A shoe lacing system includes a shoelace attachment portion disposed on a tongue of the shoe lacing system between a pair of shoelace receivers, the shoelace attachment portion includes notches disposed on the shoelace attachment portion to receive and couple the shoelace. The shoe lacing system can include a pair of sliding members coupled underneath a pair of shoelace receivers that are adapted to move along a track underneath the pair of sliding members, the ends of each of the loop segments are coupled to either one of the pair of shoelace receivers or one of the pair of sliding members. The shoe lacing system can include shoelace loops that are tensioned by pulling each of the shoelace loops and crossing and coupling each of the shoelace loops to notches disposed outside of each of the pair of shoelace outlets. Additionally, a shoe lacing kit is provided that incudes at least one shoelace lacing system component, and one or more pads having piercing pins protruding from a side thereof, the one or more pads capable of securing the at lest one shoelace lacing system component to a portion of a shoe. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a shoe lacing device, comprising a first portion and a second portion hingedly attached to the first portion, the second portion including a hook or an opening.

A shoe fastening system designed to engage the eyelet holes of a shoe, comprising, an anchor, wherein the anchor has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has means to detachably engage with an eyelet of a shoe and the second end has a connection means, an attachment member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is designed to securely fit within the connection means of the anchor and the second has a closed loop, a strap, wherein the strap is sized to fit through the closed loop of the attachment member and is a predetermined length and width, and a locking mechanism fitted to receive the strap and engage the strap to keep the strap at a specific length.

Disclosed is a closure system used in combination in any of a variety of applications including clothing, for example as a footwear lacing system comprising a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace extends through a series of guide members positioned along two opposing footwear closure portions. The lace and guides preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace along the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. The closure system allows a user to quickly loosen the lace and inhibits unintentional and/or accidental loosing of the lace.

Disclosed is a closure system used in combination in any of a variety of applications including clothing, for example as a footwear lacing system comprising a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace extends through a series of guide members positioned along two opposing footwear closure portions. The lace and guides preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace along the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. The closure system allows a user to quickly loosen the lace and inhibits unintentional and/or accidental loosing of the lace.

An article of footwear including a knitted component having a monofilament knit element with peripheral knit portions is described. The knitted component includes a monofilament knit element formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures.

An article of footwear including a knitted component having a monofilament knit element with peripheral knit portions is described. The knitted component includes a monofilament knit element formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures.

A lace fitting structure for fitting an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot to the instep, the structure including: a medial side portion 31 covering the instep and a medial side surface of a big toe; a lateral side portion 32 covering the instep and a lateral side surface of a little toe; first shoelace means 1 placed to extend in a longitudinal direction Y of the foot and engaged with the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 along central edge portions 33 of the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32; placement means for placing a portion of the first shoelace means 1 so that the first shoelace means 1 is exposed in a plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i, which are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction Y; and second shoelace means 2 engaging, in a transverse direction X of the foot, with the first shoelace means 1 in the plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i so as to bring the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 closer to each other, wherein a length L of the exposed areas 1.sub.i in the longitudinal direction Y is greater than a thickness and a width of the second shoelace means 2.

A lace fitting structure for fitting an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot to the instep, the structure including: a medial side portion 31 covering the instep and a medial side surface of a big toe; a lateral side portion 32 covering the instep and a lateral side surface of a little toe; first shoelace means 1 placed to extend in a longitudinal direction Y of the foot and engaged with the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 along central edge portions 33 of the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32; placement means for placing a portion of the first shoelace means 1 so that the first shoelace means 1 is exposed in a plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i, which are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction Y; and second shoelace means 2 engaging, in a transverse direction X of the foot, with the first shoelace means 1 in the plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i so as to bring the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 closer to each other, wherein a length L of the exposed areas 1.sub.i in the longitudinal direction Y is greater than a thickness and a width of the second shoelace means 2.

A method of forming a traced element is disclosed. The method may include printing layers of a traced element and incorporating a textile strand in overlapping polymer layers of the traced element. In some embodiments, the traced element may be formed on a base layer. The traced element may be incorporated into an upper for an article of footwear.

A method of forming a traced element is disclosed. The method may include printing layers of a traced element and incorporating a textile strand in overlapping polymer layers of the traced element. In some embodiments, the traced element may be formed on a base layer. The traced element may be incorporated into an upper for an article of footwear.