One of the largest manufacturers of sports shoes and clothing on planet Earth, Nike, is going to court.
A lawsuit has already been filed. New Balance and Skechers should be named as defendants.
Nike accuses them of violating intellectual property rights to patented technology for the production of the upper part of the sneakers.
TASS reported this with reference to claims filed in the district courts of California and Massachusetts.
According to the lawsuits, the essence of the claim against the named companies is that, according to Nike, they used its Flyknit technology without permission.
The plaintiff asked for damages plus the courts to take measures that would prevent New Balance and Skechers from “violating patent laws.”
The specific allegations relate to New Balance’s Fresh Foam and FuelCell lines, as well as Skechers’ Ultra Flex and Glide Step models.
New Balance said it respects its competitors’ “intellectual property rights,” but Nike said it does not have the exclusive right to develop and manufacture shoes based on these technologies.
This is justified by the fact that these technologies, according to a statement from New Balance representatives, “have been used in the industry for decades.”
