An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel forming a first portion of the upper and having a first texture, a second panel forming a second portion of the upper and having a second texture, and an embroidery area extending across portions of the first panel and the second panel and having an appearance that replicates the first texture extending into the second texture.

Waterproof upper components of shoes, and methods of making waterproof shoes and waterproof upper components thereof are described.

A variable ankle supporting shoe assembly includes a shoe including a perimeter wall having a lining comprising a foamed material. A magnetorheological fluid impregnates the foamed material and is alternated between a first state wherein the foamed material is bendable and a second state wherein the magnetorheological fluid forms a rigid structure within the foamed material such that the foamed material is not bendable. The lining forms a rigid and supportive shell when the magnetorheological fluid is in the second state. An actuating system alters the magnetorheological fluid from the first state to the second state when a condition has been met. The condition is met when the actuating system detects a combination of a threshold angle and a threshold pressure has been surpassed by the sole.

An upper structure for a shoe improves foot fit and hold of an upper at the time of turn motion. In an upper 2 that covers a foot of a shoe wearer, an expandable part 20 is provided at a midfoot region M that corresponds to a midfoot portion of the foot, and a non-expandable part 21 is provided at a lateral side region and a medial side region except for the midfoot region M. A boundary portion 22 between the expandable part 20 and the non-expandable part 21 has a substantially flat or flush surface. At the boundary portion 22, respective end portions 20E, 21E of the expandable part 20 and the non-expandable part 21 are sewn together such that a seam does not appear on the boundary surface. The shoe may further include an outsole having at least one groove in a particular triangular region on a bottom surface of the outsole.

An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel forming a first portion of the upper and having a first texture, a second panel forming a second portion of the upper and having a second texture, and an embroidery area extending across portions of the first panel and the second panel and having an appearance that replicates the first texture extending into the second texture.

A method for treating a natural or synthetic leather object is provided. The method includes directing plasma onto a surface of an natural or synthetic object to form a plasma treated object, the object including at least one of a natural leather material and a synthetic leather material, applying adhesive onto the plasma treated object, and bonding the plasma treated object with a polymeric coating.

An article of footwear includes a navicular support structure on a medial side. The navicular support structure includes a non-stretch, tensioned material that reduces an interior volume of the upper of the article of footwear and redirects applied forces from the midfoot region of the article of footwear to other regions, such as the forefoot region.

An article of footwear has an auxetic sole structure formed from members surrounding apertures. The members may have a trapezoidal geometry. Adjoining members are hingedly connected, so that they can rotate with respect to each other in the plane of the sole structure. The rotation allows the auxetic sole structure to expand when tension is applied.

An athletic skate body has an integrated leather vamp main body, a heel accessory piece, multiple strengthening pieces, a tongue, a shoe lining, an inner board, and a sole. The integrated leather vamp main body has a seamless toe box surface portion and a first lateral surface portion and a second lateral surface portion extending rearward from two sides of the toe box surface portion. The first and the second lateral surface portions are sewed with a heel accessory piece and thus a heel portion is formed. With the seamless toe box surface portion, strength of a head portion of the athletic skate body is enhanced, and a vamp base can be cut into shape by automation equipment. Thus, with the plane and integral vamp base attached with multiple strengthening pieces precisely, the manpower is saved and the quality of the athletic skate body is improved.

An article of footwear having printed structures disposed on the article by a three-dimensional printer is disclosed. The printed structures include extended portions and fastener receiving portions. The extended portions are at least partially embedded in the upper. The fastener receiving portions are at least partially spaced apart from an exterior surface of the upper.