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Nike Inc. is suing its major rivals, New Balance Athletics, Inc. and Skechers USA, Inc. for alleged violation of patent infringement law. The footwear and sports apparel headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, claimed that the companies copied its sneaker technology.
As per Reuters, Nike filed the lawsuits on Monday, Nov. 6, at a US federal court in Massachusetts. The company said New Balance and Skechers infringed its “Flyknit” technology designed for basketball, soccer, and running sneakers.
Nike’s Complaint Against Brand Rivals
The sneaker maker said its lawsuit against New Balance and Skechers mainly involves its patented innovation for making the upper parts of the shoes. It accused the companies of misusing its "Flyknit" technology that it said was applied on some New Balance athletic shoes and Skechers sneakers.
In the filing, Nike listed New Balance's FuelCell, Fresh Foam, and other shoe models as the range that violated its patent rights. For Skechers, the footwear that supposedly infringed Nike’s technology are the Ultra Flex and Glide Step lines.
Compensation for Damage Claims
Inside Retail reported that Nike is requesting the court for monetary compensation but the exact amount was not specified. It also wants the law to order for permanent blocking of New Balance and Skechers from infringing on its patents in the future.
In response to the legal complaint from Nike, Skechers did not immediately respond to the request for comments. On the other hand, New Balance issued a statement saying that while it fully respects competitors’ intellectual property rights, it believes that “Nike does not own the exclusive right to design and produce footwear by traditional manufacturing methods that have been used in the industry for decades.”
Meanwhile, Nike also sued Puma, Lululemon, and Adidas for the same infringement claims. Among the three firms, only Lululemon’s case remained unsettled up to this time and is currently still ongoing.
