The present invention is a method for manufacturing inflatable articles, or bladders for inflatable articles, that is time-efficient, simple, inexpensive and permits the uninterrupted manufacture of numerous and even customized article or bladder configurations and sizes, without expensive configuration-specific, metal tooling. The method includes the steps of applying a barrier material to a side of a first film, providing a second film with the first film so that the barrier material is disposed between the first and second films, adhering the first film to the second film so that the films are sealed together in areas except where the barrier material has been applied to form at least one inflatable compartment and sealed peripheral edge, and cutting along the sealed peripheral edge to form an inflatable article or bladder for use in an article of manufacture. The barrier material may be a paint, ink, paper or surface treatment that effectively prevents the first film from adhering to the second. The inflatable article or bladder of the present invention may be used as or in athletic equipment, for example, including footwear.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a unitary cushioning component comprising a plurality of scrap foam pieces configured as a plurality of different polyhedron shapes and a resin binder securing the scrap foam pieces to one another. The sole structure may comprise a midsole including an outer shell defining a central cavity. The cushioning component may be disposed in the central cavity as a core of the midsole. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear cutting the scrap foam body into pieces, mixing the pieces with a resin binder, and compression molding the mixed pieces and resin binder in a mold to form a cushioning component of a sole structure of the article of footwear.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a unitary cushioning component comprising a plurality of scrap foam pieces configured as a plurality of different polyhedron shapes and a resin binder securing the scrap foam pieces to one another. The sole structure may comprise a midsole including an outer shell defining a central cavity. The cushioning component may be disposed in the central cavity as a core of the midsole. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear cutting the scrap foam body into pieces, mixing the pieces with a resin binder, and compression molding the mixed pieces and resin binder in a mold to form a cushioning component of a sole structure of the article of footwear.

Manufacturing of a shoe is enhanced by creating 3-D models of shoe parts. For example, a laser beam may be projected onto a shoe-part surface, such that a projected laser line appears on the shoe part. An image of the projected laser line may be analyzed to determine coordinate information, which may be converted into geometric coordinate values usable to create a 3-D model of the shoe part. Once a 3-D model is known and is converted to a coordinate system recognized by shoe-manufacturing tools, certain manufacturing steps may be automated.

Manufacturing of a shoe is enhanced by creating 3-D models of shoe parts. For example, a laser beam may be projected onto a shoe-part surface, such that a projected laser line appears on the shoe part. An image of the projected laser line may be analyzed to determine coordinate information, which may be converted into geometric coordinate values usable to create a 3-D model of the shoe part. Once a 3-D model is known and is converted to a coordinate system recognized by shoe-manufacturing tools, certain manufacturing steps may be automated.

Disclosed are methods of assembling footwear, including Goodyear welt boots, in a manner that comports with applicable U.S. laws and regulations that would exempt the footwear from ex-U.S. country of origin labeling requirements, when the components are imported into the U.S.

Disclosed are methods of assembling footwear, including Goodyear welt boots, in a manner that comports with applicable U.S. laws and regulations that would exempt the footwear from ex-U.S. country of origin labeling requirements, when the components are imported into the U.S.

A method of manufacturing a multicolor-foamed shoe body by supercritical foaming includes step S1 to step S3: step S1: provide a plurality of cold shot model molds and inject a plurality of foaming materials in different colors into a cavity of each of the cold shot model molds to form a plurality of cold shot models in different colors that is unfoamed; step S2: place the cold shot models in a hot-pressing mold for hot pressing to make a contacting surface of any two of the cold shot models that are adjacent engage with each other due to heating to foam a semi-finished product; and step S3: place the semi-finished product in a supercritical foaming autoclave for foam molding to obtain the multicolor-foamed shoe body. Additionally, the multicolor-foamed shoe body manufactured by the method is also disclosed in the present invention.