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.

A holding assembly for articles can be used with a flexible manufacturing system to hold an article in place. The holding assembly can be used with a printing system to print onto the article. The holding assembly can expand to fit the article. The holding assembly can include a moldable surface that can be provided with a temporarily fixed geometry through the use of a vacuum. The holding assembly can help provide a flattened outer surface for the article to facilitate printing.

A holding assembly for articles can be used with a flexible manufacturing system to hold an article in place. The holding assembly can be used with a printing system to print onto the article. The holding assembly can expand to fit the article. The holding assembly can include a moldable surface that can be provided with a temporarily fixed geometry through the use of a vacuum. The holding assembly can help provide a flattened outer surface for the article to facilitate printing.

A last assembly includes a plurality of retractable pins and a plurality of vacuum holes, both acting to hold footwear segments to the last assembly to facilitate manufacturing of, or modification to, an article of footwear. A method of making or modifying an article of footwear includes placing footwear segments on the last assembly by associating an extension portion of at least one footwear segment with the retractable pins, modifying the footwear segments and then removing the extension portion.

A last assembly includes a plurality of retractable pins and a plurality of vacuum holes, both acting to hold footwear segments to the last assembly to facilitate manufacturing of, or modification to, an article of footwear. A method of making or modifying an article of footwear includes placing footwear segments on the last assembly by associating an extension portion of at least one footwear segment with the retractable pins, modifying the footwear segments and then removing the extension portion.

An integrally-formed shoe having no machine sewing and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A structure of the shoe includes: a lining sock body that uses a knitting manner and includes an opening; and a surface sock body that uses a knitting manner and includes an opening and a sole, where the opening of the lining sock body is nested inside the surface sock body; the two sock bodies are properly mounted on a sock machine; low melting point yarn and nylon elastic filament are mixed into knitting of the lining sock body; low melting point yarn, nylon elastic filament, and set yarn are mixed into knitting of the surface sock body; after the sock machine weaves and molds the two sock bodies into a whole, a hollow mold is nested inside the surface sock body; the whole is heated and baked to slightly damage surface tissues of the yarn, and is then cooled to make the set yarn in knitwear be reorganized and extended according to the shape of an external fixing mold, to present a predetermined pattern; and after the surface sock body presents the predetermined pattern, the sole is directly bonded to the bottom of the surface sock body so as to achieve bonding of the sole and the surface sock body, to complete the integrally-formed shoe having no machine sewing, so that a user feels more comfortable due to no machine sewing.

An integrally-formed shoe having no machine sewing and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A structure of the shoe includes: a lining sock body that uses a knitting manner and includes an opening; and a surface sock body that uses a knitting manner and includes an opening and a sole, where the opening of the lining sock body is nested inside the surface sock body; the two sock bodies are properly mounted on a sock machine; low melting point yarn and nylon elastic filament are mixed into knitting of the lining sock body; low melting point yarn, nylon elastic filament, and set yarn are mixed into knitting of the surface sock body; after the sock machine weaves and molds the two sock bodies into a whole, a hollow mold is nested inside the surface sock body; the whole is heated and baked to slightly damage surface tissues of the yarn, and is then cooled to make the set yarn in knitwear be reorganized and extended according to the shape of an external fixing mold, to present a predetermined pattern; and after the surface sock body presents the predetermined pattern, the sole is directly bonded to the bottom of the surface sock body so as to achieve bonding of the sole and the surface sock body, to complete the integrally-formed shoe having no machine sewing, so that a user feels more comfortable due to no machine sewing.

A last assembly includes a plurality of retractable pins and a plurality of vacuum holes, both acting to hold footwear segments to the last assembly to facilitate manufacturing of, or modification to, an article of footwear. A method of making or modifying an article of footwear includes placing footwear segments on the last assembly by associating an extension portion of at least one footwear segment with the retractable pins, modifying the footwear segments and then removing the extension portion.

A last assembly includes a plurality of retractable pins and a plurality of vacuum holes, both acting to hold footwear segments to the last assembly to facilitate manufacturing of, or modification to, an article of footwear. A method of making or modifying an article of footwear includes placing footwear segments on the last assembly by associating an extension portion of at least one footwear segment with the retractable pins, modifying the footwear segments and then removing the extension portion.

A pair of environment-friendly popcorn bridging shoes and a production process thereof are provided. The upper of each bridging shoe comprises an inner bootie, which is composed of a lining and an inner pad formed by single injection molding, and a vamp; the collar of the inner bootie is fixedly connected with that of the vamp, and the lower edge of the vamp wrapped by a PU bridging layer extends to the bottom surface of the inner pad fixedly connected with the same; the upper and a popcorn sole made of mixed PU and TPU popcorn particles are integrally connected by the PU bridging layer. The shoe making process is simpler, and firmer bonding and better shock absorbing performance of the shoes are achieved; the vamp and the sole can well wrap the foot; and the dissolution proportion of shoes is increased by increasing the consumption of the PU material.