December 11, 2023
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The athletic wear giant, Nike, has reportedly filed federal lawsuits against New Balance and Skechers for patent infringement. Nike reportedly alleges infringement of patents relating to the “Flyknit” technology used in its running, football and basketball shoes. Flyknit is a special type of high-strength yet light-weight fiber the company regularly uses in the “upper” part of its shoes.
In the complaint filed against New Balance, Nike contends that Flyknit technology is the culmination of more than a decade of research. Nike alleges that it currently has nine patents for its Flyknit technology, all of which were filed between September 2012 and July 2023. While cease and desist letters were reportedly sent to New Balance, Nike alleges that the company continues to make and sell products that infringe its patents. Nike is seeking an injunction prohibiting further infringement and a yet to be determined award for damages.
The fate of Nike’s lawsuits is unclear. Nike filed similar lawsuits against Puma and Adidas, which were reportedly settled in January 2020 and August 2022, respectively.
Authors: Olivia Moon and Arash Rouhi
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