Shoe bottom surface having attached particles

Abstract

Provided is a shoe that includes a sole that: (i) has a bottom surface that is adjacent to the ground in normal use, and (ii) is comprised of both a base material forming a main structure and individual leather particles attached to the base material on the bottom surface of the sole. The individual leather particles may have a median size within a range of 0.3 to 4.0 millimeters (mm). In addition, or instead, individual second particles made of a material other than leather also are attached to the base material on the bottom surface of the sole.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A shoe comprising:
 (a) a sole that: (i) has a bottom surface that is adjacent to a ground surface in normal use, and (ii) is comprised of a base material forming a main structure together with a plurality of compact individual first particles made of leather and a plurality of individual second particles made of a second material other than leather, with the compact individual first particles and the individual second particles attached to the base material on the bottom surface of the sole; and   (b) an upper portion extending above the sole,   wherein said bottom surface of the shoe has a portion that contacts the ground surface during normal use, and wherein a combination of the compact individual first particles and the individual second particles covers at least 50% of said portion of said bottom surface of the shoe.   
     
     
         14 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the second material is a plant material. 
     
     
         15 . A shoe according to  claim 14 , wherein said plant material is from a portion of the plant other than a flower, fruit, boll or seed pod of the plant. 
     
     
         16 . A shoe according to  claim 14 , wherein said plant material is only from at least one of a plant's stalks, stems, needles, fronds or husks. 
     
     
         17 . A shoe according to  claim 16 , wherein the second material is comprised substantially entirely of the plant material in its naturally occurring state. 
     
     
         18 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein at least 100 of said compact individual first particles and at least 100 of said individual second particles have been attached to the base material. 
     
     
         19 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the compact individual first particles have a median size within a range of 0.4 to 3.0 millimeters (mm). 
     
     
         20 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the compact individual first particles have a median size within a range of 0.5 to 2.0 millimeters (mm). 
     
     
         21 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the compact individual first particles and the individual second particles are attached to the base material using a separate adhesive material. 
     
     
         22 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the compact individual first particles and the individual second particles have been molded into the base material. 
     
     
         23 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the compact individual first particles and the individual second particles have been embedded into the base material. 
     
     
         24 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the compact individual first particles and the individual second particles are attached just to a thin layer of the bottom surface that is not deeper than 10 millimeters (mm). 
     
     
         25 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the compact individual first particles and the individual second particles are attached just to the portion of the bottom surface that comes into contact with the ground surface during normal use. 
     
     
         26 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein said second material comprises at least one of cornhusk or hemp. 
     
     
         27 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the compact individual first particles, made of leather, constitute at least 50%, by at least one of weight or volume, of a combination of the compact individual first particles and individual second particles. 
     
     
         28 . A shoe according to  claim 13 , wherein the compact individual first particles the individual second particles are attached just to a layer of the bottom surface of the shoe that is no deeper than 5 millimeters (mm).