HandsFree Labs news and archive

Kizik brings legal dispute with Skechers to Europe

HandsFree Labs (HFL), the parent company of Kizik, has extended its legal dispute with Skechers USA to Europe, where it has now filed a trademark infringement complaint with the Unified Patent Court in Munich, Germany. In the complaint, issued by Fast IP, LLC – the intellectual property (IP) holding company of HFL – and seen by WWD, a disputed...

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Skechers responds to Kizik’s ‘baseless’ lawsuit

Footwear giant Skechers USA has said it plans to “vigorously defend the patent suit” launched against it by HandsFree Lab (HFL), the parent company of Kizik. In a press release, Skechers said HFL’s allegations, pertaining to its line of Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins, were “baseless” and rooted in the “assertion that Kizik created the hands-free...

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Kizik parent company accuses Skechers of patent infringement in new lawsuit

Skechers has found itself on the receiving end of a lawsuit over its sale of hands-free footwear by the company that claims to have created the category. HandsFree Labs (HFL), the intellectual property owner behind Kizik, has accused Skechers USA of patent infringement for mechanical constructions that allow for hands-free shoe entry. The...

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Kizik appoints new chief executive officer

Gareth Hosford was appointed chief executive officer of US footwear brand Kizik and its parent company, HandsFree Labs. Hosford has over 20 years of experience in the footwear and sportswear industries, with previous senior roles at Nike, Converse and sportswear start-up Omorpho. Under Hosford’s leadership, Kizik aims to grow further, both...