The American company Nike has sued New Balance and Skechers in federal court in Massachusetts for using patented sneaker technology, Reuters reports. The lawsuit alleges that some New Balance and Skechers sneakers were created using Nike’s Flyknit method.
Patented technology uses strong, fine threads to create the upper fabric of the shoe, providing a secure fit while providing breathability and flexibility. Nike wants to seek an injunction against competitors making Flyknit shoes, as well as an unspecified amount of money from the brands.
New Balance, responding to the accusations, emphasized that it respects the competitor’s intellectual property rights. At the same time, the company recalled that this method has been used for more than one generation and Nike does not own exclusive rights to produce shoes using this technology.
Previously, the Finnish Debt Collection Office confiscated some trademarks of Russian legal entities. Rights and trademarks, including those of Sberbank and the Kalashnikov arms group, were removed from the Finnish patent office because EU economic sanctions had previously been imposed against them.
