A method of manufacturing a shoe includes preparing a flexible shell having an internal space, preparing an upper body in a form of a bag, the upper body being provided with an opening in a portion corresponding to a topline, preparing a sole body, accommodating the upper in the shell, partially fixing the shell and the upper body, and forming the upper body with a last being located in the upper body accommodated in the shell, taking the last out of the formed upper body, and inserting the sole body in the shell.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper secured to the sole structure. The upper includes a heel section, lateral side section, medial side section, instep and toe cage that define an interior cavity operable to receive a foot of a wearer. At least a portion of the upper includes a laminate, where the laminate includes an inner layer facing the cavity, an outer layer forming an exterior of the shoe, and an intermediate layer disposed between inner and outer layers, the intermediate layer comprising a reinforcing layer having a rigidity that is greater than the rigidity of the inner and outer layers. The reinforcing layer extends from the lateral side section to the medial side section.

Methods for manufacturing uppers for articles footwear that include thermo-forming an upper composed of one or more low melting point thermoplastic polymers. The methods may include disposing a skin for forming an upper over and inflatable bladder. The skin may include at least one of a base layer composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer and a grid layer including a yarn composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer. The skin and inflatable bladder may be placed into a mold cavity and the mold may be heated to a predetermined temperature. The inflatable bladder may be inflated such that the skin is pressed against an interior surface of the heated mold cavity to cause the skin to take on the shape of the internal surface of the mold cavity, thereby forming an upper for an article of footwear.

Articles of footwear including a thermo-molded upper having a skin composed of one or more low melting point thermoplastic polymers. The skin may include at least one of: a base layer composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer and a grid layer including a yarn composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer. The uppers may be formed by placing a skin and an inflatable bladder into a mold cavity and heating the mold to a predetermined temperature. The inflatable bladder may be inflated such that the skin is pressed against an interior surface of the heated mold cavity to cause the skin to take on the shape of the internal surface of the mold cavity, thereby forming an upper for an article of footwear.

Shoe uppers having smooth seams and methods for producing them are disclosed. In one embodiment the upper uses thermoplastic seam tape which forms bonds between contiguous upper sections after being subjected to heat and/or pressure. In another embodiment, different parts of the shoe can be joined using hidden seams. Close seams can also be covered with a transfer material adapted to give the interior and/or exterior of the upper a smooth surface. In yet another embodiment, a method is disclosed which allows three-dimensional upper sections to be bonded on a last using thermoplastic seam tape.

A method of making an article of footwear comprises associating an upper of the article of footwear with a printer. The upper has a lower peripheral portion. The method comprises printing a first end portion of a mechanical connector so that the first end portion of the mechanical connector is coupled with the lower peripheral portion, and printing a second end portion of the mechanical connector. The second end portion extends away from the lower peripheral portion. The second end portion is configured to engage a sole structure and fasten the upper to the sole structure.

An injection molding method includes providing a molding device including a first mold, a second mold over the first mold and a first mold cavity defined by the first mold and the second mold; injecting a first material into the first mold cavity; forming a first layer from the first material; replacing the second mold by a third mold, injecting a second material into a second mold cavity defined by the first mold and the third mold; and forming a second layer from the second material, wherein the second layer at least partially contacts the first layer. The first material is same as the second material.

An upper for a shoe includes a woven element comprising at least one single-layer portion and at least one multi-layer portion, wherein the single-layer portion is formed from a single woven layer and the multi-layer portion is formed from at least two overlapping woven layers, wherein the at least one single-layer portion is adjacent to the at least one multi-layer portion, and wherein the multi-layer portion comprises at least one protrusion of the woven element.

An article of apparel includes a first layer and a second layer. An auxetic structure penetrates the first layer. The auxetic structure includes a plurality of interconnected members forming an array of cell units. Each of the plurality of interconnected members form cell walls with interior recesses defined within the cell walls. The second layer is coupled to the first layer via the auxetic structure.

An article of footwear with a dynamic support system that controls arrays of tiles in the upper of the footwear to adjust the level of support provided in different regions of the upper. Sensors in the sole of the footwear, in the upper of the footwear and/or in an article worn by the wearer of the footwear measure the level of stress or other characteristics and provide input to one or more microprocessors that control motors located in the sole or in the upper of the footwear. When the motors are activated, they may compress or loosen arrays of tiles to adjust the stiffness of the upper in one or more regions of the upper.