I wandered down into my wife R’s basement studio to find her making slippers. The ones she had started with were just multiple layers of cloth and an old blanket for cushioning. After ordering a pair for myself we started discussing alternative materials for the soles and the obvious was some leather cut on the Glowforge. Thanks to a recent package from Rita that was no problem!
So here is the first attempt. The leather cut beautifully and putting in the holes for the thread makes attaching them quite straight forward. I think R is just experimenting with how to attach the leather here and will no doubt be mad at me for posting a picture.
I don’t know if it could be safely cut in the glowforge, but you can buy sheets of rubber sole material that are meant for barefoot running shoes and moccasins. Assuming they’re safe to cut, they might be a good option for a waterproof sole. Although leather is probably waterproof, no? Maybe they’d be a good option for people who don’t want to use leather.
I hope your wife isn’t too mad about having her prototype posted. I think they look awesome and cozy, and I love the idea of reusing old blankets.
You just plunged me into the abyss of the Internet. I should have suspected, but had no clue, their would be so much information about shoe soles, what can be used, for what application, for how often they are worn/utilized, and so on.
This reminds me of a kickstarter I saw several years ago. The design on these is very interesting and would be super easy on a Glowforge (assuming it fits).
I’ve been dreaming and thinking about this for days!! This is just confirmation that I should go for it. I am thinking about using a rubber sole though …. Has anyone tried?
Oh, yes. I think I will make some of these too, thanks. 
But now I’ve just realized that if you can laser cut your own soles, then you could probably do a custom tread, right?
love them and still wear them!