Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Adidas withdraws opposition to Black Lives Matter three stripe design

Adidas withdraws opposition to Black Lives Matter three stripe design

The sports clothing company had tried to stop the prominent BLM group from registering a three-stripe trademark used on items it also sells, such as bags and clothes, for fear it could likely "cause confusion" among consumers.

Adidas has withdrawn its opposition to a three-line Black Lives Matter (BLM) trademark.

The German sports design giant had asked the US Trademark Office to reject a trademark application by Black Lives Matter, which featured three parallel lines, just two days before the U-turn.

"Adidas will withdraw its opposition to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation's trademark application as soon as possible," a company statement said.

Adidas had told the US Trademark Office that Black Lives Matter's design so closely resembled its iconic three-stripe trademark that it was likely to cause confusion and consumers may believe the Black Lives Matter items may be made or connected to Adidas.

Adidas has previously sued Thom Browne over its stripe design but were unsuccessful in the court case


It sought to prevent the design being registered as a trademark and used on items that Adidas sells such as T-shirts and bags.

The group seeking the trademark, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, is the most prominent entity in the Black Lives Matter movement, which comprises groups across the world with no central, governing body.

The organisation had applied for a federal trademark in November 2020 for a yellow three-stripe design to use on products including clothes, publications, bags, bracelets and mugs.

The Black Lives Matter movement was launched 10 years ago in protest to police violence against black people.

The three-line design has been used by Adidas since 1952 and has been defended in court multiple times since then. More than 90 lawsuits have been brought and more than 200 settlements have been agreed since 2008, according to court documents from a lawsuit brought against designer Thom Browne and his design brand.

That case was successfully defended in January when a jury found in favour of Thom Browne.

Last month Adidas revealed plans for a huge cut to its shareholder payments as it dealt with the expensive fallout from its failed partnership with rapper and designer Kanye West.

The company admitted it was still yet to decide what to do with a mountain of unsold Yeezy runners, the legacy of its split from West, following antisemitic, and other offensive remarks, he made in October.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×