Nike Flywire is a proprietary thread material made of high-tensiled Vectran. Vectran is purportedly stronger than kevlar.
The inspiration for Flywire came from the suspension bridge where cables provide support where the engineers deem it needed.
For the shoe engineers, support is particularly edsired in the region of the
forefoot
and
metatarsus
as well as in the heel.
The technology has been in develoment since the early 2000s and the preocess has been directed by Nike's Dircetor of Innovation, Jay Meschter.
Flyware is a minimalist technology inasmuch as it attempts to provide only the necessities in the upper and last of the shoe.
Threads are used as a sort of "wrap around" support system, much reducing the need of cover material thickness in the
uppers.
Because of this feature, shoes made of vectran threads can weigh as little as 3.3 ounces. A neglibible weight.
As well as being a game changing technology, the threads also bring a new fashion in shoe wear to the table, with the stringy/ grid looking patterns, where previously there had only been smooth leather or leatherlike material.