In the latest legal challenge over its labor-saving, knitted-upper Flyknit technology, Nike has filed a patent infringement suit in Oregon’s federal court against Adidas and asked the U.S. International Trade Commission to block imports of its latest Primeknit styles. The list of the products includes various lifestyle, football, running and hiking models using the technology including the Adidas by Stella McCartney Ultraboost, the Pharell Williams Superstar, the Terrex Free Hiker and the X Speedflow. The Swoosh is claiming that a total of 49 designs of Adidas shoes are infringing on its Flyknit technology, which it says it announced in 2012 five months before Adidas came out with Primeknit. Stating that Primeknit was “resulting from years of dedicated research,” an Adidas spokesman told Reuters that the company was analyzing the complaint and that it would defend itself against the allegations. Two German courts had rejected Nike’s claims against Adidas’ Primeknit technology in 2012 and 2014. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled in Nike’s favor on Feb. 19, 2019. Adidas appealed the verdict, but a federal U.S. court rejected its appeal earlier this year, in July.

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