An article comprised of tape segments embroidered in place is disclosed. One embodiment includes tape segments embroidered to a self-supporting embroidered structure. Another embodiment includes tape segments embroidered together to form an embroidered lattice structure. In one embodiment, some of the tape segments may expand when exposed to heat and may be used to form cushioning regions for the article.

In one aspect, a textile component including bulking yarn is disclosed. In embodiments, the textile component is a knitted component. In one embodiment, an article of footwear includes a knitted component arch support configured to reduce the rate of pronation. A support structure may include a fusible yarn adjacent to an external surface of the arch support, a bulking yarn, and a nonfusible yarn. In certain embodiments, an arch support includes compartments and flex lines. In another aspect, an article having a knitted component includes a rigid material, a bulking yarn, and a flexible material. The rigid material may be fusible yarn. Methods for forming a textile component are provided. One embodiment involves knitting a first section comprising a fusible yarn, a second section comprising a bulking yarn, and a third section comprising a nonfusible yarn, and heating.

A shoe including: an upper that includes a first layer made of knitted fabric and a second layer made of knitted fabric arranged inside the first layer, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer includes first yarns and second yarns as yarns for forming the knitted fabric, wherein the first yarns have a heat shrinkability, wherein the second yarns have a higher fusion point than that of the first yarns, and wherein the at least one of the first layer and the second layer including the first yarns and the second yarns has a higher heat shrinkage rate in a width direction than in a longitudinal direction.

A shoe includes an upper body covering at least an instep of a foot. The upper body includes a main material formed of a first thread body made of a chemically-similar material. At least a part of the main material is an embroidered portion formed by embroidering and/or sewing with a second thread body made of a chemically-similar material having a melting point lower than a melting point of the chemically-similar material. At least a part of the embroidered portion is a solidified portion having a high hardness.

A shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, is provided having a first portion and a second portion that are jointly manufactured as a knitted fabric, wherein only one of the first portion and the second portion the knitted fabric is reinforced by a coating of a polymer material applied to the shoe upper.

A last for forming an upper of an article of footwear includes a first portion including a lateral side and a medial side that opposes the lateral side, and a second portion connected with and extending upward and transversely outward in an angled manner away from the first portion such that a terminal end of the second portion is distanced from the first portion. An exterior surface of the last can include a plurality of three dimensional structural surface components disposed over at least 50% of the exterior surface of the last.

A variable friction shoe includes a midsole and an outsole. The outsole includes at least a first high-friction surface and at least a first low-friction surface, wherein the first low-friction surface remains prominent if vertical ground reaction forces (GRFs) are low and wherein the high-friction surface is prominent in response to increasing GRFs.

An upper for an article of footwear, the upper including a base layer defining a least a portion of the upper and polymer threads stitched to the base layer. The polymer threads may include a core composed of a first material and a coating composed of a second material, where the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material. The polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer by the coating of the polymer threads. The polymer threads may include one or more polymer thread sets stitched in pattern(s) on area(s) of an outer surface of the base layer to provide targeted characteristics to area(s) on the upper. In some embodiments, the polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer with heat and/or pressure.

An upper for an article of footwear, the upper including a base layer defining a least a portion of the upper and polymer threads stitched to the base layer. The polymer threads may include a core composed of a first material and a coating composed of a second material, where the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material. The polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer by the coating of the polymer threads. The polymer threads may include one or more polymer thread sets stitched in pattern(s) on area(s) of an outer surface of the base layer to provide targeted characteristics to area(s) on the upper. In some embodiments, the polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer with heat and/or pressure.

An upper for an article of footwear, the upper including a base layer defining a least a portion of the upper and polymer threads stitched to the base layer. The polymer threads may include a core composed of a first material and a coating composed of a second material, where the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material. The polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer by the coating of the polymer threads. The polymer threads may include one or more polymer thread sets stitched in pattern(s) on area(s) of an outer surface of the base layer to provide targeted characteristics to area(s) on the upper. In some embodiments, the polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer with heat and/or pressure.