BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) today announced a strategic investment in and exclusive intellectual property licensing partnership with Handsfree Labs, Inc., a pioneer in hands-free footwear technology. The technology enables consumers to step in and out of shoes more easily without lacing or the use of hands.
“Our partnership with Handsfree builds on Nike’s leadership in using innovative technology to meet consumer needs,” said Tom Clarke, Nike President of Innovation. “Our Nike FlyEase platform is aimed at providing greater access to sport for all athletes, and we believe Handsfree’s ‘easy on and off’ technology has the potential to broaden and enhance this effort by removing barriers to play and making sport easier for more people.”
“Handsfree Labs is passionate about bringing the comfort and convenience of hands-free shoes to everyone, and our partnership with Nike accelerates this vision,” said Mike Pratt, Founder and CEO of Handsfree Labs. “With Nike, we are reinventing the way people put on shoes, and we are proud to introduce the world to this significant footwear advancement.”
About NIKE, Inc.
NIKE, Inc., based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned NIKE, Inc. subsidiary brands include Converse, which designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Hurley, which designs, markets and distributes surf and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, NIKE, Inc.’s earnings releases and other financial information are available at http://investors.nike.com. Individuals can also visit http://news.nike.com/ and follow @Nike.
About HandsFree Labs, Inc.
HandsFree Labs, Inc., based in Vineyard, Utah, is led by innovator Mike Pratt. HandsFree Labs features an entire portfolio of patented step-in shoe technologies branded as F.A.S.T.® (Foot Activated Shoe Technology) and is a parent of footwear brands KIZIK® (https://kizik.com/) and PILAR (https://pilar.com/). For more information on HandsFree Labs, Inc., please visit https://handsfreelabs.com.
