A sole (100, 300) for use on an item of footwear (200) wherein the sole (100,300) provides a housing for a growth medium (40) capable of growing and maintaining grass (45). The sole (100, 300) is arranged to be fitted to a lower face of an item of footwear (200), the sole is adapted to retain a growth medium (40) suitable for growing grass (45), so that when fitted to the item of footwear (200), blades of grass project distally from the sole through a mesh (30). The user therefore has the sensation of walking on grass even if not on a grassy surface.