A footwear includes: a foot bed portion that supports a sole of a foot of a wearer and has a ground contact surface; and a foot cover portion that covers an instep of the foot of the wearer. At least a part of the foot bed portion and at least a part of the foot cover portion are formed of a single additively manufactured product produced by a stereolithography-type three-dimensional additively manufacturing method, and a protruding portion is provided on an outer surface defined by the additively manufactured product of the foot cover portion.

A footwear includes: a foot bed portion that supports a sole of a foot of a wearer and has a ground contact surface; and a foot cover portion that covers an instep of the foot of the wearer. At least a part of the foot bed portion and at least a part of the foot cover portion are formed of a single additively manufactured product produced by a stereolithography-type three-dimensional additively manufacturing method, and a protruding portion is provided on an outer surface defined by the additively manufactured product of the foot cover portion.

A non-woven textile may be formed from a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments. The non-woven textile may have a first region and a second region, with the filaments of the first region being fused to a greater degree than the filaments of the second region. A variety of products, including apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, footwear), may incorporate the non-woven textile. In some of these products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another textile element to form a seam. More particularly, an edge area of the non-woven textile may be heatbonded with an edge area of the other textile element at the seam. In other products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another component, whether a textile or a non-textile.

A non-woven textile may be formed from a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments. The non-woven textile may have a first region and a second region, with the filaments of the first region being fused to a greater degree than the filaments of the second region. A variety of products, including apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, footwear), may incorporate the non-woven textile. In some of these products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another textile element to form a seam. More particularly, an edge area of the non-woven textile may be heatbonded with an edge area of the other textile element at the seam. In other products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another component, whether a textile or a non-textile.

A footwear injection mold includes a secondary injection mold defining at least part of an injection chamber. The injection chamber includes a proximal surface defining a part of a distal surface of a footwear part. The secondary injection mold includes a protrusion having an upper contacting surface, a proximal end, a primary surface faced away from the injection chamber, and a secondary surface facing the injection chamber. A normal of the upper contacting surface intersects a center point of the upper contacting surface. A protrusion plane is defined by the normal of the upper contacting surface along a width of the protrusion, and defines a boundary between a primary half and a secondary half of the protrusion, the primary half arranged between the protrusion plane and the primary surface, and the secondary half arranged between the protrusion plane and the secondary surface. A height of the proximal end of the protrusion is larger than the height of the upper contacting surface of the protrusion, relative to the normal of the upper contacting surface.

A footwear injection mold includes a secondary injection mold defining at least part of an injection chamber. The injection chamber includes a proximal surface defining a part of a distal surface of a footwear part. The secondary injection mold includes a protrusion having an upper contacting surface, a proximal end, a primary surface faced away from the injection chamber, and a secondary surface facing the injection chamber. A normal of the upper contacting surface intersects a center point of the upper contacting surface. A protrusion plane is defined by the normal of the upper contacting surface along a width of the protrusion, and defines a boundary between a primary half and a secondary half of the protrusion, the primary half arranged between the protrusion plane and the primary surface, and the secondary half arranged between the protrusion plane and the secondary surface. A height of the proximal end of the protrusion is larger than the height of the upper contacting surface of the protrusion, relative to the normal of the upper contacting surface.

The present invention relates to a method of forming an item of footwear and an item of footwear. In particular, the item of footwear is a boot formed of vulcanised rubber such as a Wellington boot. A method of forming an item of footwear comprising the steps of providing a sole member formed of a first rubber material having a first compressive resistance, the sole member comprising a cavity in an upper surface of a heel region of the sole member; placing an insert into the cavity, the insert having a second compressive resistance lower than the first compressive resistance; and then vulcanising to thereby attach an upper part formed of a second rubber material to the sole member at a first temperature, wherein the insert is formed of a material which is solid at the first temperature.

The present invention relates to a method of forming an item of footwear and an item of footwear. In particular, the item of footwear is a boot formed of vulcanised rubber such as a Wellington boot. A method of forming an item of footwear comprising the steps of providing a sole member formed of a first rubber material having a first compressive resistance, the sole member comprising a cavity in an upper surface of a heel region of the sole member; placing an insert into the cavity, the insert having a second compressive resistance lower than the first compressive resistance; and then vulcanising to thereby attach an upper part formed of a second rubber material to the sole member at a first temperature, wherein the insert is formed of a material which is solid at the first temperature.