Nike Sues Lululemon Over Sneakers, Claiming Patent Infringement
Nike is suing Lululemon, claiming that some of the athleisure brand’s new sneakers infringe on its patents.
In a lawsuit filed Monday in a New York District Court, Nike alleged that Lululemon’s Chargefeel Mid, Chargefeel Low, Blissfeel and Strongfeel sneakers infringe on Nike’s patents related to its Flyknit technology. Specifically, Nike’s claims relate to the way the shoes in question are manufactured as well as their textile and structural elements.
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Nike is seeking an undisclosed sum in damages and a permanent injunction to prevent any further infringement.
In a statement, a Lululemon company spokesperson said “Nike’s claims are unjustified, and we look forward to proving our case in court.”
FN has reached out to Nike for comment.
The lawsuit comes almost a year after Lululemon first launched footwear, starting with the rollout of its Blissfeel running shoe in March 2022. The company, which was awarded Launch of the Year at the 36th annual FN Achievement Awards in November, also launched the Chargefeel sneaker, the Strongfeel training shoe and the Restfeel slide for recovery.
Lululemon’s sneakers entered the marketplace to broad acclaim, with many noting the potential for the brand to challenge industry giants. According to Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald, demand for the new products in Q1 of last year were in excess of supply and “far exceeded” the company’s expectations.
Since the launch, Lululemon has made additional investments in its footwear and creative team and in April, announced the hiring of Adidas and Nike veterans in the roles of SVP of footwear and SVP and global creative director.
Nike also sued Lululemon in January of 2022 for patent infringement related to its at-home Mirror fitness device and other apps. Nike alleged that Lululemon infringed on six of Nike’s patent claims to certain “digital sport technologies.”
At the time, a Lululemon spokesperson said that “the patents in question are overly broad and invalid.”
Nike has also previously filed similar patent infringement lawsuits against Puma and Adidas, also claiming that these brands infringed on Nike’s Flyknit technology.
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