A footbed having a cork foot-contacting surface for use in footwear is provided. The foot-contacting surface includes portions that are altered in thickness in order to form a network of channels that cross the foot-contacting surface of the footbed. The channels facilitate dryness, reduced foot slippage within the footwear, and provide a comfortable fit.

A envelope to be worn as a sock, sock liner, innersole, each of which may be worn inside a sneaker, shoe or otherwise as footwear sole wherein the envelope confines a plurality of naturally occurring elements used a sensory activators when supporting a person standing on the envelope.

A envelope to be worn as a sock, sock liner, innersole, each of which may be worn inside a sneaker, shoe or otherwise as footwear sole wherein the envelope confines a plurality of naturally occurring elements used a sensory activators when supporting a person standing on the envelope.

Method of making a wavy wood element (B) from a wood element (A), wherein the method comprises at least steps (H1) to (H4): (H1) providing a wood element (A), which comprises fibers and lignin on or between said fibers; (H2) heating the wood element (A) to a temperature which is sufficient to soften or melt at least a part of the lignin; (H3) deforming the wood element heated in step (H2) such that a wavy wood element (B) is formed; (H4) cooling the wood element deformed in step (H3); characterized in that the deforming in step (H3) is performed such that the ratio of the wave height to the thickness of the wavy wood element (B) equals or is more than 2:1; wherein the term thickness signifies the shortest distance between an upper side and the respective lower side of the wavy wood element (B), and the term wave height signifies the shortest distance between two imaginary planes which run in parallel to one another between which the wavy wood element (B) may be arranged such that the waves are positioned between said planes; and wherein the wood element (A) consists of unglued wood or unglued wood fibers.

Method of making a wavy wood element (B) from a wood element (A), wherein the method comprises at least steps (H1) to (H4): (H1) providing a wood element (A), which comprises fibers and lignin on or between said fibers; (H2) heating the wood element (A) to a temperature which is sufficient to soften or melt at least a part of the lignin; (H3) deforming the wood element heated in step (H2) such that a wavy wood element (B) is formed; (H4) cooling the wood element deformed in step (H3); characterized in that the deforming in step (H3) is performed such that the ratio of the wave height to the thickness of the wavy wood element (B) equals or is more than 2:1; wherein the term thickness signifies the shortest distance between an upper side and the respective lower side of the wavy wood element (B), and the term wave height signifies the shortest distance between two imaginary planes which run in parallel to one another between which the wavy wood element (B) may be arranged such that the waves are positioned between said planes; and wherein the wood element (A) consists of unglued wood or unglued wood fibers.

A footbed having a cork foot-contacting surface for use in footwear is provided. The foot-contacting surface includes portions that are altered in thickness in order to form a network of channels that cross the foot-contacting surface of the footbed. The channels facilitate dryness, reduced foot slippage within the footwear, and provide a comfortable fit.

A process for fabricating shoes having an outer cork sole insert includes processing raw cork into sheets of predetermined thickness, adhering a thin fabric sheet to one side of the intermediate cork sheets, cutting out cork/fabric sole inserts and placing them into an injection mold, and cycling the plastic injection mold so as to form a cork insert into the plastic sole.

A process for fabricating shoes having an outer cork sole insert includes processing raw cork into sheets of predetermined thickness, adhering a thin fabric sheet to one side of the intermediate cork sheets, cutting out cork/fabric sole inserts and placing them into an injection mold, and cycling the plastic injection mold so as to form a cork insert into the plastic sole.

A method of making footwear outsoles including providing a laminate including a cork layer and a textile layer, cutting the laminate into an overlay having a desired shape, placing the overlay into a sole mold with the cork layer arranged in direct contact with a first surface of the sole mold, the first surface including a plurality of protrusions configured for forming an outsole tread pattern, and placing a polymer sheet into the sole mold with the polymer sheet arranged adjacent to and in direct contact with the textile layer. The overlay and polymer sheet are compressed between the first surface and a second surface of the sole mold in the presence of heat whereby the laminate is bonded with and overlays the polymer sheet to form an outsole displaying at least a portion of the outsole tread pattern across the cork and polymer portions of the outsole.

A method of making footwear outsoles including providing a laminate including a cork layer and a textile layer, cutting the laminate into an overlay having a desired shape, placing the overlay into a sole mold with the cork layer arranged in direct contact with a first surface of the sole mold, the first surface including a plurality of protrusions configured for forming an outsole tread pattern, and placing a polymer sheet into the sole mold with the polymer sheet arranged adjacent to and in direct contact with the textile layer. The overlay and polymer sheet are compressed between the first surface and a second surface of the sole mold in the presence of heat whereby the laminate is bonded with and overlays the polymer sheet to form an outsole displaying at least a portion of the outsole tread pattern across the cork and polymer portions of the outsole.