An outsole unit for an item of footwear comprises a base layer of a flexible material having fibres extending from one surface, for example a napped leather such as pigskin suede or a textile material, and one or more lugs of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) moulded directly to the fibrous surface so as to form a tread. Multiple lugs may form a regular array separated by grooves, and may be connected solely by the base layer, by a skin of TPU extending across the base layer or by narrow connecting elements of TPU. An upper of an item of footwear may comprise a backing of suede leather with a grid of strips of TPU moulded to its napped surface. An item of footwear may comprise the outsole unit of the invention, the upper of the invention, or both.