Nike (NYSE:NKE) has won a partial victory in its ongoing legal battle with Adidas over the use of three stripes on its trouser designs in Germany. A court in Duesseldorf ruled on Tuesday that Nike can use three stripes on some of its trouser designs, following a second appeal in the case.
Previously, the Duesseldorf regional court had banned Nike from using two or three stripes on five of its trouser designs after Adidas filed a trademark violation lawsuit in 2022. However, the recent ruling allows Nike to use the stripes on four of the disputed designs, while maintaining the ban on one model, partially overturning the earlier decision.
The three parallel stripes are a well-known Adidas trademark, and the company is vigilant in protecting this symbol in courtrooms worldwide. However, a year ago, Adidas chose to revoke its legal challenge against the Black Lives Matter yellow three-stripe logo, fearing that the objection might be interpreted as criticism of the anti-racism organization.
Nike argues that Adidas’ scope of protection is too narrow, asserting that striped decoration does not necessarily indicate brand ownership.
Featured Image: Megapixl
Author Stephanie Bédard-Châteauneuf 
