Nike Partially Wins Appeal Against Adidas Over Stripes Dispute In Germany
In a second appeal hearing, a court ruled on Tuesday that Nike can incorporate three stripes on certain trouser designs
Nike Partially Wins Appeal Against Adidas Over Stripes Dispute In Germany
In a second appeal hearing, a court ruled on Tuesday that Nike can incorporate three stripes on certain trouser designs in Germany, following a legal battle with its smaller rival Adidas.
After Adidas filed a Trademark violation lawsuit in 2022, the Duesseldorf regional court had previously barred the U.S. firm from utilizing two or three stripes on five of its trouser designs.
The court stated that Nike is now permitted to utilize the stripes on four of the disputed models, while the ban on one remaining model remains unchanged, partially overturning the earlier decision.
The three parallel stripes symbolize a widely recognized Trademark of Adidas, fiercely defended in courtrooms worldwide.
However, a year ago, the German brand made the decision to withdraw its legal action against the yellow three-stripe logo of Black Lives Matter.
This move was driven by concerns that opposing the logo could be interpreted as criticism of the anti-racism organization.
Nike challenges Adidas' assertion, arguing that the scope of protection for the three stripes is too narrow.
According to Nike, striped decoration does not inherently signify the brand to which it belongs.