There is provided a user-dedicated last that can be easily manufactured without using large-scale equipment. A last for forming a footwear upper configuring an article of footwear comprises a foot length forming member defining a shape of the last at least in the lengthwise direction of the article of footwear, and a plurality of foot width forming members defining a shape of the last at least in the widthwise direction of the article of footwear and assembled to the foot length forming member.

A last matching a user's foot can be provided through a simple configuration. A last for forming a footwear upper configuring an article of footwear comprises: a common portion invariable in shape and position, a movable portion invariable in shape and positionally variable with respect to the common portion, and a position adjustment mechanism that changes a position of the movable portion with respect to the common portion and fixes the movable portion in a predetermined position.

There is provided a user-dedicated last that can be easily manufactured without using large-scale equipment. A last for forming a footwear upper configuring an article of footwear comprises a foot length forming member defining a shape of the last at least in the lengthwise direction of the article of footwear, and a plurality of foot width forming members defining a shape of the last at least in the widthwise direction of the article of footwear and assembled to the foot length forming member.

A cutting support apparatus includes an input unit that receives shoe last data, a storage in which a shape and a type of a plurality of plate-like parts are stored, a processor that generates a cutting pattern for cutting the plurality of plate-like parts from a plate-like member having a predetermined size based on the shoe last data and the shape of the plurality of plate-like parts, and an output unit that outputs the cutting pattern. The processor divides an area of the plate-like parts to be arranged in the plate-like member into a plurality of areas in accordance with the type of the plate-like parts that form the shoe last, determines positions of the plurality of plate-like parts to be arranged in each of the areas based on an arrangement condition, and generates the cutting pattern.

A last includes a base part including a bottom and a plurality of additional parts, each of which is formed in a plate shape and is capable of being assembled to the base part. The base part includes a mounting unit and a first forming surface. The plurality of additional parts include a second forming surface. Each additional part has an end face. The second forming surface includes the end face of each of the plurality of additional parts. The base part includes a first base member including a mounting unit and a second base member attachable to and detachable from the first base member.

A last includes a first part having a first plate-shaped portion and a second part having a second part-side receiving portion having a cutout shape. When the first plate-shaped portion is received in the second part-side receiving portion, the first part and the second part are assembled. The second part includes a second part-side engaging portion having a protruding shape on an inner side surface in a portion defining the second part-side receiving portion, and the first plate-shaped portion has a main surface with a first part-side to-be-engaged portion having a through hole shape or a recessed shape. When the first plate-shaped portion is inserted into the second part-side receiving portion, the first plate-shaped portion is fitted into the second part-side receiving portion, and the first part-side to-be-engaged portion is engaged by the second part-side engaging portion.

According to a last, in a forming surface for forming a shoe upper, at least a portion of a specific region corresponding to an upper end portion of a to-be-formed portion of the shoe upper is defined by a plurality of plate-shaped parts included in a plurality of last forming parts. By arranging the plate-shaped parts to be spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of an upper end portion of the shoe upper, a portion of the specific region that is defined by the plate-shaped parts is defined by an end surface of each of the plate-shaped parts. A recessed portion as a mark used for alignment with the last during overlaying of the shoe upper is in the portion of the specific region that is defined by the plate-shaped parts.

A last extension for a shoe last provides a pattern defining an origin location. The origin location on the last extension can be used to identify locations or points on a last or a shoe component on a last for control of location-critical manufacturing operations, including decorative and functional operations.

A method of customizing a boot, for example a skate boot, includes generating a tridimensional digital representation of a wearer's foot using numerical data obtained by scanning the wearer's foot. A boot with a foot size corresponding generally to a foot length of the wearer's foot is selected. A core is also selected. The core, a medial side insert and a lateral side insert are inserted into an internal space of the boot such that the medial side insert and the lateral side insert straddle the core. The medial side insert and the lateral side insert are manufactured based on the tridimensional shape of the foot. At least a portion of the boot is then heated such that the boot is thermoformed to follow surfaces of the medial and lateral side inserts. The core, the medial side insert and the lateral side insert are then removed from the boot.

A last is provided for shaping a shoe upper, such as a custom-made last tailored to a user's foot. Embodiments include a last for shaping a shoe upper including at least an outer peripheral portion comprising an aggregate of a plurality of blocks, the plurality of blocks being joinable together to form a portion of the last and shape the shoe upper, and separable from each other after being joined together. The plurality of blocks includes a first plurality of blocks which are identical to each other. Embodiments also include a method for producing a last for shaping a shoe upper, the method including forming the last by joining a plurality of blocks together to form an aggregate, the plurality of blocks including a first plurality of blocks which are identical to each other.