How Basketball Shoes Are Made? Shoes Manufacturing Processing (2023)

Lace up, ballers! Have you ever wondered how those trusty basketball shoes are crafted, or what gives them that extra bounce? In our latest hoop tale, “How Basketball Shoes Are Made,” we’re peeling back the curtain to reveal the magic behind the kicks that keep you on top of your game. Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of sneaker science and find out what sets the best basketball shoes apart. You’ll gain a newfound appreciation for the craftsmanship behind your favorite footwear! 🏀👟

The basics of the Basketball shoe manufacturing process or the other sports shoe manufacturing process is approx. the same except for some changes depending upon the specific requirement of that particular sport. 

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Like the other sports shoe, the basketball shoes has its some essential requirement. such as

These are the fundamental and compulsory requirements of basketball shoes. These points must be kept in mind while manufacturing basketball shoes.  

How Are Basketball Shoes Manufactured? 

The manufacturing of basketball shoes passes through many processes such as

Let’s discuss the above points in detail one by one with complete video to understand the basketball shoe production process.

Sketching & Designing

Every Shoe has first made in the mind of a designer. The shoes manufacturing companies give the requirements of the Shoe then he designed the shoes. 

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3D Shoe Designing Software

Nowadays, there are many 3D modeling software that is readily available. Famous 3D shoe designs software are

These are 3D which gives you the exact look of the Shoe to check the style and design of the Shoe before going to its production process.

Shoe Last

Shoe last is the process of preparing the anatomical “copy” of your feet. In the Shoe last, we have ready the shape with different materials such as cast iron, hardwood, and special plastic. Shoes last usually prepared in a pair, i.e., for lift foot and right foot. 

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This is the first process of shoemaking after the design. We typically layout and craft the design of basketball shoes on the Shoe last with the help of the pattern. The most crucial step of shoemaking and shoes can fail if it has not performed expertise professionally. 

Shoe Last Types

Shoe lasts are the foundation of shoe design, serving as the mold around which the upper and sole of a shoe are constructed. There are several types of shoe lasts, each designed to fit different foot shapes and accommodate various styles of footwear.

The most common Shoe last types are

Previously all the Shoe lasting machines are manual, but with time and the development of the basketball shoe industry, all these manual machines have become computerized and automatic.

Pattern Making & Cutting

In this step, you have cut the different components and then combine them. Usually, a sports shoe has made with multiple types of material such as textile, rubber, cushioning foam, and plastic.

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Rubber and the plastic component have molded or joined with the help of heat; then these heated parts are colled under control temperature. Another component has combined by sewing or pasting with some unique adhesive.  

Assemble The Basketball Shoes

Typically the basketball shoe or the other general sports shoes has made firstly in two parts. One is the upper part of the Shoe, and 2nd one is the lower part of the sole of the Shoe. The upper parts of the shoes consist of the heel, toe, and side parts. The lower parts consist of the insole and the sole.

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Sole making is very crucial in basketball or other intensive support. It would be best if you had the mold of your exclusive shoe design, specialized metal tool, heated hydraulic press, etc.  

After the sole making, It’s time to join the upper part with the sole. This step is very tricky and will make all your effort drained if it has not handled with expertise. 

Usually, there are two ways to join the upper and the lower part of the Shoe. The first one is to stitch together, and 2nd method uses a unique adhesive material to enter the upper part and the sole. 

After joining the shoes, it’s time to assemble accessories also.

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Basketball Shoe Material  

You cant be able to make the ideal sports shoe with the proper knowledge of sports shoes. 

Here is the list of the main section of the basketball shoe 

Let’s discuss one by one briefly and precisely. 

Upper

Typically the basketball shoe upper is a combination of textile and leather. Textile is for breathability, and leather gives you the support. 

All Shoe styling has done at the upper portion. Nowadays, a waterproof upper part is also available. If you want to make the basketball shoe for the outdoor, then a waterproof upper a good option.

Midsole

It is in between the upper and the outsole of a shoe. The purpose of the midsole is to provide cushioning and flexibility so that landing after the jump can be made easy and comfortable. 

Many types of the midsole have used by sports shoe manufacturers, such as EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate), PU (polyurethane), or the specialized foam. 

There is another cushioning in which a gel or air cushion has used in the midsole.

Types of Basketball Shoes Midsole

The basic basketball shoes midsole are

• Compression-Molded EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate)
• Polyurethane
• Thermal Plastic Unit (TPU)
•  Durometer
• Cushioning Devices
• Dual-Density or Multi-Density Midsole
• Medial Post

Outsole

In basketball, the outsole plays a very crucial role in your performance or avoid from injury. Lots of Basketball matches have played indoor in which the court is very smooth.

To encounter the smooth court, the basketball shoe outsole has made with soft rubber for reliable traction. The rubber is not simple; it has made with carbon rubber.

The outsole design is also essential for good traction. The Herringbone design is very effective for the outsole. 

Lasting

The last layer between the insole and midsole is the Shoe lasting. 

Insole

Insole is also called socklinear. It is above the lasting and the midsole. It is a small thin-layer type of foam.

The insole has many benefits, such as stability enhancement, stress reduction in the heel and forefeet area, and decreased pain, especially in plantar fasciitis. 

There are many famous basketball shoe insole in the market. Some of them are

Insole	Feature
Sof Sole	Sturdy & Durable
Walk Hero	Moisture Wicking
Superfeet Green/center>	Best for comfort
Superfeet Carbon/center>	Lightest
Shock Doctor Active/center>	Amazing Shock absorption

Heel Counter

It is the rigid support, just the backside of your heel. It provides you the stability.

Collar Of Heel

It is the protection of your ankle, and it covers the ankle from sideways to backside. There is also an Achilles tendon along the heel counter to support appropriately. 

Tongue

It is situated inside the shoelaces system and gives you relief from the tightness of the laces and the eyelet. There is the different type of the cushion material inside the Tongue.

Types Of Tongues

The major basketball shoes tongue types are

• Padded Tongue
• Padded Tongue With Ventilation
• Gusseted Tongue

Laces System & Eyelet

There are different types of lace enclosures as used in sport’s shoes. The first one is with lace, 2nd one is with zipping or strap kind. The Shoe’s laces have elasticity in them, which gives you the perfect lockdown with comfort. The eyelet size depend upon the lace size and system.

Main Sports Shoe Manufacturer Countries

As per my research, China is the top manufacturer of sports shoes, and approx 65 to 70% of shoes has manufactured in China. All the big brands have their manufacturing units in China.

Other major shoe manufacturer countries are

1. China
2. India
3. Vietnam
4. Indonesia
5. Brazil
6. Turkey
7. Pakistan
8. Bangladesh
9. Mexico
10. Iran

 

Frequently Asked Question

What are the bottom of basketball shoes made of? 

Normally, the bottom sole of basketball shoes has made with specialized rubber. The rubber hardness is different for indoor and outdoor courts. There are different traction patterns on the bottom sole to avoid slippage in which herringbone is the most famous traction pattern.

What type of rubber is used in basketball shoes?

Tapping hevea brasiliensis is the most common rubber used in basketball shoes and other sports shoes. This unique rubber has extracted from the tree.

What basketball player made shoes?

Nowadays there are many signature shoes available with every brand, but Frazier, Walt, and Clyde are the pioneer who has made their signature basketball shoes.

What are the best materials for basketball shoes?

The basketball shoe’s upper has made textile mesh and synthetic leather. The most commonly used leather is Patent Leather and suede leather, and the sole has made with different kinds of rubber. 

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