ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING WELDED UPPER

An article of footwear includes a sole structure fixedly attached to an upper configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The upper comprises a skin layer forming at least a portion of an external surface of the upper, and a reinforcing material selectively located internal and adjacent to portions of the skin layer, thereby defining reinforced portions of the skin layer and unreinforced portions of the skin layer. The reinforcing material is selectively joined with the skin layer at a bonded area by welding, the bonded area having an externally exposed surface that defines a portion of the external surface of the upper and includes compressed reinforcing material deformed by heat and pressure during the welding. The skin layer has a first color and the reinforcing material has a second color that is different from the first color. The externally exposed surface of the bonded area includes portions of the reinforcing material, thus providing the externally exposed surface of the bonded area with substantially the same color as the reinforcing material.