Folded articles of footwear and methods for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes providing a first portion of the article of footwear and providing a vamp; the first portion includes an ethylene vinyl acetate layer; folding the first portion to define walls of an upper of the article of footwear and an insole of the article of footwear; and coupling the vamp to the walls of the upper to define a foot-receiving opening of the article of footwear.

The following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:
 providing a first portion of the article of footwear, the first portion comprising an ethylene vinyl acetate layer;   providing a vamp;   folding the first portion to define walls of an upper of the article of footwear and an insole of the article of footwear; and   coupling the vamp to the walls of the upper to define a foot-receiving opening of the article of footwear.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion further comprises a microfiber layer coupled to the ethylene vinyl acetate layer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the first portion comprises cutting the first portion from a flexible sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the vamp comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate layer, and providing the vamp comprises cutting the vamp from the flexible sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the flexible sheet has a thickness of 2.1 mm to 2.3 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the flexible sheet is a first flexible sheet, and further comprising:
 forming an original flexible sheet in an injection molding process;   splitting the original flexible sheet to form the first flexible sheet and a second flexible sheet.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first portion further comprises a microfiber layer coupled to the ethylene vinyl acetate layer, and providing the first portion comprises adhering the microfiber layer to the ethylene vinyl acetate layer before cutting the first portion from the flexible sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible sheet has a thickness of 2.1 mm to 2.3 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coupling the vamp to the walls of the upper includes stitching the vamp to the walls of the upper. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes a first heel edge and a second heel edge, and further comprising coupling the first heel edge to the second heel edge to define a heel of the walls of the upper. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear lacks stitching below a foot of a wearer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the insole is adapted to engage a foot of a wearer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising coupling an outsole to a lower surface of the insole. 
     
     
         14 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a first portion comprising an ethylene vinyl acetate layer and formed as a unitary component, the first portion further comprising:
 walls of an upper; 
 an insole integrally coupled to the walls of the upper at a fold; 
   a vamp coupled to the walls of the upper, the vamp and the walls of the upper defining a foot-receiving opening of the article of footwear.   
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the vamp is stitched to the walls of the upper. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the insole is adapted to engage a foot of a wearer. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the article of footwear lacks stitching below a foot of a wearer. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the first portion is formed from a flexible sheet that comprises:
 the ethylene vinyl acetate layer; and   a microfiber layer coupled to the ethylene vinyl acetate layer.   
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate layer defines an internal surface of the article of footwear, and the microfiber layer defines an external surface of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible sheet has a thickness of 2.1 mm to 2.3 mm.