With Adidas'S Vamp War Not Yet Completed, Nike Brought PUMA To Court.

Nike's success in the sports shoes market is inseparable from the promotion of high profit technology products such as Flyknit. Since its launch in 2012, Flyknit series shoes have brought more than 1 billion US dollars in sales.

Flyknit shoe upper technology made from only one yarns

Nike has repeatedly said that it will spare no effort to protect this important patent for Flyknit vamp knitting technology.

Following the prosecution of Adidas, the US brand once again "fulfilled" commitments, this time was condemned by PUMA.

In May 7th, Forbes reported that Nike filed a suit against the PUMA North American company's patent infringement on May 3 to the Massachusetts district court.

In its petition, Nike claims that PUMA has "abandoned independent innovation" and has not used Nike's technology without permission.

The patent involved in the infringement litigation includes Nike's Flyknit, Air and Cleat technologies.

Among them, Flyknit vamp knitting technology is most concerned.

Flyknit vamp knitting technology

Nike claims that it has suffered irreparable damage because of PUMA's patent infringement.

The US brand asked the court to issue a permanent injunction, asking PUMA to stop using the technology and get "enough compensation for Nike's infringement."

At present, the public information does not clearly indicate that Nike's alleged infringement of PUMA shoes series or projects.

In 2016, the German brand introduced a new knitting.

Proknit and Evoknit, similar to Flyknit, are probably Nike's technology.

PUMA Evoknit knitted fabric

According to the US financial website Bizjournals, since its launch in 2012, Flyknit related products have brought more than $1 billion sales to Nike.

Before Flyknit technology was launched, Nike spent more than 10 years on research and development.

The core is to weave a single woven upper with a single yarn.

Braiding technology is used in all structural and supporting performance design.

Because of its simple material, shoes become light and flexible.

In February 2012, as the first product of Flyknit technology, Nike Flyknit Racer was listed.

Its weight is only 158 grams, lighter than other similar running shoes 30 grams, was then known as the lightest running shoes.

After the success of Flyknit Racer, Nike gradually extended the technology to other footwear industries, including basketball, golf and football.

Flyknit related products

Until July 2015, Nike acquired 500 patents related to Flyknit technology and design in the world - PUMA was accused of infringement, involving 4 of them.

It is worth noting that Flyknit not only reduces the weight of the shoe upper, but also brings Nike high profits.

Since the adoption of Flyknit technology in 2012, Nike has reduced nearly 3 million 500 thousand pounds of waste compared to traditional tailored sewing shoes, equivalent to 2 million 500 thousand standard basketball weights.

At the same time, Nike Flyknit

The core yarns used are used to regenerate polyester fibers.

Analysts believe Nike is spending on sports shoes.

The success is inseparable from the promotion of high profit technology products such as Flyknit.

Nowadays, the shoe upper made of only one polyester yarn has become one of Nike's most popular technologies, with considerable sales and natural protection.

In fact, from 2012 to the present, the competition between Nike and Adidas is still endless.

Shortly after the launch of Nike Flyknit, in July 2012, Adidas released Primeknit fabric technology. The same emphasis was placed on weaving technology, molding and lightening, and the appearance was exactly the same.

With the opportunity of the Olympic Games, Adidas launched 2012 pairs of running shoes worth 350 US dollars, which caused a great deal of popularity.

Adidas Primeknit fabric technology

Nike expressed outrage and filed a lawsuit against Adidas in the German Nuremberg district court, asking the other parties to stop producing and selling Primeknit related products throughout Germany.

However, Nike was rejected by the German court.

At that time, a Nike spokesman said, "this is not the first time Adidas has launched Primeknit related footwear products. We must protect Nike's rights and interests globally. Whether it is now or in the future, if there is any infringement, we will catch up with it."

At the end of 2012, Adidas filed a complaint in the United States that Nike did not have the qualification to apply for a patent.

According to the German Patent Law, according to the US Patent Law, this type of structure belongs to the conventional textile process, but it was not used to make shoes before, and can not be considered as a new invention.

Eventually, the lawsuit was rejected by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

In November 2017, Adidas continued to sue the US Federal Circuit Court of appeal.

Adidas believes that anyone who has experience in shoemaking knows how to make use of knitting technology.

In order to refute the rationality of Nike Flyknit patent existence.

At present, the controversy between Adidas and Nike is still uncertain, and the US brand is targeting PUMA again.

Obviously, Flyknit technology is more important or more than expected for Nike.