Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1523540
Step Aside Midsoles & Foams, Focus is Shifting to Shoe Uppers. By Emily Walzer FOOTWEAR/MATERIALS WHAT'S UP WITH UPPERS W hen Flyknit technology debuted in Nike shoes in 2012, it took the footwear world by storm, up-ending conventional notions about athletic shoes and giving way to shoe uppers sporting a new look, soer feel and cool design. In recent years, midsoles and outsoles have been the main attraction, with designers and textile techies focused on new ways to improve how a shoe "rides." Now the pendulum has started to swing back, with upper materials and components viewed as a category ripe for change. High performing, comfortable and eco-friendly were inspirational goals during the development of Flyknit all those years ago and these characteristics remain a solid foundation for innovation. e challenge now is creating uppers that up the game functionally, aesthetically, and sustainably in new and different ways. David Allemann, co-founder of the Swiss athletic footwear brand On is already thinking about the next generation of uppers. In a recent episode of "e Future of Everything" podcast, produced by the Wall Street Journal, host Jacob Gallagher asked Allemann, "So what is it going to take to move the running shoe forward overall?" Allemann, responds, "We are actually working on a project that rethinks the shoe upper really from scratch, because sometimes uppers have been a little bit neglected, and more work has gone into outsoles. And I can just reveal it's not a new textile. It's really a 360-degree innovation that will change how a shoe is engineered, designed, made, how it looks, how it feels, and how it performs. What I can say is it's definitely a manufacturing innovation, and so I suggest you keep your eyes open during the Olympics." Allemann adds, "It's now really not about going back to the past and the archives, but it's about going to the future." In other words, what's the outlook on footwear innovation in 2024? Demand for "Newness" "We're seeing a transition from a conservative approach, due to recent market uncertainties, to an appetite for newness," explains Ryan Nicholson, VP of Marketing, MESH01, a product research and testing solution based in Nashua, NH. "ere is a desire for fresh, exciting and demand-generating product with both performance and an eco-element." Nicholson, whose background is in product development and merchandising, highlights Trail as a category to watch. "ere are so many environmental variables to contend with in trail footwear," explains Nicholson. "e question of how much traction and cushioning, in addition to the challenges around breathability and waterproofness, makes it an interesting and evolving category." 12 • Textile Insight ~ Summer 2024 textileinsight.com Propét: The sporty, men's Durocloud 392 offers a lightweight, breathable constructed mesh upper that stands out for its seamless liner and tongue that is designed to negate irritation during everyday active endeavors.