Nike sues business rivals, alleges patent infringement of sneaker technology

The world’s largest sneaker company, Nike, filed federal lawsuits against rivals New Balance and Skechers (SKX.N) on Monday, alleging that they had violated patents covering Nike’s technology for producing uppers for sneakers.

The lawsuits claimed that a number of Skechers and New Balance running, soccer and basketball shoes improperly use Nike’s patented “Flyknit” technology.

For violating Flyknit patents, Nike has previously filed lawsuits against Adidas, Puma, and Lululemon. While Nike’s legal battle with Lululemon is still pending, the cases against Adidas and Puma have been settled.

New Balance issued a statement stating that it “fully respects competitors’ intellectual property rights, but 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.”

Requests for comments on the lawsuits filed on Monday were not immediately answered by representatives of Skechers or Nike.

Flyknit technology, according to the Nike website, “uses high-strength fibres to create lightweight uppers with targeted areas of support, stretch, and breathability.” Nike is based in Beaverton, Oregon. According to the lawsuits, it can produce high-performance uppers with less waste and material thanks to patented technology.

Nike filed a complaint in federal court in Massachusetts alleging that shoes from New Balance’s FuelCell, Fresh Foam, and other lines infringe upon Nike’s patent rights. New Balance is based in Boston. Nike filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against Skechers, a company based in Manhattan Beach, California, alleging that the company’s Ultra Flex and Glide Step brands of shoes violated its patents.

Nike requested injunctions barring New Balance and Skechers from ever again infringing on their patents, along with an undisclosed sum of money in damages.

(With agency inputs)