04 Mar DuPont and Adidas Sign Trademark License Agreement
Adidas recently previewed a limited edition line of cleats that incorporate DuPont Kevlar fiber, and will be launching the full line later this year. Adidas chose the iconic brand to reinforce the plates in the cleats “because of its lightweight strength and durability.” Dare Bigger is the new brand platform DuPont announced last year with its sponsorship of ESPN’s X Games Austin.
“The science behind this advanced material, coupled with its strength and durability, allows athletes to reach new levels of performance,” said Kathy Kowalski, global brand, marketing and communications leader, DuPont Protection Technologies.
Best known for its use in ballistic and stab-resistant body armor, Kevlar brand says it has helped save the lives of thousands of people around the world. The use of Kevlar has been extended to everything from fire fighter and industrial protective clothing to vehicles, fiber optic cables, mining belts, commercial aircraft and city roads. Kevlar fiber also is used in many consumer products such as mobile phones, tires, high-performance sporting apparel and equipment. This year, DuPont is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the discovery of DuPont Kevlar.
Adidas unveiled the “STAND FREAK x Kevlar Black History Month limited edition” cleat shoes on Martin Luther King Day. The cleat was showcased via social media platforms of NFL Pro Bowl players Demarco Murray, Jimmy Graham, Von Miller, Mario Williams, among others. The new cleats will be available at www.adidas.com, as well as through participating sporting goods stores and online retailers, including Eastbay, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Footlocker.
“Adidas Football is always looking to balance performance and protection,” said Jeff McGillis, senior director, adidas Football. “We build the lightest cleats in the industry to make every player on the field faster. DuPont Kevlar fiber optimizes both player safety and the lightweight playability of the adizero 5-Star x with Kevlar and the Freak x with Kevlar.”
“This partnership between adidas and DuPont is a great example of the power of the DuPont Kevlar brand, and its ability to lend best in class technology to the products it touches,” said Jeff Cohen, CEO Earthbound Brands, North America licensing representative for DuPont Kevlar. For additional information about licensing opportunities for DuPont Kevlar, visit www.earthboundbrands.com.
Adidas is a global designer, developer and marketer of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories with the mission “to be the leading sports brand in the world.” Brand adidas is part of the adidas Group, a corporation that includes brands such as Reebok, TaylorMade and Rockport.
The adidas Group is a global leader in the sporting goods industry, offering a broad portfolio of footwear, apparel and hardware for sport and lifestyle around the core brands adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade, Rockport and Reebok-CCM Hockey. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany, the Group employs more than 50,000 people across the globe and generated sales of €14.5 billion in 2013.
DuPont Protection Technologies is a leader in technologies and products that protect people, the environment and critical assets worldwide. DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of products, materials and services since 1802.