Article of footwear with composite upper

A method of making an article of footwear comprising:

• forming a composite panel for an upper of the article of footwear by:
• stretching a resilient layer from a contracted state to a stretched state, the resilient layer comprised of a four-way stretch fabric such that the resilient layer is configured to expand from a contracted state to a stretched state in both a first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, wherein a maximum elongation of the resilient layer is in the second direction,
• aligning a less-resilient layer to the resilient layer when the resilient layer is in the stretched state, the less resilient layer comprised of a two-way stretch fabric with a maximum elongation of the less-resilient layer in the first direction, wherein the maximum elongation of the less-resilient layer in the first direction is less than an elongation of the first layer in the first direction,
• coupling the less-resilient layer to the resilient layer by embroidery stitching a stitch network to the resilient layer and the less-resilient layer while the resilient layer is in the stretched state, wherein the stitch network defines a plurality of cell units of the composite panel, and
• releasing the resilient layer from the stretched state such that it returns to the contracted state and the less-resilient layer buckles;
• and
• connecting the composite panel to a sole.

A method of making a composite panel for an upper of an article of footwear, the method comprising:

• obtaining a first panel including a toe portion and a midfoot portion, the toe portion and the midfoot portion defining a length direction and a transverse width direction of the article of footwear, the first panel comprised of an elastic material having an elongation in the length direction that is greater than an elongation in the width direction;
• obtaining a second panel including a toe portion and a midfoot portion, the toe portion and the midfoot portion defining a length direction and a transverse width direction of the article of footwear, the second panel comprised of an elastic material having an elongation in the width direction that is greater than an elongation in the length direction;
• stretching the second panel from a contracted state to a stretched state;
• coupling the first panel to the second panel by stitching a stitch network to the first panel and the second panel while the second panel is in the stretched state, wherein the stitch network defines a plurality of cell units of the composite panel;
• and
• releasing the second panel from the stretched state such that it returns to the contracted state and the first layer buckles.