Shoe Having Individual Particles Bonded to Its Bottom Surface

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.

1 . A shoe comprising:
 (a) a bottom surface that is adjacent to the ground in normal use;   (b) a sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom surface;   (c) an upper portion extending above the sole; and   (d) a plurality of individual particles bonded to the bottom surface of the shoe,   wherein the individual particles are elongated particles of leather fiber.   
     
     
         2 . A shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual particles comprise leather that has been ground into the individual particles. 
     
     
         3 . A shoe according to  claim 2 , wherein the leather has been dried and ground into the individual particles. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 1,000 of the individual particles are bonded to the bottom surface of the shoe. 
     
     
         7 . A shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual particles are bonded to the bottom surface of the shoe using a separate adhesive material. 
     
     
         8 . A shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual particles have been bonded to the bottom surface of the shoe by embedding the individual particles directly into said bottom surface. 
     
     
         9 . A shoe according to  claim 8 , wherein said embedding is performed by using at least one of heat and pressure. 
     
     
         10 . A shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual particles have been bonded directly onto the bottom surface of the shoe. 
     
     
         11 . A shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual particles are attached to a substrate and the substrate has been bonded onto the bottom surface of the shoe. 
     
     
         12 . A shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual particles cover at least 50% of the portion of the bottom surface that normally comes into contact with the ground. 
     
     
         13 - 20 . (canceled)