The special focus for issue three of Footwearbiz is on uppers and linings. The articles we include examining the variety of materials available for use in these parts of the shoe begin with an introduction to the topic from Dr Naveed Anwar of adidas. We follow up with an account of the challenges that soft footwear uppers have presented in the past to major automation projects, with a new factory that Keen has opened in Kentucky suggesting that there has been recent progress. Next, we offer a reminder that innovation in tannages makes leather an always attractive option for uppers. In Athletic and Outdoor, we tell the fascinating tale of a special boot, developed by Hyperice and now backed by Nike, that can help make recovery technology available to all. We end with Business of Footwear and a detailed account from industry commentator Stuart Cleaver of the likely impact of 2025’s tariff turmoil on the global footwear sector.
