Films, fibers, filaments, yarns and textiles including thermoplastic elastomeric compositions are described, as are methods of making the films, fibers, filaments, yarns and textiles. These films, fibers, filaments, yarns and textiles can be used to make articles of apparel, footwear, and sporting equipment. When thermoformed, the thermoplastic elastomeric compositions can impart abrasion resistance, traction, and other advantageous properties to the articles. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A method of making a midsole includes selecting a plurality of yarns. At least two yarns of the plurality of yarns have different properties relative to one another. The method further includes bundling the plurality of yarns to form a bundled yarn structure and intertwining the bundled yarn structure to form a twisted yarn structure. Further, the method includes depositing the twisted yarn structure into a first mold within an autoclave and applying a supercritical fluid to the twisted yarn structure. The method further includes supercritical fluid infiltrating and saturating the twisted yarn structure, depressurizing the autoclave to cause a foaming process therein to convert the twisted yarn structure into an anisotropic foam blank, and depositing the anisotropic foam blank within a second mold that is configured as a midsole for an article of footwear.

A method of making a midsole includes selecting a plurality of yarns. At least two yarns of the plurality of yarns have different properties relative to one another. The method further includes bundling the plurality of yarns to form a bundled yarn structure and intertwining the bundled yarn structure to form a twisted yarn structure. Further, the method includes depositing the twisted yarn structure into a first mold within an autoclave and applying a supercritical fluid to the twisted yarn structure. The method further includes supercritical fluid infiltrating and saturating the twisted yarn structure, depressurizing the autoclave to cause a foaming process therein to convert the twisted yarn structure into an anisotropic foam blank, and depositing the anisotropic foam blank within a second mold that is configured as a midsole for an article of footwear.

A sports shoe is provided. The sports shoe includes a shoe vamp and a shoe sole connected to the shoe vamp. The shoe vamp includes a textile component, wherein the textile component includes thermoplastic polyester fibers. The shoe sole includes a shoe outsole and a shoe midsole foam disposed between the shoe outsole and the shoe vamp, wherein the shoe outsole includes a vulcanizate and the shoe midsole foam includes a first thermoplastic elastomer. The vulcanizate includes rubber particles, a second thermoplastic elastomer, and an interface-compatible resin, wherein the content of the rubber particles is greater than the content of the second thermoplastic elastomer. The rubber particles are dispersed in the second thermoplastic elastomer in the form of spherical particles with particle sizes of about 0.5-10 um.

A sports shoe is provided. The sports shoe includes a shoe vamp and a shoe sole connected to the shoe vamp. The shoe vamp includes a textile component, wherein the textile component includes thermoplastic polyester fibers. The shoe sole includes a shoe outsole and a shoe midsole foam disposed between the shoe outsole and the shoe vamp, wherein the shoe outsole includes a vulcanizate and the shoe midsole foam includes a first thermoplastic elastomer. The vulcanizate includes rubber particles, a second thermoplastic elastomer, and an interface-compatible resin, wherein the content of the rubber particles is greater than the content of the second thermoplastic elastomer. The rubber particles are dispersed in the second thermoplastic elastomer in the form of spherical particles with particle sizes of about 0.5-10 um.

An upper for a shoe includes a knitted fabric including a first region including a continuous series of stitches with a yarn having a thickness of 0.1 mm or more, in which 4.0<nR<12.7 is satisfied in the first region, where n is the number of stitches per inch along at least one direction, and R is the thickness of the yarn.

Foamed articles including a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric material, methods of making the articles, and methods for manufacturing articles of footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment incorporating the articles are provided. One exemplary method for making a foamed article comprises placing an article comprising a foamable fibrous element and carbon dioxide in a vessel, the foamable fibrous element comprising a plurality of filaments, fibers, and/or yarns, wherein each member of the plurality comprises a foamable material; maintaining the vessel at a first pressure and first temperature at which the carbon dioxide is a liquid and carbon dioxide is soluble in the foamable material; optionally exposing the infused article to a second temperature and second pressure; and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third temperature at which the infused carbon dioxide phase transitions to a gas, thereby expanding the foamable material into a foamed material and forming the foamed article.

An article of footwear includes an integrally-knitted footwear upper and sole, the sole including reflowed polymeric material of a grip yarn. The ground contact surface of the sole may include the reflowed polymeric material. The footwear upper and the sole are a one-piece, unitary knit construction. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes integrally knitting a footwear upper and a sole of an article of footwear, the sole including a grip yarn. The method further includes thermoforming the grip yarn such that the sole includes reflowed polymeric material of the grip yarn.

Films, fibers, filaments, yarns and textiles including thermoplastic elastomeric compositions are described, as are methods of making the films, fibers, filaments, yarns and textiles. These films, fibers, filaments, yarns and textiles can be used to make articles of apparel, footwear, and sporting equipment. When thermoformed, the thermoplastic elastomeric compositions can impart abrasion resistance, traction, and other advantageous properties to the articles. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

An upper for an article of footwear may have a knitted component, where the knitted component has a first edge extending from a first side of a throat area of the upper, through a heel area of the upper, and to a second side of the throat area. At least a portion of the first edge may include a lattice structure, the lattice structuring having a first lattice band and a second lattice band, the first lattice band and the second lattice band having loops that are intermeshed in at least one location, where a plurality of first openings are located between the first lattice band and the second lattice band. At least one of the lattice bands may include a yarn having a tenacity of at least 5 g/d, and/or the first and second lattice bands may be formed from separate yarns.