9 of the Biggest Footwear Legal Dramas in 2025

Legal Issues in the Footwear Industry - The footwear industry faced numerous legal challenges in 2025, primarily involving trademark complaints and other disputes [1] - Notable legal battles included White Mountain's lawsuit with Birkenstock and Steve Madden's conflict with Adidas [2] White Mountain vs. Birkenstock - White Mountain Footwear and its parent company American Exchange Group are contesting a lawsuit filed by Birkenstock, which claims that White Mountain has produced knockoffs of its footwear designs [3] - In a recent motion, White Mountain seeks to dismiss Birkenstock's claims, arguing that Birkenstock ignored the alleged copying for 30 years [4] - Birkenstock's original complaint includes accusations of systematic copying of its Buckley clog and infringement on its trademark and trade dress rights for several of its signature footwear styles [5] On Cloudmonster Class Action Lawsuit - Swiss brand On is facing a class action lawsuit due to complaints about its Cloudmonster sneakers, which reportedly emit a loud squeaking sound [6] - Plaintiffs Patricia Ramirez and Louis Bologna claim they were harmed by the premium price they paid for the shoes based on On's misleading representations [7] Kizik vs. Skechers - Kizik's parent company, HandsFree Labs, has filed a lawsuit against Skechers USA for allegedly infringing on its footwear patents related to hands-free shoe technology [8] - The lawsuit claims that Skechers knowingly infringed on four utility patents and two design patents held by HandsFree Labs [9]