Articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include one or more of: (a) a sole structure; (b) an upper having lateral and medial side elements engaged with the sole structure, the upper made from a polymer matrix structure that extends through at least a heel region; (c) a size adjustment mechanism located at the heel region; (d) a heel tongue element located adjacent the size adjustment mechanism; (e) a shoe securing mechanism; (f) an instep tongue member; and/or (g) a bootie member located at least partially within the foot-receiving chamber. Methods of manufacturing such articles of footwear also are disclosed.

Curable compositions are provided comprising: (a) an isocyanate-functional prepolymer having a weight average molecular weight of 4000 to 15,000; (b) a curing agent comprising a mixture of polyamines, wherein at least one polyamine has an amine equivalent weight of 125 to 250; and (c) an abrasion resistant additive comprising organic and inorganic particles. The isocyanate-functional prepolymer is (i) a reaction product of a polyisocyanate and a polyamine having primary and/or secondary amino groups; and/or (ii) a reaction product of a polyisocyanate and a polyol. Upon application of the composition to a substrate as a coating and after curing to form a coated substrate, the coated substrate demonstrates a coating loss of less than 0.33 cm.sup.3 after being subjected to 1000 cycles of a TABER Abrasion Test using S-42 sandpaper strips and two 1000 gram weights. Coated substrates and footwear components prepared from the compositions are also disclosed.

A last system and a method of making the last system are disclosed. The last system includes a last member and an exterior layer. The exterior layer becomes deformable when heated above a characteristic temperature. The method can include forming a braided footwear component on the last system. The exterior layer may be joined with the braided footwear component by heating the last system above the characteristic temperature.

A method of forming a plate for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes applying a first strand portion to a base layer including positioning adjacent segments of the first strand portion to form a first layer on the base layer. The adjacent segments of the first strand portion having a greater density across a width of the plate between a medial side and a lateral side at a midfoot region of the plate than at a forefoot region of the plate and at a heel region of the plate. The method also includes applying at least one of heat and pressure to the first strand portion and to the base layer to conform the first strand portion and the base layer to a predetermined shape.

A method for forming a plate includes attaching a first strand portion to a flexible substrate to form a first layer on the substrate and positioning a second strand portion on the first layer to form a second layer on the first layer in a plurality of discrete regions on the substrate. The method also includes positioning a plurality of traction elements into corresponding cavities formed into a first mold surface and positioning the substrate on the first mold surface to change a shape of the substrate. At least one of heat and pressure is applied to the first strand portion, the second strand portion, the substrate, and the traction elements to conform the substrate to the shape of the first mold surface and form the traction elements into the substrate at each of the discrete regions. The method also includes incorporating the substrate into an article of footwear.

The present disclosure encompasses three-dimensional articles comprising flexible composite materials and methods of manufacturing said three-dimensional articles. More particularly, the present system relates to methods for manufacturing seamless three dimensional-shaped articles usable for such finished products as airbags/inflatable structures, bags, shoes, and similar three-dimensional products. A preferred manufacturing process combines composite molding methods with specific precursor materials to form flexible fiber-reinforced continuous shaped articles.

A spacer textile material has at least a portion of a tensile strand located between a first layer and a second layer of the spacer textile material where the first layer and second layer have been joined together to form channels in which the tensile strand moves freely. The tensile strand travels through the spacer textile material in a non-linear direction. Further, the channels may be formed in the spacer textile material in non-linear directions. The spacer textile material with a tensile strand may be incorporated into an article of footwear.

Athletic apparel, including compression garments and athletic footwear, is disclosed as capable of monitoring the wear of compression fabric and/or cushioning material by attaching a performance gauge onto the apparel. The performance gauge includes microcapsules that contain a colorless dye and/or a co-reactant, wherein the microcapsules can breakdown in concert with the wear and degradation of the compression fabric or cushioning material, thereby allowing the dye and co-reactant to mix and produce color indication. As the wear of the fabric and cushioning material increases, more microcapsules breakdown resulting in a progression of color change visible through additional layers on the performance gauge, or by the fabric and/or cushioning material. The microcapsules can be engineered to breakdown based on any variation of factors that correspond to the degradation of compressive fabric and cushioning material, including shear force, tension, impact force, and/or exposure to high temperature and water.

The present disclosure encompasses three-dimensional articles comprising flexible-composite materials and methods of manufacturing said three-dimensional articles. More particularly, the present system relates to methods for manufacturing seamless three-dimensional-shaped articles usable for such finished products as airbags/inflatable structures, bags, shoes, and similar three-dimensional products. A preferred manufacturing process combines composite molding methods with specific precursor materials to form fiber-reinforced continuous shaped articles that are flexible and collapsible.

A fiber bound engineered material is provided that imparts an intended characteristic at an intended relative location. A fiber layer is entangled with additional fibers in a manner to create a non-uniform engineered material. The lack of uniformity of a fiber bound engineered material may be accomplished through manipulation of the fibers and/or through fiber binding a scrim. The fiber layer binds with additional fibers through entanglement such that a mechanical connection between the entangled fibers is provided. This entanglement allows the fibers to bind without supplemental adhesives, interlacing, or connections. Variations in the fibers and/or inclusion of scrim materials prior to entanglement allows for an intended characteristic (e.g., a functional characteristic) at an intended relative location (e.g., a position determined by an article to be formed therefrom).