Nike Sues Lululemon for Alleged Patent Infringement

Nike claims it suffered “economic harm and irreparable injury” as a result of four Lululemon shoes.

The shoe giant Nike is once again suing Lululemon Athletica for patent infringement related to four of its shoes, according to a CNBC report. The complaint was filed Monday in Manhattan federal court.

This is not the first time Nike is suing Lululemon. In January 2022, Nike filed a lawsuit against Lululemon for patent infringement on its Mirror workout technology, according to KGW8. 

According to reports, Nike claims it has “suffered economic harm and irreparable injury” as a result of Lululemon’s shoes, Chargefeel Mid, Chargefeel Low, Blissfeel, and Strongfeel shoes. 

Nike said its three patents focus on “textile elements, including knitted elements, webbed areas, and tubular structures on the footwear,” according to CNBC. One patent addresses the footwear’s performance. 

Lululemon, an apparel company, launched its first shoe, the Blissfeel, last March. 

“Nike’s claims are unjustified, and we look forward to proving our case in court,” a Lululemon spokesperson said in a statement, according to CNBC. 

Nike’s 2022 lawsuit against Lululemon claims the company infringed on six patents over its Mirror fitness device, which Lululemon bought in 2020, and its related mobile apps, according to CNBC. The company is seeking triple damages in that case.

Nike, according to the CNBC report, says it invented (and filed a patent in 1983) a device that “determined a runner’s speed, calories expended, distance traveled, and time elapsed.” The Mirror platform leads users through cardio and other workouts. The lawsuit claims similarities between the technology enabling users to compete with others, record performances, and target certain exertion levels, per CNBC. 

At the time, Lululemon said, in a statement: “The patents in question are overly broad and invalid. We are confident in our position and look forward to defending it in court.”

In September 2022, Lululemon settled a lawsuit with Peloton, after it claimed the fitness equipment company stole sports bra designs from Lululemon, according to CBC. 

posted Saturday February 4th
by Runner’s World