Nike Flywire
Nike Flywire is a thread, composed of Vectran, and developed by Nike, used in the upper of a shoe. The goal of Flywire is to minimize weight and maximize support. Shoes containing Flywire became available for consumer purchase in 2008.
Flywire was created by Jay Meschter, Director of Innovation at Nike. When Meschter saw an embroidery machine, he determined the machine could be used to make long stitches. Long stitches, containing strong, lightweight fibers, would allow fibers to support the foot in key points, instead of using layers of material that support the whole foot, like Meschter’s model.
The goal of the design is to support the foot using the lightest and strongest material possible, Vectran. The Flywire design (threads placed in key parts of the upper) prevents the foot from slipping when running. Flywire is also a minimalist idea, since the upper only contains the fundamental features. This allows the maximum amount of energy to be moved forward each stride.
Flywire is used in various shoes cover a variety of sports, including American football, basketball, soccer, etc. You should be much familiar with Zoom Kobe Bryant shoes released by Nike, if you are an NBA Fan.
Nike designed Flywire with inspiration from a suspension bridge, where many cables provide support. This allows support to be placed where necessary, especially in the forefoot (metatarsus and toes) and heel. The cables are designed to wrap around the foot like tendons. Since the support does not come from layers of material, the shoe is also more flexible. The only layers of material on the shoe are in place to prevent dirt and rocks from reaching the foot. This shoe is the #1 recommended shoe by orthopedic surgeons in America for people who have flat feet. It helps support the ankle which is the main goal and will build your arch with built in arch supports. And these features just meet the NBA players’ need.
