Abstract: A needle assembly for a stitching machine comprises a stitching jig comprising a needle holder, a needle clamp hoop and a fixing jig. The needle holder has needle sockets to hold a plurality of needles. The needle clamp hoop is connected to the needle holder to retain needles in the sockets. The fixing jig is connected to the needle clamp hoop to couple with a reciprocating bar of the stitching machine. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear upper comprises laying out a first sheet of material; positioning a second sheet of material to overlap with the first sheet of material at an overlap; positioning a felt material adjacent the overlap so that the second sheet of material is between the first sheet of material and the felt material; and felting the felt material to draw fibers of the felt material through the first and second sheets of material.

Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure provides a structure for an article of footwear. The sole structure includes a cushioning element having a first material. The sole structure further includes a cradle including a second material, attached to the cushioning element, and including a plate disposed against the cushioning element and a pair of supports extending from opposite ends of the plate. The sole structure also includes a bladder disposed within the cradle between the supports. An upper barrier layer of the bladder contacts the plate.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure having a chassis and a bladder. The chassis includes a cavity and a plurality of pillars extending into the cavity. The bladder is disposed within the cavity and includes one or more chambers. Each of one or more chambers is supported by at least one of the pillars. The chassis may include a first plurality of the pillars extending from a first side of the cavity and a second plurality of the pillars extending towards the first plurality of the pillars from a second side of the cavity, whereby the bladder is supported between the first plurality of the pillars and the second plurality of the pillars. The one or more chambers of the bladder includes an interior chamber and a peripheral chamber at least partially surrounding the interior chamber and the peripheral chamber has a different pressure than the interior chamber.

Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure provides a structure for an article of footwear. The sole structure includes a cushioning element having a first material. The sole structure further includes a cradle including a second material, attached to the cushioning element, and including a plate disposed against the cushioning element and a pair of supports extending from opposite ends of the plate. The sole structure also includes a bladder disposed within the cradle between the supports. An upper barrier layer of the bladder contacts the plate.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper extending from a first end in a forefoot region to a second end in a heel region. The article of footwear also includes a sole structure attached to the upper and including a posterior end extending beyond the second end of the upper. The sole structure includes a bladder having a portion disposed between the second end of the upper and the posterior end of the sole structure.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure having a chassis and a bladder. The chassis includes a cavity and a plurality of pillars extending into the cavity. The bladder is disposed within the cavity and includes one or more chambers. Each of one or more chambers is supported by at least one of the pillars. The chassis may include a first plurality of the pillars extending from a first side of the cavity and a second plurality of the pillars extending towards the first plurality of the pillars from a second side of the cavity, whereby the bladder is supported between the first plurality of the pillars and the second plurality of the pillars. The one or more chambers of the bladder includes an interior chamber and a peripheral chamber at least partially surrounding the interior chamber and the peripheral chamber has a different pressure than the interior chamber.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel forming a first portion of the upper and having a first texture, a second panel forming a second portion of the upper and having a second texture, and an embroidery area extending across portions of the first panel and the second panel and having an appearance that replicates the first texture extending into the second texture.

Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure provides a structure for an article of footwear. The sole structure includes a cushioning element having a first material. The sole structure further includes a cradle including a second material, attached to the cushioning element, and including a plate disposed against the cushioning element and a pair of supports extending from opposite ends of the plate. The sole structure also includes a bladder disposed within the cradle between the supports. An upper barrier layer of the bladder contacts the plate.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel, a second panel, a backing panel and fibers. The first panel and the second panel at least partially form the enclosure. The backing panel is located within the enclosure along surfaces of the first and second panels. The fibers extend from the backing panel and are mechanically embedded in the first and second panels so that at least some of the fibers are partially disposed outside the enclosure.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure having a chassis and a bladder. The chassis includes a cavity and a plurality of pillars extending into the cavity. The bladder is disposed within the cavity and includes one or more chambers. Each of one or more chambers is supported by at least one of the pillars. The chassis may include a first plurality of the pillars extending from a first side of the cavity and a second plurality of the pillars extending towards the first plurality of the pillars from a second side of the cavity, whereby the bladder is supported between the first plurality of the pillars and the second plurality of the pillars. The one or more chambers of the bladder includes an interior chamber and a peripheral chamber at least partially surrounding the interior chamber and the peripheral chamber has a different pressure than the interior chamber.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper extending from a first end in a forefoot region to a second end in a heel region. The article of footwear also includes a sole structure attached to the upper and including a posterior end extending beyond the second end of the upper. The sole structure includes a bladder having a portion disposed between the second end of the upper and the posterior end of the sole structure.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel forming a first portion of the upper and having a first texture, a second panel forming a second portion of the upper and having a second texture, and an embroidery area extending across portions of the first panel and the second panel and having an appearance that replicates the first texture extending into the second texture.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel forming a first portion of the upper and having a first texture, a second panel forming a second portion of the upper and having a second texture, and an embroidery area extending across portions of the first panel and the second panel and having an appearance that replicates the first texture extending into the second texture.

Abstract: A needle assembly for a stitching machine comprises a stitching jig comprising a needle holder, a needle clamp hoop and a fixing jig. The needle holder has needle sockets to hold a plurality of needles. The needle clamp hoop is connected to the needle holder to retain needles in the sockets. The fixing jig is connected to the needle clamp hoop to couple with a reciprocating bar of the stitching machine. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear upper comprises laying out a first sheet of material; positioning a second sheet of material to overlap with the first sheet of material at an overlap; positioning a felt material adjacent the overlap so that the second sheet of material is between the first sheet of material and the felt material; and felting the felt material to draw fibers of the felt material through the first and second sheets of material.

Abstract: A needle assembly for a stitching machine comprises a stitching jig comprising a needle holder, a needle clamp hoop and a fixing jig. The needle holder has needle sockets to hold a plurality of needles. The needle clamp hoop is connected to the needle holder to retain needles in the sockets. The fixing jig is connected to the needle clamp hoop to couple with a reciprocating bar of the stitching machine. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear upper comprises laying out a first sheet of material; positioning a second sheet of material to overlap with the first sheet of material at an overlap; positioning a felt material adjacent the overlap so that the second sheet of material is between the first sheet of material and the felt material; and felting the felt material to draw fibers of the felt material through the first and second sheets of material.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel forming a first portion of the upper and having a first texture, a second panel forming a second portion of the upper and having a second texture, and an embroidery area extending across portions of the first panel and the second panel and having an appearance that replicates the first texture extending into the second texture.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel forming a first portion of the upper and having a first texture, a second panel forming a second portion of the upper and having a second texture, and an embroidery area extending across portions of the first panel and the second panel and having an appearance that replicates the first texture extending into the second texture.

Abstract: A needle assembly for a stitching machine comprises a stitching jig comprising a needle holder, a needle clamp hoop and a fixing jig. The needle holder has needle sockets to hold a plurality of needles. The needle clamp hoop is connected to the needle holder to retain needles in the sockets. The fixing jig is connected to the needle clamp hoop to couple with a reciprocating bar of the stitching machine. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear upper comprises laying out a first sheet of material; positioning a second sheet of material to overlap with the first sheet of material at an overlap; positioning a felt material adjacent the overlap so that the second sheet of material is between the first sheet of material and the felt material; and felting the felt material to draw fibers of the felt material through the first and second sheets of material.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel, a second panel, a backing panel and fibers. The first panel and the second panel at least partially form the enclosure. The backing panel is located within the enclosure along surfaces of the first and second panels. The fibers extend from the backing panel and are mechanically embedded in the first and second panels so that at least some of the fibers are partially disposed outside the enclosure.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and an upper. The upper is connected to the sole structure to form an enclosure to at least partially receive a foot. The upper comprises a first panel forming a first portion of the upper and having a first texture, a second panel forming a second portion of the upper and having a second texture, and an embroidery area extending across portions of the first panel and the second panel and having an appearance that replicates the first texture extending into the second texture.