An integral spacer fabric provided with adaptive thickness and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The spacer fabric includes a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer and a central fabric layer which is intertwined with the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer and formed of a plurality of wave-like fibers. The central fabric layer is formed with adaptive thicknesses in accordance with a predetermined thickness pattern by means of a flat knitting machine.

Described are shoes, particularly a sports shoe, having an upper and at least one of an outer sole and a midsole connected to the upper. As examples, the outer sole is knitted in a unitary fashion with the upper. As further examples, an insert is positioned within the one-piece knitwear, wherein the insert comprises a profile that increases traction of the outer sole.

Described are uppers for a shoe, particularly a sports shoe, having at least one first partial area and at least one second partial area that are manufactured as one-piece knitwear, wherein the first partial area includes a first yarn and the second partial area includes a second yarn, and wherein the first yarn is more elastic than the second yarn.

Described are uppers for a shoe, particularly a sports shoe, having at least one first partial area and at least one second partial area that are manufactured as one-piece knitwear, wherein the first partial area includes a first yarn and the second partial area includes a second yarn, and wherein the first yarn is more elastic than the second yarn.

The present disclosure provides a knitted component, the knitted component with a knit element that forms at least a portion of an upper for an article of footwear and defines an interior void for receiving a foot. A lower perimeter edge of the knit element may extend between a lateral side and a medial side of the upper. At least one strand of the knitted component may extend through the lower perimeter edge on opposite sides of the knitted component so as to extend between the lateral side and the medial side of the upper. The knitted component may be formed on a knitting machine, and the at least one strand may be configured to be tensioned to tighten the upper around a last.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a nonwoven fabric that is bulky, has excellent softness, and has high strength. Provided is a nonwoven fabric in which the points at which heat fusible composite fibers intersect with each other are fused by heat. The nonwoven fabric has a high-density-side surface layer where the fiber density is 5 to 20 fibers/mm.sup.2. The ratio of the fiber density of the high-density-side surface layer and the fiber density of a low-density-side surface layer of the nonwoven fabric is 1.4 or less. The strength per unit basis weight of the nonwoven fabric is 0.40 N/50 mm or greater.

An article of footwear has an upper that includes a knitted component and a sole structure secured to the upper. The knitted component may define a tube formed of unitary knit construction, and a strand may extend through a length of the tube. As another example, the knitted component may have a pair of at least partially coextensive knitted layers formed of unitary knit construction, and a plurality of floating yarns may extend between the knitted layers. In some configurations, the knit type or yarn type may vary in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. Additionally, the knitted component may incorporate a thermoplastic yarn that is fused in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. A flat knitting process or a variety of other knitting processes may be utilized to form the knitted component.

Described are shoes having an upper, and at least one of an outer sole and a midsole connected to the upper. At least one of the outer sole and the midsole is formed of knitwear.

The present disclosure provides a knitted component, the knitted component with a knit element that forms at least a portion of an upper for an article of footwear and defines an interior void for receiving a foot. A lower perimeter edge of the knit element may extend between a lateral side and a medial side of the upper. At least one strand of the knitted component may extend through the lower perimeter edge on opposite sides of the knitted component so as to extend between the lateral side and the medial side of the upper. The knitted component may be formed on a knitting machine, and the at least one strand may be configured to be tensioned to tighten the upper around a last.

Described are shoes having an upper, and at least one of an outer sole and a midsole connected to the upper. At least one of the outer sole and the midsole is formed of knitwear.