Footwear giant Nike has filed federal lawsuits against rivals New Balance and Skechers, accusing them of infringing patents related to Nike's technology for making upper portions of sneakers. The lawsuits allege that both New Balance and Skechers misuse Nike's patented "Flyknit" technology, which is used in running, soccer, and basketball shoes.
Nike has previously filed lawsuits against Adidas, Puma, and Lululemon for infringing its Flyknit patents. While Adidas and Puma have settled their lawsuits, Nike's case against Lululemon is still ongoing. Now, Nike has turned its attention to New Balance and Skechers, claiming that both companies have violated its patent rights.
New Balance, in response, stated that it respects competitors' intellectual property rights but believes that Nike does not have the exclusive right to use traditional manufacturing methods that have been used in the industry for decades. New Balance emphasized that it has been using these traditional methods to design and produce footwear for many years.
Representatives for Nike and Skechers have not commented on the lawsuits as of yet. Nike's website explains that its Flyknit technology employs high-strength fibers to create lightweight uppers with targeted areas of support, stretch, and breathability. This patented technology allows Nike to manufacture high-performance uppers with reduced materials and waste.
In the complaint filed against New Balance in Massachusetts federal court, Nike alleges that various shoe lines from New Balance, such as Fresh Foam and FuelCell, violate its patent rights. In the case filed in Los Angeles against Skechers, Nike claims that shoes like Ultra Flex and Glide Step from Skechers also infringe on its patents.
As a result, Nike is seeking unspecified monetary damages and court orders to permanently prevent both New Balance and Skechers from further infringing its patents.