Shoe upper, shoe and recycling method

Abstract

A shoe upper (3) is provided with: a base material (4) which covers the foot of a wearer and in which a wearing opening (4a) into which the foot of the wearer can be inserted is formed; a cushion section (8) that is joined to a joining region of the inner surface of the base material (4), said joining region covering at least the foot of the wearer from the rear, when the tiptoe side of the foot of the wearer is set to the front and the heel side is set to the rear; and a sewing thread for sewing and joining the cushion section (8) to the joining region, the cushion section (8) having a pocket-shaped section (9) having a cavity therein and a cushion material inserted into the cavity, and the base material (4), the sewing thread, the pocket-shaped section (9), and the cushion material all contain the same material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an upper for covering the wearer's foot, a shoe, and a method for reuse. Background Technology

[0002] The shoe includes an upper that covers the wearer's foot and a sole that supports the wearer's foot (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The upper is formed by combining multiple raw materials to correspond to the required function of each part of the shoe.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-525088 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In recent years, the requirements for shoe recycling have been increasing in order to reduce environmental impact. Because recycling requires separating individual raw materials, shoe uppers formed by combining multiple raw materials suffer from low recyclability. On the other hand, if formed from a single raw material, the shoe upper may fail to fully meet the required functions, resulting in a shoe upper with low functionality.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above, with the aim of obtaining an upper that achieves both functional maintenance and improved recyclability.

[0009] Technical means to solve the problem

[0010] To address the aforementioned problems and achieve the objective, the shoe upper of the present invention includes: a base material that covers the wearer's foot and has an opening for inserting the wearer's foot; a cushioning portion that, when the toe side of the wearer's foot is positioned forward and the heel side is positioned backward, is joined to an inner surface of the base material in a joint area that covers the wearer's foot from at least the rear; and a sewing thread that sews the cushioning portion to the joint area, the cushioning portion having a pocket-like portion with an internal cavity and cushioning material inserted into the cavity, the base material, the sewing thread, the pocket-like portion, and the cushioning material all comprising the same raw material.

[0011] The effects of the invention

[0012] The shoe upper of this invention achieves both functional maintenance and improved recyclability. Attached Figure Description

[0013] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 This is a side view of the shoe according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0014] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 This is a magnified perspective view of the opening of the shoe in Embodiment 1.

[0015] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 This is an unfolded view of the buffer section in Embodiment 1.

[0016] [ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 The cross-sectional view shown is cut along line IV-IV.

[0017] [ Figure 5 ] Figure 5 It is along Figure 3 The cross-sectional view shown is a cut-off section of the VV line.

[0018] [ Figure 6 ] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the rear end portion of shoe 1 according to embodiment 1.

[0019] [ Figure 7 ] Figure 7 This is a diagram of a modified example of the buffer section in Embodiment 1.

[0020] [ Figure 8 ] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the reuse process of the shoe 1 of Embodiment 1, which is formed by bonding the upper and sole with an adhesive containing a thermally expanding foaming agent. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the shoe upper, shoe, and recycling method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for the same parts, and repeated descriptions will be omitted.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a side view of the shoe according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. (The image contains...) Figure 1 In the figures, only the shoe 1 for the left foot is shown. Shoe 1 has a symmetrical structure for both the left and right feet; therefore, in this embodiment, only the shoe 1 for the left foot will be described, and the description of the shoe 1 for the right foot will be omitted. In the following description, the toe side of the wearer's foot in shoe 1 will be considered the front, and the heel side will be considered the back. The direction orthogonal to the front-back direction when viewed from above is called the foot width direction. Furthermore, the up-down direction, unless otherwise specified, refers to the direction orthogonal to both the front-back direction and the foot width direction.

[0023] Shoe 1 includes a sole 2 and an upper 3. The sole 2 is located below the upper 3. The sole 2 covers the wearer's foot. The sole 2 is made of a cushioning material to absorb the impact on the foot during walking and running.

[0024] The upper 3 includes a base material 4, which covers the upper surface of the sole 2 and has a space between it and the sole 2 for the wearer's foot to enter. The base material 4 is fixed to the sole 2 by stitching, welding, bonding, or a combination thereof. An opening 4a is formed in the base material 4. The opening 4a is an opening for the wearer's foot to enter the interior of the base material 4. A notch 4b extending forward is formed at the front edge of the opening 4a. By providing the notch 4b, the opening 4a can be widened. By allowing the opening 4a to be widened, the shoe 1 can be put on while the opening 4a is widened, thus making it easier for the foot to enter the interior of the base material 4 and improving the wearability of the shoe 1.

[0025] A shoe tongue 5 is provided to block the opening 4b. By providing a shoe tongue 5, the wearer's foot can be prevented from protruding from the opening 4b. Multiple holes 4c are formed at the edge of the opening 4b. Shoelaces 6 pass through the holes 4c. By tightening the shoelaces 6, the width of the opening 4b can be narrowed, thereby improving the fit of the shoe 1.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a partially enlarged perspective view of the opening portion of the shoe according to Embodiment 1. The upper 3 includes a cushioning portion 8, which engages with an engagement area 7 on the inner side of the base material 4 that covers the wearer's foot from at least the rear.

[0027] The buffer section 8 is sewn onto the joint area 7 using stitching thread (illustration omitted) (see also [reference]). Figure 1 ). Figure 3 This is an unfolded view of the buffer section 8 in Embodiment 1. Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 The cross-sectional view shown is cut along line IV-IV. Figure 5 It is along Figure 3 The cross-sectional view shown is a cut-off section of the VV line.

[0028] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the buffer portion 8 is formed by bonding a first fabric 11 and a second fabric 12 together. The first fabric 11 and the second fabric 12 are bonded together, for example, using an adhesive. Figure 4 As shown, a bag-shaped portion 9 is provided in the cushioning portion 8. In the bag-shaped portion 9, the first fabric 11 and the second fabric 12 are not joined, and the interior is hollow. A cushioning material 10 is inserted inside the bag-shaped portion 9.

[0029] The cushioning material 10 is formed, for example, by injecting thread into the interior of the pocket-shaped portion 9. The pocket-shaped portion 9 is bulging towards the wearer's foot by having the cushioning material 10 inside. The pocket-shaped portion 9 is located slightly above the heel of the wearer's foot. Because the cushioning material 10 is inserted inside the pocket-shaped portion 9, the pocket-shaped portion 9 has cushioning properties, thereby ensuring good foot contact around the heel where the cushioning portion 8 is located.

[0030] like Figure 3 As shown, the bag-shaped portion 9 has a first longitudinal groove 21 extending in the vertical direction. The first longitudinal groove 21 is recessed compared to the surrounding portions. More specifically, as... Figure 5 As shown, in a portion of the bag-shaped portion 9, a first fabric 11 and a second fabric 12 facing each other are joined to form a first longitudinal groove 21. Figure 2 As shown, the first longitudinal groove 21 is formed at two locations: the right side of the part that supports the wearer's foot and the left side. Furthermore, the locations where the first longitudinal groove 21 is formed are not limited to two; there may be one or more locations.

[0031] like Figure 3 As shown, a second longitudinal groove 22 extending upward from the lower end is formed in the center of the bag-shaped portion 9 along the width direction. The second longitudinal groove 22 extends vertically in the same manner as the first longitudinal groove 21. The second longitudinal groove 22 is formed, like the first longitudinal groove 21, by joining a first fabric 11 and a second fabric 12 facing each other in a portion of the bag-shaped portion 9. While the first longitudinal groove 21 has cushioning material 10 at its top and bottom, the second longitudinal groove 22 differs structurally from the first longitudinal groove 21 in that it only has cushioning material 10 at its upper part.

[0032] like Figure 2 As shown, with the cushioning portion 8 bonded to the substrate 4, the bag-shaped portion 9 is bent into a U-shape. Therefore, wrinkles easily form on the surface of the bag-shaped portion 9. Because of these wrinkles, unevenness is formed in the bag-shaped portion 9, causing it to easily come into partial contact with the wearer's foot. If the bag-shaped portion 9 partially contacts the wearer's foot, it can cause discomfort or chafing. On the other hand, in this embodiment 1, the bag-shaped portion 9 has a first longitudinal groove 21 and a second longitudinal groove 22, so wrinkles are less likely to form even when bent into a U-shape. Therefore, in the shoe 1 of this embodiment 1, the wearer is less likely to experience discomfort or chafing in the bag-shaped portion 9 area.

[0033] Furthermore, by forming the first longitudinal groove 21 and the second longitudinal groove 22, the inner space of the bag-shaped portion 9 is finely divided. As a result, the cushioning material 10 inserted into the inner side of the bag-shaped portion 9 is less likely to become misaligned. In particular, when the cushioning material 10 is a line, it is easy to move inside the bag-shaped portion 9 and become misaligned, but since the inner space of the bag-shaped portion 9 is divided by the first longitudinal groove 21 and the second longitudinal groove 22, misalignment is less likely to occur.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the upper edge 8a of the buffer portion 8 is located higher than the opening 4a of the substrate 4. When sewing the buffer portion 8 to the substrate 4, the substrate 4 is overlapped with the buffer portion 8. If the upper edge 8a of the buffer portion 8 is located lower than the opening 4a of the substrate 4, the buffer portion 8 cannot be seen during sewing, making alignment difficult. However, in this embodiment 1, since the upper edge 8a of the buffer portion 8 is located higher than the opening 4a of the substrate 4, sewing can be performed while the buffer portion 8 is visible, thus facilitating alignment. This improves the workability of sewing the buffer portion 8 to the substrate 4.

[0035] At the rear end of the cushioning portion 8, a strip 13 extending above the opening 4a is formed. The front end of the strip 13 is sewn and fixed to the rear end of the base material 4. Thus, a loop can be formed at the rear end of the shoe 1 by the strip 13. When the wearer puts on the shoe 1, the rear end of the shoe 1 can be easily lifted by gripping the loop with their fingers, making it easy to put on the shoe 1. Moreover, since the loop is formed by a part of the cushioning portion 8, the number of parts can be reduced compared to providing other components for forming the loop.

[0036] Here, all the components forming the upper 3 are made of the same raw material. More specifically, the base material 4, the cushioning part 8, the thread inserted as the cushioning material 10, and the sewing thread for sewing the cushioning part 8 are all made of the same raw material.

[0037] "Same raw material" is a general term for polymeric materials containing multiple identical chemical bonds or functional groups within their molecules. Examples of "same raw materials" include polyester materials containing ester bonds, polyurethane materials containing urethane bonds, and polyamide materials containing amide bonds. Among these, polyester materials are preferred as the material forming the upper 3. Polyester materials have excellent strength, thus enabling the formation of highly durable uppers 3.

[0038] Examples of polyester-based materials include polyethylene resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), and polyester elastomers such as thermoplastic polyester elastomers (TPEE). Polyethylene resins, due to their excellent strength, can be used to form highly durable shoe uppers. Polyester elastomers, due to their excellent elasticity, can be used to form highly flexible shoe uppers.

[0039] The upper 3 can be formed using a single polyethylene resin or polyester elastomer, or by combining multiple polyethylene resins and polyester elastomers. Using a single polyethylene resin or polyester elastomer results in an upper 3 with excellent recyclability. On the other hand, combining multiple polyethylene resins and polyester elastomers makes it easier to control the balance of the required properties of the upper 3, such as durability and softness.

[0040] When the upper 3 is formed from a single polyethylene resin, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is ideal. PET is the most abundant and inexpensive polyethylene-based material, allowing for stable production of the upper 3. Furthermore, as it is a raw material widely used in products other than shoes or uppers, such as plastic bottles, it allows for the formation of uppers 3 with high recyclability.

[0041] By using the same raw material to form all components of the upper 3, the recyclability of the upper 3 is improved. Furthermore, the cushioning pocket 9 is also formed from the same raw material, thus improving both recyclability and the contact feel of the shoe 1 with the wearer's foot. Conventionally, cushioning portions are formed from cushioning materials such as sponge, but these materials are formed from raw materials different from the same raw material used to form the substrate 4, resulting in low recyclability. In this embodiment 1, thread is used for the cushioning material 10, allowing it to be formed from the same raw material, thus improving recyclability.

[0042] Furthermore, when using thread for the cushioning material 10, the thread can be injected into the inside of the bag-shaped portion 9 after the first fabric 11 and the second fabric 12 are bonded together to form the bag-shaped portion 9, thus improving the workability when bonding the first fabric 11 and the second fabric 12. Moreover, since the thread can be injected after the bag-shaped portion 9 is formed, the amount injected can be adjusted to achieve adjustment of the cushioning performance.

[0043] like Figure 3 As shown, a buffer-side reinforcement 14 is provided in the reinforcing region 15 below the bag-shaped portion 9 within the buffer portion 8. The buffer-side reinforcement 14 is formed from a low-melting-point raw material (hereinafter referred to as a low-melting-point raw material) that is the same raw material used to form the upper 3 but has a lower melting point than the same raw material used for the base material 4 or the buffer portion 8. More specifically, threads formed from the low-melting-point raw material are woven into the reinforcing region 15, and the buffer portion 8 is heated at a temperature higher than the melting point of the low-melting-point raw material but lower than the melting point of the same raw material used for the base material 4 or the buffer portion 8. This causes only the low-melting-point raw material to melt and solidify, thus forming the buffer-side reinforcement 14, which has higher strength than other parts.

[0044] The cushioning-side reinforcement 14, formed with a higher hardness than other parts, surrounds the heel, thereby suppressing heel deviation inside the shoe 1 and improving the fit of the heel area. Furthermore, while resin components are generally used to improve the fit of the heel area, resin components are made of a different material than the base material, thus reducing recyclability. On the other hand, in this embodiment 1, the cushioning-side reinforcement 14, which improves the fit of the heel area, is formed of the same material as other parts, thus improving recyclability and also fulfilling its function of improving the fit.

[0045] A reinforcing portion using low-melting-point raw materials may also be formed on substrate 4. For example... Figure 1 As shown, threads made of low-melting-point raw materials can also be woven into the reinforcing region 16 of the substrate 4, forming the substrate-side reinforcing portion 17 by melting and solidifying only the low-melting-point raw materials. By forming a double reinforcing portion with the substrate-side reinforcing portion 17 and the cushioning portion-side reinforcing portion 14, the fit of the heel portion can be further improved. Alternatively, the reinforcing portion can be formed only in the cushioning portion 8, or only in the substrate 4.

[0046] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the rear end portion of shoe 1 according to embodiment 1. Figure 6 For ease of understanding, the first fabric 11 and the cushioning material 10 are not distinguished; instead, the cushioning part 8 is represented as a single component and is uniformly annotated with shading. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the upper 3 also includes an intermediate layer 18 disposed between the base material 4 and the cushioning portion 8. A reinforcing portion may also be formed in the intermediate layer 18 disposed between the base material 4 and the cushioning portion 8. The intermediate layer 18 is a fabric formed from the same raw material used for the base material 4 or the cushioning portion 8. An intermediate layer reinforcing portion 19 is formed by weaving a low-melting-point raw material into the intermediate layer 18 and allowing it to melt and solidify. Furthermore, Figure 6In the original text, the entire cross-section of the intermediate layer 18 should have been annotated with shading, but for ease of understanding, only the portion that becomes the intermediate layer reinforcement 19 has been annotated with shading. The intermediate layer 18 can be attached to or sewn into the buffer portion 8. The intermediate layer 18 can be attached to or sewn into the substrate 4.

[0047] Because a high-strength reinforcing section is formed in the middle layer 18, a reinforcing section is not formed in the cushioning section 8 that contacts the foot, thus making it soft and providing good foot contact. Moreover, by forming a high-strength reinforcing section in the middle layer 18, the fit of the heel area is improved.

[0048] Alternatively, a reinforcing portion using low-melting-point raw materials may be formed not only in the intermediate layer 18, but also in at least one of the buffer portion 8 and the substrate 4.

[0049] Figure 7 This diagram shows a modified example of the cushioning portion in Embodiment 1. In the modified example of the cushioning portion 8, a transverse groove 23 extending in the left-right direction is formed in the bag-shaped portion 9 instead of the first longitudinal groove 21. By forming the transverse groove 23 extending in the left-right direction, it is possible to prevent the unevenness formed in the bag-shaped portion 9 from getting stuck on the wearer's foot, or the heel from deviating vertically inside the shoe 1. Thus, it is possible to prevent the heel from floating inside the shoe 1 or the shoe 1 from falling off.

[0050] In addition, the sole 2 can also be made from the same raw material. By making the sole 2 from the same raw material, the entire shoe 1, including the upper 3 and the sole 2, can be directly recycled, thus improving recyclability.

[0051] If the sole 2 is made of a different material than the same type of raw material, then the upper 3 must be separated from the sole 2 when the upper 3 is recycled. In this case, it is preferable that the upper 3 and the sole 2 are bonded using an adhesive containing a thermoplastic foaming agent. When the upper 3 and the sole 2 are bonded using an adhesive containing a thermoplastic foaming agent, the upper 3 and the sole 2 can be easily separated by heating the shoe 1 above the decomposition temperature of the thermoplastic foaming agent, thereby breaking down the adhesive layer containing the thermoplastic foaming agent.

[0052] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the reuse process of the shoe 1 of Embodiment 1, which is formed by bonding the upper and sole with an adhesive containing a thermally expanding foaming agent.

[0053] First, the shoe 1 is heated to above the decomposition temperature of the thermally expanding foaming agent (step S1). For example, an oven is used to heat the shoe 1. Next, the shoe 1 is separated into the upper 3 and the sole 2 (step S2). Next, the upper 3, which consists of all components made from the same raw material, is recycled (step S3). In this way, if the upper 3 and the sole 2 are joined using an adhesive containing a thermally expanding foaming agent, the upper 3 can be easily separated and recycled, thereby improving recyclability.

[0054] The following describes various embodiments of the present invention.

[0055] The upper of the first embodiment includes: a base material that covers the wearer's foot and has an opening for inserting the wearer's foot; a cushioning portion that, when the toe side of the wearer's foot is positioned forward and the heel side is positioned backward, is joined to an inner surface of the base material in a joint area that covers the wearer's foot from at least the rear; and a sewing thread that sews the cushioning portion to the joint area, the cushioning portion having a pocket-like portion with an internal cavity and cushioning material inserted into the cavity, wherein the base material, the sewing thread, the pocket-like portion, and the cushioning material are all made of the same raw material.

[0056] The upper of the second embodiment is the same as that of the upper in the first embodiment, wherein the same raw material is a polyester material.

[0057] The upper of the third embodiment is the same as that of the upper in the second embodiment, wherein the same raw material is a single raw material of polyethylene terephthalate.

[0058] The upper of the fourth embodiment is an upper in any of the first to third embodiments, wherein the cushioning material is a linear material formed in a linear shape.

[0059] The fifth embodiment of the shoe upper is provided in any of the embodiments of the first to the fourth embodiments, wherein the bag-shaped portion is provided with a longitudinal groove extending in the vertical direction to form a joint between portions of the opposing surfaces in the cavity.

[0060] The upper of the sixth embodiment is an upper in any of the first to fifth embodiments, wherein the bag-shaped portion is provided with a transverse groove that extends laterally and is formed by joining a portion of the faces of the holes that are facing each other together.

[0061] The seventh embodiment of the shoe upper is in any of the embodiments of the first to the sixth embodiments, wherein the upper edge of the cushioning portion is located above the opening.

[0062] The eighth embodiment of the shoe upper is an example of the shoe upper in any of the first to seventh embodiments, wherein a strip-shaped portion extending upwards from the rear end of the cushioning portion is formed.

[0063] The front end of the strip is fixed to the rear end of the substrate.

[0064] The shoe upper of the ninth embodiment is a shoe upper in any of the first to eighth embodiments, wherein the rear end of the shoe upper includes a reinforcing portion comprising the same raw material.

[0065] The upper of the tenth embodiment is the same as that of the upper of the ninth embodiment, wherein the reinforcing part comprises the same raw material with a lower melting point than the same raw material used in the base material.

[0066] The upper of the eleventh embodiment is an upper in the ninth or tenth embodiment, wherein the reinforcing portion includes a substrate-side reinforcing portion formed on the substrate and a buffer-side reinforcing portion formed on the buffer portion.

[0067] The upper of the twelfth embodiment is an upper in any of the ninth to eleventh embodiments, wherein the reinforcing portion includes an intermediate layer reinforcing portion disposed between the substrate and the cushioning portion.

[0068] The shoe of the first embodiment includes an upper as described in the first embodiment and a sole disposed below the upper, the sole comprising the same raw material.

[0069] The shoe of the second embodiment includes the upper of the shoe of the first embodiment and a sole disposed below the upper, the sole comprising a raw material different from the same raw material.

[0070] The shoe of the third embodiment is the same as the shoe of the second embodiment, wherein the upper and the sole are joined by an adhesive comprising a heat-expanding foaming agent.

[0071] The method for reusing the upper in the first embodiment includes the following steps: heating a shoe including the upper and a sole disposed below the upper; separating the upper from the sole; and reprocessing the upper into raw materials.

[0072] The second embodiment of the shoe upper reuse method is in the first embodiment of the shoe upper reuse method, wherein the shoe upper and the sole are bonded together using an adhesive containing a thermally expanding foaming agent, and in the process of heating the shoe, the shoe is heated to above the decomposition temperature of the thermally expanding foaming agent.

[0073] Explanation of icon numbers

[0074] 1: Shoes

[0075] 2: Shoe sole

[0076] 3: Shoe upper

[0077] 4: Substrate

[0078] 4a: piercing

[0079] 4b: Gap

[0080] 4c: Hole

[0081] 5: Shoe tongue

[0082] 6: Shoelaces

[0083] 7: Joint area

[0084] 8: Buffer section

[0085] 8a: Edge section

[0086] 9: Bag-like part

[0087] 10: Cushioning material

[0088] 11: First Fabric

[0089] 12: Second fabric

[0090] 13: Band-like portion

[0091] 14: Side reinforcement of the buffer section

[0092] 15, 16: Strengthen the region

[0093] 17: Reinforcing part on the substrate side

[0094] 18: Intermediate layer

[0095] 19: Intermediate layer reinforcement section

[0096] 21: First longitudinal groove

[0097] 22: Second longitudinal groove

[0098] 23: Horizontal slot

Claims

1. A shoe upper, comprising: A substrate that covers the wearer's feet and has openings that allow the wearer's feet to be inserted; A cushioning portion, wherein the toe side of the wearer's foot is positioned forward and the heel side is positioned backward, engages with the inner surface of the substrate in an engagement area that covers the wearer's foot from the rear. as well as The buffer portion is sewn to the joining area using stitching thread. The buffer section has a bag-shaped portion with an internal cavity and a buffer material inserted into the cavity. The substrate, the sewing thread, the bag-shaped part, and the cushioning material all contain the same raw material.

2. The shoe upper according to claim 1, wherein The same raw material is a polyester-based material.

3. The shoe upper according to claim 2, wherein The same raw material is a single raw material that is only polyethylene terephthalate.

4. The shoe upper according to claim 1, wherein The cushioning material is a linear material formed in the shape of a wire.

5. The shoe upper according to claim 4, wherein The bag-shaped portion is provided with a longitudinal groove extending in the vertical direction, which is formed by joining together a portion of the faces of the cavity that are facing each other.

6. The upper according to claim 4, wherein The bag-shaped portion is provided with a transverse groove that extends laterally, forming a joint between portions of the opposing surfaces in the cavity.

7. The upper according to claim 1, wherein... The upper edge of the buffer section is located above the opening.

8. The upper according to claim 7, wherein At the rear end of the buffer section, a strip-shaped portion is formed that extends upwards beyond the opening. The front end of the strip is fixed to the rear end of the substrate.

9. The shoe upper according to claim 1, wherein The rear end of the upper includes a reinforcing portion made of the same raw material.

10. The upper according to claim 9, wherein The reinforcing portion comprises the same raw material with a lower melting point than the same raw material used in the substrate.

11. The upper according to claim 10, wherein The reinforcing portion includes a substrate-side reinforcing portion formed on the substrate and a buffer-side reinforcing portion formed on the buffer portion.

12. The upper according to claim 10, wherein The reinforcing portion includes an intermediate layer reinforcing portion disposed between the substrate and the buffer portion.

13. A shoe comprising: The shoe upper as described in claim 1; as well as The sole is located below the upper. The sole contains the same raw material.

14. A shoe comprising: The shoe upper as described in claim 1; as well as The sole is located below the upper. The sole contains a material different from the same raw material.

15. The shoe according to claim 14, wherein The upper and the sole are joined by an adhesive. The adhesive contains a thermally expanding foaming agent.

16. A reuse method, which is the reuse method of the shoe upper as described in claim 1, the reuse method comprising the following steps: Heating is performed on the shoe, which includes the upper and the sole disposed below the upper. Separating the upper from the sole; and The shoe upper is then recycled into raw materials.

17. The reuse method according to claim 16, wherein The upper and the sole are joined using an adhesive containing a heat-expanding foaming agent. In the process of heating the shoe, the temperature is raised above the decomposition temperature of the thermal expansion foaming agent.

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