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 complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleges that Skechers “knowingly and willfully” infringed on four HFL utility patents as well as two design patents protecting “ornamental innovations”. The suit particularly references the Skechers Hands Free Slip-Ins line, which are said to feature infringing heel and elastic upper elements.

After Skechers first launched its hands-free styles in 2021, the category has become an “integral” part of its business, with the brand’s slip-ins line now accounting for around 35 percent of the products listed on its website, the lawsuit notes. This, however, rides on the coattails of Kizik, according to HFL, with Skechers launching such products without licensing and acknowledging the brand, instead promoting the designs as proprietary.

Skechers Hands Free line becomes integral part of the business

HFL references other cases in which Skechers has previously been accused of infringing global brands, including Nike, to reaffirm its case, adding that it is yet “another innovator whose hard work has been misappropriated by Skechers without recognition or compensation”. In contrast, HFL has backed licensed collaborations on hands-free footwear designs with brands like Nike, which had made a strategic investment into the firm in 2019.

Through the lawsuit, HFL hopes to “stop Skechers’ rampant infringement” and obtain a “proper share” of the brand’s “billions in annual revenue”. The company is calling for a trial by jury and has requested an injunction to avoid further infringement and compensation for damages.

In a press release addressing the lawsuit, Gareth Hosford, CEO of HFL, said: “This isn’t just a product Skechers copied, it’s a category we created. From the start, our mission was clear - to revolutionise how people put on their shoes. We believed this everyday task could be easier, faster, and more convenient. We poured our energy into developing the technology to solve a real-world problem and make hands-free shoes a reality. We’re now forced to defend that work against a company that chose to imitate rather than innovate.”

Since its founding in 2017, HFL has set out to establish Kizikas the leading hands-free footwear brand, boasting over 200 patents and applications globally to reinforce its presence in the specialty footwear market. In recent years, the company has been pursuing a new level of growth through store experiences, an omnichannel brand platform and new global distribution partners, underlining its intention to globally expand the business.

Update July 29 8:40am. Skechers has told FashionUnited in a new update that "it will vigorously defend the patent suit" brought by HFL, calling the firm's claims "baseless". Skechers added: "Contrary to Kizik’s false assertion that Skechers patents have been rejected, Skechers has developed its own unique Slip ins technology and has obtained more than 140 utility and design patents worldwide, including in the US, and has vigilantly enforced its patent rights, resulting in numerous judgements, injunctions and settlements around the world."

In a press release addressing the lawsuit, president of Skechers, Michael Greenberg, stated, “The timing of this lawsuit is curious, coming on the heels of Skechers announcing a 9.42 billion dollar merger with 3G Capital. Kizik asserts that, ‘at the heart of Skechers’ hands-free shoes’ are Kizik’s patented technologies, yet Skechers has been advertising and selling its Slip-ins since December 2021 without so much as a letter from Kizik. Then, after the merger is announced, Kizik hires a law firm also used by Nike and attacks our whole Slip-ins product line.

"We believe that, after all these years of silence, the true motivation for this lawsuit might be found right on the face of Kizik’s complaint, where they state that they are looking for a share of the 9.42 billion dollars being paid for Skechers, money Kizik did not earn and does not deserve.”