Footwear with binding to couple outsole and upper

Abstract

A footwear article comprises an outsole oriented to define a bottom of a footwear article and configured for ground contact, the outsole comprising natural rubber, wherein the outsole comprises a cupsole shape having a bottom portion and a sidewall extending from a periphery of the bottom portion, the sidewall terminating at an upper peripheral edge of the outsole, and wherein a thickness of the outsole measured through the upper peripheral edge is about 1.0 mm, a binding disposed over opposing sides of the upper peripheral edge of the outsole, wherein the binding is stitched to the outsole along a first stitch seam, an upper portion stitched to the binding and the outsole along a second stitch seam adjacent the first stitch seam; and a midsole disposed adjacent the bottom portion of the outsole and at least partially surrounded by the upper portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A footwear article comprising:
 an outsole oriented to define a bottom of a footwear article and configured for ground contact, the outsole comprising natural rubber, wherein the outsole comprises a cupsole shape having a bottom portion and a sidewall extending from a periphery of the bottom portion, the sidewall terminating at an upper peripheral edge of the outsole, and wherein a thickness of the outsole measured through the upper peripheral edge is about 1.0 mm;   a binding disposed over opposing sides of the upper peripheral edge of the outsole, wherein the binding is stitched to the outsole along a first stitch seam;   an upper portion stitched to the binding and the outsole along a second stitch seam adjacent the first stitch seam; and   a midsole disposed adjacent the bottom portion of the outsole and at least partially surrounded by the upper portion.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein the binding is formed from a textile. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion comprises one or more of cotton, hemp, or nylon, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein the midsole comprises a bio-based foam. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein the second seam is disposed above the first seam relative to the bottom portion of the outsole. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the outsole has variable thickness, with the thinnest portion measured through the upper peripheral edge. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the outsole comprises a lip defined along the upper peripheral edge. 
     
     
         8 . A footwear article comprising:
 an outsole oriented to define a bottom of a footwear article and configured for ground contact;   a textile binding disposed over opposing sides of a peripheral edge of the outsole, wherein the binding is stitched to the outsole along a first stitch seam and folded over the peripheral edge of the outsole and coupled to cover the peripheral edge of the outsole; and   an upper portion stitched to the binding and the outsole along a second stitch seam adjacent the first stitch seam.   
     
     
         9 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , wherein the outsole comprises natural rubber. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , wherein the outsole comprises a cupsole shape having a bottom portion and a sidewall extending from a periphery of the bottom portion. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , wherein the sidewall terminates at the peripheral edge of the outsole. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the outsole measured through the peripheral edge is about 1.0 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , wherein the upper portion comprises one or more of cotton, hemp, or nylon, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , further comprising a midsole disposed adjacent the outsole and at least partially surrounded by the upper portion. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , wherein the midsole comprises a bio-based foam. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear article of  claim 9 , wherein the second seam is disposed above the first seam relative to a bottom portion of the outsole. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , wherein the outsole has variable thickness with the thinnest portion measured through the peripheral edge. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , wherein the outsole comprises a lip defined along the peripheral edge. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a footwear article, the method comprising:
 forming an outsole to define a bottom of a footwear article and configured for ground contact;   disposing a binding over opposing sides of a peripheral edge of the outsole, wherein the binding is stitched to the outsole along a first stitch seam; and   coupling an upper portion to the binding and the outsole.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the upper portion is stitched to the binding and the outsole along a second stitch seam.