Headlines

Nike and Adidas Reach Cease-Fire on Patent Lawsuits

The shoemakers have agreed to settle their disputes, avoiding a potentially “catastrophic” result

Published

2 years ago

August 29, 2022

VMSD Staff

Nike and Adidas have settled multiple disputes in which each side claimed the other infringed on patents related to its sneaker technology, Reuters reports.

The disputes began when Nike sued Adidas in December 2021, accusing Adidas of violating patents related to Nike’s Flyknit technology. In June, Adidas responded with its own lawsuit, alleging Nike infringed on patents related to Adidas’ adjustable shoe technology and digital products, including its mobile apps.

On Aug. 19, the companies jointly asked the courts to dismiss their cases against each other, the article says.

Kenneth Anand, a lawyer and co-author of Sneaker Law, told the Portland Business Journal the settlement makes sense given the inherent costs of drawn-out litigation.

“It may be that the parties came to a common realization that continuing wasn’t in either of their financial interests,” Anand said. “Having followed the Flyknit v. Primeknit case since the beginning, I can say I am a bit relieved to know that the case was settled. I believe the end result, whoever lost, would have been catastrophic, since both parties have had, for some years now, widely profitable and varied sneaker offerings containing the knit technologies at issue.”

Read more at Reuters.

VMSD Staff

Drawing on more than 125 years of history serving the retail design market, VMSD magazine provides retail professionals with the most up-to-date, innovative retail design ideas and industry news through its industry-leading magazine, website, social media channels and bulletins.

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