Peloton sues Lululemon in battle over patent infringement claims

Peloton Interactive, Inc., is urging a court to say that its sportswear does not infringe on Lululemon’s patent designs by filing a lawsuit against the athletic wear brand earlier this week.

This comes after Lululemon earlier this month sent a cease-and-desist letter to Peloton over clothing offered by the fitness equipment company, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“On top of the numerous clear and obvious differences in design, Peloton and Lululemon’s brands and logos are also distinctive and well-recognized, making confusion between products a virtual impossibility,” Peloton wrote in their suit filed on Wednesday, according to the paper.

The crux of the issue is five items sold by Peloton, including leggings and bras, that Lululemon alleged in its Nov. 11 cease-and-desist letter infringed on the athletic wear company’s patents. 

Specifically, Lululemon claimed that its Align patents, which it said were “highly distinctive,” looked similar to something that Peloton sold. The company worried in its cease-and-desist letter that Peloton’s alleged patent infringement would “confuse the relevant public and severely damage lululemon’s hard-earned reputation, goodwill, and its iconic brand.”

“At lululemon we are known for our product innovation and iconic design. We have requested that Peloton cease and desist selling a number of styles of apparel which we believe infringe upon lululemon’s design patents,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “We will defend our proprietary rights, to protect the integrity of our brand, and to safeguard our intellectual property.”

In Peloton’s lawsuit, however, it alleges that Lululemon is only claiming patent infringement because the fitness equipment company has recently had financial success.

The lawsuit further claims that a previous partnership between the two, during which Peloton sold Lululemon products on its website, ended on cordial terms, the Journal reported.

The Hill has reached out to Peloton for comment.

— Updated at 9:48 p.m.