US Patent 9538798 Articles of apparel including auxetic materials

An article of apparel includes at least one panel including a first edge and an opposing second edge. The at least one panel includes an auxetic structure defining a primary elongation direction and a secondary elongation direction. A plurality of lace coupling pairs are positioned along the first edge and the second edge of the at least one panel. Each lace coupling pair defines a lace pull direction that is perpendicular to a line extending through two adjacent lace couplings of the lace coupling pair. Each lace pull direction is defined by the plurality of lace couplings substantially in alignment with either the primary elongation direction or the secondary elongation direction of the auxetic structure between the two adjacent lace couplings of the lace coupling pair.