Puma sues Brooks for trademark infringement and copying

Footwear giant Puma has launched a lawsuit against American sportswear brand Brooks for trademark infringement and copying.

Germany-based Puma alleges Brooks is infringing the trademark it filed in December for the word ‘Nitro’, which it has incorporated into its design and attributes. Puma also accuses Brooks of copying its foam molding technology, which Puma submitted for registration in 2020.

According to the Sourcing Journal, Puma sent a letter to Brooks explaining its “exclusive rights” to Nitro “in connection with footwear”. Brooks reportedly “refused” the settlement terms and did not offer a counter-proposal, Puma said.

The court filing is the latest in a long line of sneaker wars, with last month adidas suing Nike over app and technology infringements, while Nike is currently also in a litigious battle with StockX over metaverse sneakers. Brooks has also previously been sued by Sketches for a logo infringement.

On Monday a Brooks spokesperson told Reuters that Puma was "abusing trademark law by seeking to prevent competitors from using the term 'nitro' to describe nitro-infused shoes" and called the allegations "baseless."