Abstract: Provided is a shoe that includes: a bottom surface that is adjacent to the ground in normal use; a sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom surface; an upper portion extending above the sole; and individual particles bonded to the bottom surface of the shoe. The individual particles include at least one of corn husk, hemp or a natural plant material that has been ground into the individual particles.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for manufacturing a shoe sole, in which a shoe sole is preliminarily assembled by bonding together a plurality of layers with a temporary insert disposed between two adjacent layers. Then, an outer edge of the shoe sole is ground and, following that, the temporary insert is removed and a permanent insert is bonded in place of the temporary insert, such that the permanent insert forms a portion of a side wall of the shoe sole.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, shoes and shoe components, together with systems, methods and techniques for manufacturing the same. One representative embodiment involves a shoe that includes: a sole having a main structure; a strap anchor that has attachment points and is at least partially embedded within the main structure; and a strap that is attached to and/or looped through one or more of such attachment points and that is configured for strapping the shoe to a wearer's foot. Also, in this embodiment, the strap anchor includes a number of strap anchor components attached in a unit, each such strap anchor component including a number of the attachment points and being at least partially embedded within the main structure.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, shoes, portions of shoes and processes for manufacturing the same. According to one embodiment, a shoe includes: a sole comprised of a base material and a strap anchor, the strap anchor being stronger than the base material, including a number of attachment points on opposite sides of the shoe, and being at least partially embedded within the base material; and a strap that is attached to and/or looped through at least one of the attachment points and that is configured for strapping the shoe to a wearer's foot. According to another embodiment, a shoe includes: a sole comprised of a base material and a strap anchor, the strap anchor including a number of attachment points on opposite sides of the shoe, and the base material having been injection molded around the strap anchor; and a strap that is attached to and/or looped through at least one of the attachment points and that is configured for strapping the shoe to a wearer's foot.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, shoes having elastic tongue-securing straps.

Abstract: Provided is, among other things, a shoe having a sole that includes multiple layers and an upper attached to and extending above the sole. In addition, the shoe includes a tab having: (1) a first portion, located between adjacent layers of the sole and thus hidden from view, that is imprinted with identification information pertaining to the shoe and (2) a second portion that is visible during ordinary use of the shoe.

Abstract: Provided is a shoe having a bottom surface that is adjacent to the ground in normal use and that has at least some indentations, with lower extending portions between the indentations. A sole forms at least a portion of the bottom surface, and an upper portion extends above the sole. A plurality of small particles is bonded to at least some of the lower extending portions, but at least a portion of the indentations is not coated with such small particles.

Abstract: A shoe includes a sole having an insert piece and a layer of material disposed on a top surface of the insert piece; and an upper extending above the sole. The insert piece extends from at least one of a front or middle portion of the shoe to a rear of the shoe, with the top surface of the insert piece inclined upwardly toward the rear of the shoe and then leveling off at a rear portion of the shoe. A top surface of the layer of material is inclined upwardly from the at least one of the front or middle portion of the shoe to the rear of the shoe, such that at the rear portion of the shoe an angle of inclination is significantly greater for the top surface of the layer of material than for the top surface of the insert piece.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for making a shoe outsole and to shoe outsoles made using such techniques. In one such technique, a sheet of composite material is produced by extruding a base material together with a sheet of fabric material. The sheet of composite material is then cut into an outsole component, and a shoe outsole is fabricated using the outsole component.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for manufacturing a shoe sole, in which a shoe sole is preliminarily assembled by bonding together a plurality of layers with a temporary insert disposed between two adjacent layers. Then, an outer edge of the shoe sole is ground and, following that, the temporary insert is removed and a permanent insert is bonded in place of the temporary insert, such that the permanent insert forms a portion of a side wall of the shoe sole.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, shoes having elastic tongue-securing straps.

Abstract: Provided is a shoe that includes: a bottom surface that is adjacent to the ground in normal use; a sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom surface; an upper portion extending above the sole; and individual particles bonded to the bottom surface of the shoe. The individual particles include at least one of corn husk, hemp or a natural plant material that has been ground into the individual particles.

Abstract: Provided is a shoe having a bottom surface that is adjacent to the ground in normal use. A sole, which is sufficiently durable and/or strong for long-term outdoor use, forms at least a portion of the bottom surface, and an upper portion extends above the sole. A plurality of small material particles are bonded to at least a portion of the bottom surface of the shoe.

Abstract: Provided is a shoe that includes: a bottom surface that is adjacent to the ground in normal use; a sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom surface; an upper portion extending above the sole; and individual particles bonded to the bottom surface of the shoe. The individual particles include at least one of corn husk, hemp or a natural plant material that has been ground into the individual particles.

Abstract: Provided is a shoe outsole and/or a sheet material which can be used to fabricate such an outsole (among other things), formed of a base material that includes a number of indentations and lower-extending portions. Small particles are bonded to at least some of the indentations, but the lower-extending portions predominantly are uncoated with such small particles. Also provided are methods and techniques for manufacturing such outsoles and sheet material, as well as shoes incorporating such outsoles.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for making a shoe outsole and to shoe outsoles made using such techniques. In one such technique, a sheet of composite material is produced by extruding a base material together with a sheet of fabric material. The sheet of composite material is then cut into an outsole component, and a shoe outsole is fabricated using the outsole component.

Abstract: Provided is a shoe having a bottom surface that is adjacent to the ground in normal use. A sole, which is sufficiently durable and/or strong for long-term outdoor use, forms at least a portion of the bottom surface, and an upper portion extends above the sole. A plurality of small material particles are bonded to at least a portion of the bottom surface of the shoe.