided on a side surface portion of the instep cover even when a shoelace holding section is provided, and a shoe upper including the instep cover. In a shoe upper (100) configuring a shoe, an instep cover (1) that covers a portion on an instep side of a wearer includes a slit (5S) extending from a foot insertion opening for the wearer to insert a foot toward a toe, and a shoelace holding section (4) that holds a shoelace for adjusting a spacing of the slit (5S). The shoelace holding section (4) includes a holding unit (4U) configured by a hole (4h) formed in a slit edge region (11) that shapes the slit (5S), and an annular strap (4s) being formed to an annular shape by connecting one end and the other end of a lace-like body to the slit edge region (11) and having a length that can be pulled out from the hole (4h) when an intermediate portion of the lace-like body is brought to a position of the hole (4h).

There is provided an instep cover in which various designs can be provided on a side surface portion of the instep cover even when a shoelace holding section is provided, and a shoe upper including the instep cover. In a shoe upper (100) configuring a shoe, an instep cover (1) that covers a portion on an instep side of a wearer includes a slit (5S) extending from a foot insertion opening for the wearer to insert a foot toward a toe, and a shoelace holding section (4) that holds a shoelace for adjusting a spacing of the slit (5S). The shoelace holding section (4) includes a holding unit (4U) configured by a hole (4h) formed in a slit edge region (11) that shapes the slit (5S), and an annular strap (4s) being formed to an annular shape by connecting one end and the other end of a lace-like body to the slit edge region (11) and having a length that can be pulled out from the hole (4h) when an intermediate portion of the lace-like body is brought to a position of the hole (4h).

A shoe fastening device and/or technique used to fasten a shoe is disclosed herein. A shoelace can be laced into a shoe in any number of lacing patterns. The two ends of the shoelace may be secured to the shoe. An overhand knot may be present when the shoelace is in a loosened configuration.

A shoe fastening device and/or technique used to fasten a shoe is disclosed herein. A shoelace can be laced into a shoe in any number of lacing patterns. The two ends of the shoelace may be secured to the shoe. An overhand knot may be present when the shoelace is in a loosened configuration.

According to an embodiment, a component for attachment to an article includes an upper component that is made of a thermoplastic material having a first melting temperature and a flange member that is molded onto the upper component and made of a thermoplastic elastomer material having a second melting temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature of the upper component. The flange member extends laterally from a bottom end of the upper component so that a bottom surface of the flange member is flush with or positioned axially below a bottom surface of the upper component. The melting temperature of the thermoplastic elastomer material enables the flange member to be directly coupled to the article via heat welding and the like without substantially affecting the upper component.

According to an embodiment, a component for attachment to an article includes an upper component that is made of a thermoplastic material having a first melting temperature and a flange member that is molded onto the upper component and made of a thermoplastic elastomer material having a second melting temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature of the upper component. The flange member extends laterally from a bottom end of the upper component so that a bottom surface of the flange member is flush with or positioned axially below a bottom surface of the upper component. The melting temperature of the thermoplastic elastomer material enables the flange member to be directly coupled to the article via heat welding and the like without substantially affecting the upper component.

An eyelet for an article of footwear includes an eyelet body configured to slidably couple a first string to a second string. The eyelet body defines a first arc-shaped aperture and an opposing, second arc-shaped aperture. The first arc-shaped aperture is configured to slidably receive the first string, and the second arc-shaped aperture is configured to slidably receive the second string. The eyelet may be disposed over (but not necessarily attached to) an upper of an article of footwear.

An eyelet for an article of footwear includes an eyelet body configured to slidably couple a first string to a second string. The eyelet body defines a first arc-shaped aperture and an opposing, second arc-shaped aperture. The first arc-shaped aperture is configured to slidably receive the first string, and the second arc-shaped aperture is configured to slidably receive the second string. The eyelet may be disposed over (but not necessarily attached to) an upper of an article of footwear.

Various articles, such as footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, watchbands, and the like, and methods of forming those articles are presented. The articles are generally formed, in whole or in part, using rapid manufacturing techniques, such as laser sintering, stereolithography, solid deposition modeling, and the like. The use of rapid manufacturing allows for relatively economical and time efficient manufacture of customized articles. The articles may include one or more reinforcements configured to provide added durability to various regions of the articles. In addition, the articles may be formed from two or more materials in a single rapid manufacturing process. The rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique may also include using of varying intensities of the laser to fuse material to form the articles.