A shoe or apparel, including a first material layer with a first plurality of protrusions, a flexible layer with a plurality of apertures, and a second material layer. The flexible layer is positioned between the first material layer and the second material layer. Each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions of the first material layer extends through at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures of the flexible layer and is connected to the second material layer. The flexible layer is not connected to the first material layer and the second material layer, and thereby can freely move between the first material layer and the second material layer.

A shoe comprises an upper and a sole. The sole includes: a midsole covering a lower surface of the upper, the midsole having an external surface having a facing region facing the upper and a non-facing region excluding the facing region; and an additional sole material covering a portion of the non-facing region. The midsole is provided with a notch reaching both the facing region and the non-facing region. The additional sole material has a body portion stuck to the non-facing region, a bonding portion stuck to both the upper and the midsole to bond them together, and an embedded portion embedded in the notch of the midsole. The body portion and the bonding portion are connected together via the embedded portion and thus integrated together such that the body portion and the bonding portion are spaced from each other in a thickness-wise direction of the midsole.

A method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes cutting a plurality of sipes into an outer surface of a pre-formed, foamed thermoplastic sole structure that has both an inner surface and an opposite outer surface. An adhesive is then applied to the inner surface of the pre-formed sole structure and the sole structure is heated to permit forming. The heated sole structure is positioned adjacent to a ground-facing surface of a lasted upper, and then is thermoformed against the lasted upper to draw the adhesive into contact with the ground-facing surface of the upper, and such that at least a portion of the pre-formed sole structure bends into contact with a sidewall of the upper.

Beads may be stitched to a substrate layer and then fused to form structures including foam midsoles, foam pads, and other foam structures. Beads may be embroidered to multiple substrate layers and then folded or stacked together to form a preform used in a mold to form a midsole.

A method of forming and shaping a waterproof and moisture permeable shoe upper includes disposing a shoe upper and a waterproof and moisture permeable film on a shoe last, wherein at least one of the shoe upper and the waterproof and moisture permeable film includes microwave treatable material, and heating the shoe last with the shoe upper and the waterproof and moisture permeable film thereon by microwave, so that the shoe upper and the waterproof and moisture permeable film are combined by the microwave treatable material and shaped to form the waterproof and moisture permeable shoe upper after cooling.

A plate for an article of footwear includes a substrate, a first strand portion attached to the substrate via first stitching, and a second strand portion disposed on the first layer. The first strand portion includes first segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a first layer on the substrate. The second strand portion includes second segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a second layer on the first layer.

A bladder includes a first polymeric film, a second polymeric film attached to the first polymeric film to form a chamber, and one or more grooves formed in an exterior surface of the chamber. In one configuration, the grooves are formed in the exterior surface of the chamber by subjecting the chamber to a laser-etching process.

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment are provided including a foam. A variety of foams and foam components and compositions for forming the foams are provided. In some aspects, the foams and components including the foams can have exceptionally high energy return while also having improved durability and softness. In particular, midsoles including the foams are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the compositions and foams are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding or injection molding followed by compression molding.

A shoe comprises an upper and a sole. The sole includes: a midsole covering a lower surface of the upper, the midsole having an external surface having a facing region facing the upper and a non-facing region excluding the facing region; and an additional sole material covering a portion of the non-facing region. The midsole is provided with a notch reaching both the facing region and the non-facing region. The additional sole material has a body portion stuck to the non-facing region, a bonding portion stuck to both the upper and the midsole to bond them together, and an embedded portion embedded in the notch of the midsole. The body portion and the bonding portion are connected together via the embedded portion and thus integrated together such that the body portion and the bonding portion are spaced from each other in a thickness-wise direction of the midsole.

An environmentally friendly shoe component of a shoe includes scraps and an elastic material layer within which the scraps are distributed, the scraps include bottle scraps made by crushing plastic bottles, the elastic material layer is made of thermosetting polyurethane elastomer, and at least a part of the scraps is visible by a human's naked eye.