A shoe, in particular an athletic shoe, comprising a heel portion that includes an adaptive heel element arranged in the heel portion of the shoe, wherein the adaptive heel element comprises a stretch material. A heel counter is arranged in the heel portion, wherein the heel counter comprises a lateral portion and a medial portion for supporting the heel of a wearer's foot and a posterior gap therebetween wherein the posterior gap forms an essentially vertical split portion, wherein the split portion is adapted such that the adaptive heel element can move and deform within the split portion, and wherein the adaptive heel element within the split portion is adapted to contour to the anatomical shape of the heel of the wearer.

A sustainable wearable item is provided. The sustainable wearable item comprising an outer layer comprising a plant-based material, an inner layer comprising a plant-based material, the inner layer configured to contact the skin of a user; and an adhesive disposed between the outer layer and the lining and configured to bind the outer layer to the lining, wherein the adhesive is activated in a bonding process.

Articles of wear having one or more textiles that include a low processing temperature polymeric composition and a high processing temperature polymeric composition, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The low processing temperature polymeric composition and the high processing temperature polymeric composition can be selectively incorporated into a textile to provide one or more structural properties and/or other advantageous properties to the article. The textile can be thermoformed to impart such structural and/or other advantageous properties to the article of wear. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A footwear includes a footwear upper attached to a sole. The footwear upper includes at least one leather base layer having a base layer top grain surface, and at least one leather attachment layer having a top grain surface and a flesh-side surface. The leather base layer is glued to the leather attachment layer with the base layer top grain surface facing the flesh-side of the leather attachment layer.

A method of forming a fiber-bound engineered material utilizing carrier screens is provided that imparts an intended characteristic at an intended relative location. Also provided are articles formed of fiber-bound engineered materials manufactured utilizing carrier screens. A fiber layer is placed adjacent at least one carrier screen and 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.

The present disclosure is directed to articles that include one or more coated fiber(s) (i.e., fiber(s) with a cured coating disposed thereon), where the coating includes a matrix of crosslinked polymers and optionally a colorant (e.g., pigment particles or dye or both). The cured coating is a product of crosslinking a coating composition including uncrosslinked polymers (e.g., a dispersion of uncrosslinked polymers in a carrier, wherein the uncrosslinked polymers are crosslinked to form the matrix of crosslinked polymers). The present disclosure is also directed to articles including the coated fibers, methods of forming the coated fibers and articles, and methods of making articles including the coated fibers.

Articles of wear having one or more textiles that include a low processing temperature polymeric composition and a high processing temperature polymeric composition, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The low processing temperature polymeric composition and the high processing temperature polymeric composition can be selectively incorporated into a textile to provide one or more structural properties and/or other advantageous properties to the article. The textile can be thermoformed to impart such structural and/or other advantageous properties to the article of wear. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

In one aspect, an upper for an article of footwear may include a knit element, a collar area configured to form an ankle opening, and a cuff in the collar area. The cuff may be at least partially formed by the knit element and may include a ribbed knit structure of the knit element. In another aspect, an upper for an article of footwear may include a knit element with a first area, the first area including a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side may be formed of at least 30% more material than the second side such that the first area is configured to curve convexly away from the first side.

In one aspect of the disclosure, a knitted component for use in an article of footwear may include a first layer with a multi-bed first area having a first surface and an opposite facing second surface. The knitted component may include a second layer with a second area overlapping the first area. The second area may have a first surface and an opposite facing second surface. The knitted component may include a plurality of interlayer knit stitches interlooping at least one yarn of the first layer with at least one yarn of the second layer at an interface between the second surfaces of the first and second areas. The interior surfaces of the first area and the second area may define at least part of a freely separable area between the first and second areas.

An article of footwear includes a braided upper comprised of a unitary braided structure. The unitary braided structure of the braided upper may be engineered with specific features tailored to particular activities. Different regions of the upper may have different braided configurations. For example, higher braid densities may be used in specific areas of the footwear to provide additional structural support or compression. Also, strands of a different material may be incorporated in different regions of the braided upper to provide specific properties to the footwear in those areas.