Nike patent victory overturned in footwear dispute with Lululemon

US sportswear giant Nike has seen a jury verdict in its favour reversed by a federal judge in Manhattan, effectively nullifying a 355,450 dollars damages award against Canadian athleticwear company Lululemon USA Inc. (Lululemon).

The decision, signed by district judge Arun Subramanian on March 24, 2025, follows a legal battle initiated in 2023. Nike had originally alleged that Lululemon infringed two patents regarding innovations in sneaker structures, specifically concerning the knit construction of footwear uppers.

While a jury had previously determined that Lululemon infringed claims one and 14 of US Patent No. 8,266,749, Subramanian ruled that the patent in question was invalid. The judge stated that the technology would have been obvious to an ordinary person in the field at the time of its invention.

Details of patent claims

The litigation focused on several of Lululemon’s running and training models, including the Blissfeel, Blissfeel 2, Chargefeel Low, and Strongfeel shoes. Nike had sought damages representing at least 5 percent of the revenues generated from these specific products.

The court decree noted that while Lululemon was initially found to have infringed the '749 patent through the importation and sale of these models, it did not infringe claims of a second patent, US Patent No. 9,375,046. Furthermore, the court found that the '046 patent was not invalid as anticipated by the Nike Lunar one.

Despite the initial March 7, 2025, verdict awarding Nike 355,450 dollars, the subsequent ruling on patent invalidity removes Lululemon’s liability for these damages.

Ongoing legal friction

This footwear dispute is not the only legal engagement between the two industry leaders. Nike previously filed a separate lawsuit against Lululemon in 2022 regarding the Mirror Home Gym.

That case, which alleges infringement of patents related to digital fitness technology, remains ongoing in the New York court system.