A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a sole plate including a foot support portion with a foot-facing surface and a ground-facing surface. An opening extends through the foot support portion from the foot-facing surface to the ground-facing surface. The sole plate includes a bridge portion underlying the opening and secured to the foot support portion fore and aft of the opening. The sole structure includes a piston that has a body and a support arm extending transversely from the body. The body extends through the opening. The support arm is supported on the bridge portion, trapped below the ground-facing surface by the foot support portion, and extends under the ground-facing surface at medial and lateral sides of the opening.

A method of assembling a boot is provided. The method comprises forming a first layer of insulation material of the boot covering a toe region, a saddle region, and a heel region of the boot; forming a second layer of insulation material of the boot that covers the saddle region and the toe region and does not cover the heel region of the boot; forming a third layer of insulation material that covers the toe region and does not cover the heel region and the saddle region of the boot; and attaching the first, the second, and the third layers of insulation material to an outsole of the boot.

An article of footwear includes a midsole, an upper disposed above the midsole, and an outsole disposed below the midsole. The midsole includes a unitary lattice structure having an upper side and a lower side, wherein the upper side is a user-facing side and the lower side is a ground-facing side. The midsole further includes an upper rim integrally formed with the unitary lattice structure. The upper rim extends around an upper perimeter defined on the upper side of the lattice structure.

An article of footwear includes a midsole, an upper disposed above the midsole, and an outsole disposed below the midsole. The midsole includes a unitary lattice structure having an upper side and a lower side, wherein the upper side is a user-facing side and the lower side is a ground-facing side. The midsole further includes an upper rim integrally formed with the unitary lattice structure. The upper rim extends around an upper perimeter defined on the upper side of the lattice structure.

An article of apparel, a system, and methods include a structural material configured to enable the article of footwear to the worn on a body. A wireless transmission circuit is included and a piezo-electric generator is positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be flexed to induce a voltage signal output. A voltage sensor is configured to sense the voltage profile and output a sensor signal indicative of the voltage profile. An electronic data storage, coupled to the voltage sensor, is configured to store voltage profile information based on the sensor data. A comparator, coupled to the electronic data storage, is configured to identify a change in the voltage profile information overtime. The wireless transmission circuit is configured to transmit data indicative of a physical status of the article of footwear based on the change in the voltage profile information over time.

An article of apparel, a system, and methods include a structural material configured to enable the article of footwear to the worn on a body. A wireless transmission circuit is included and a piezo-electric generator is positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be flexed to induce a voltage signal output. A voltage sensor is configured to sense the voltage profile and output a sensor signal indicative of the voltage profile. An electronic data storage, coupled to the voltage sensor, is configured to store voltage profile information based on the sensor data. A comparator, coupled to the electronic data storage, is configured to identify a change in the voltage profile information overtime. The wireless transmission circuit is configured to transmit data indicative of a physical status of the article of footwear based on the change in the voltage profile information over time.

A method to reproduce an original object includes receiving a 3D model of the original object; forming a reformable master shape from the 3D model by using a computer controlled shape actuator; impressing the reformable master shape into a reformable material to form a custom mold, the reformable material having a material state that is reversible between a solid condition stable force-resisting state and a flowable state by addition of a transition liquid; pouring a material into the custom mold while the reformable material is in the stable force-resisting state and fabricating a copy; adding the transition liquid to the reformable material to change the state of the reformable material from the stable force-resisting state to the flowable state; and reusing the reformable material to form another custom sole once the reformable material is in the flowable state.

Footwear and a method of manufacture of footwear are presented. The footwear has different insulation zones and each zone has a different level of insulation. For example, an article of footwear includes a first insulation zone, a second insulation zone, and a third insulation zone. The first, second, and third insulation zones each provide a different level of insulation for a specific part of a wearer's foot. The first insulation zone may be the heel region of the article of footwear, the second insulation zone may be the main part of the foot region of the article of footwear excluding both the heel region and a toe region of the article of footwear, and the third insulation zone may be the toe region of the article of footwear.

A method for manufacturing a sandal, wherein the toe thong location of said sandal is customised for a wearer. For a particular wearer, the optimal location of the toe thong of the sandal may be determined by applying a computer algorithm, which takes into account foot data of the wearer, which foot data may be obtained from image/video capture technology. The method makes use of a custom toe thong insert, which is embedded within the sole of the sandal. The custom toe thong insert is configured to receive and securely engage with a fastener attached to the toe thong and foot strap, such that the toe thong will be positioned at or proximate to the optimal location for the particular wearer. Also disclosed herein is a sandal with a customised toe thong location that is made in accordance with the above-described method.

An article of apparel, a system, and methods include a structural material configured to enable the article of footwear to the worn on a body. A wireless transmission circuit is included and a piezoelectric generator is positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be flexed to induce a voltage signal output. A voltage sensor is configured to sense the voltage profile and output a sensor signal indicative of the voltage profile. An electronic data storage, coupled to the voltage sensor, is configured to store voltage profile information based on the sensor data. A comparator, coupled to the electronic data storage, is configured to identify a change in the voltage profile information over time. The wireless transmission circuit is configured to transmit data indicative of a physical status of the article of footwear based on the change in the voltage profile information over time.