Gold-Medal Innovation: The Patented Technology Powering Milan-Cortina 2026

DecathaLAW Series 2026: Article 5

While the world has turned its attention to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, spectators have been watching more than athletic excellence. The Games have also been a live showcase of patented sports technology. From Milan’s fashion-driven urban venues to the severe alpine conditions of Cortina d’Ampezzo, athletes rely on uniforms and equipment engineered to regulate heat, manage moisture, reduce drag, and optimize movement. Behind that gear is a dense web of patents covering textile engineering, adaptive insulation, and smart apparel systems.

From Early Textile IP to Modern Olympic Gear

Modern Olympic performance apparel builds on decades of foundational textile patents. One early example is U.S. Patent No. 4,569,874, which discloses a lightweight composite sportswear fabric for cold climates using a vapor-permeable membrane and thermally reflective layers to trap heat while allowing moisture to escape. [1] That core concept – warmth without bulk and without sweat accumulation – remains central to today’s winter sports apparel.  

Nike®: Adaptive Warmth and Dynamic Ventilation

Nike, the official outfitter of Team USA, leans heavily on patented adaptive apparel systems for cold-weather performance. A visible example for this Olympic cycle is the Therma-FIT® Air Milano Jacket, designed for medal ceremonies and cold-weather use. [2] The jacket incorporates air-channeled or inflatable insulation zones that allow athletes to dynamically control warmth without constantly adding or removing layers.

While not specific to the Air Milano jacket, at least two Nike apparel patents describe similar architectures of chambers, panels, and air or gas control within garments, and likely informed its development:

• U.S. Patent No. 10,426,206, covering apparel with zoned venting and airflow control to target specific body regions; [3] and

• U.S. Patent No. 11,998,071, granted in June 2024, covering a vented garment with layered insulation and engineered airflow paths. [4]

Nike’s primary Olympic footwear for outdoor and alpine conditions is the Nike ACG Ultrafly, designed for snow, ice, trail, and mixed terrain. It integrates a ZoomX foam midsole for energy return, a carbon FlyPlate for propulsion and stability, and a Vibram® Litebase outsole aimed at reducing weight while maintaining traction. [5] These components are supported by multiple patents on foam formulations, plate geometry, and lug patterns.   

Moisture management is another key technical area. Nike’s patent portfolio includes U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0331055, initially filed September 12, 2011, covering multilayer garments that balance waterproof protection with moisture transport. [6] Nike’s Dri-FIT ADV technology – identified as part of the official Team USA Milan-Cortina collection – uses mapped knit structures and hydrophilic/hydrophobic yarn combinations to actively pull sweat away from the skin, disperse it across a broader surface area, and accelerate evaporation. [7] Dri-FIT ADV appears in base layers, training tops, performance shirts, and mid-layers worn under outerwear.

Taken together, these systems reflect Nike’s emphasis on keeping athletes dry, warm, and thermally balanced in conditions that can shift from bitter cold to high-output exertion within a single event.

adidas®: Engineered Climate Systems and Knit Innovation

adidas is outfitting twelve national teams, including Great Britain and Germany. Its Olympic collections emphasize temperature regulation, compression, and aerodynamic efficiency through proprietary systems such as COLD.RDY, HEAT.RDY, and CLIMAWARM.

COLD.RDY is adidas’s cold-weather protection system, designed to reduce heat loss, block wind, and maintain warmth in low-temperature environments. It appears in insulated jackets, winter base and mid-layers, and cold-exposure outerwear, often combining brushed inner surfaces, wind-blocking membranes, and zoned insulation. [8]

HEAT.RDY is a cooling and moisture-management system engineered to increase airflow and accelerate sweat evaporation. It relies on open-structure knits, mesh zones, and yarns with enhanced capillary action, and is deployed in lightweight performance tops and training apparel. [9]

CLIMAWARM is adidas’s cold-weather insulation and thermal-management platform. For Milan-Cortina 2026, adidas has introduced an advanced CLIMAWARM system specifically designed for pre-competition use in alpine conditions. [10] This system includes pre-heating jackets and pants with integrated Clim8 heating pads, adaptive “eco” and “boost” heating modes, and safety controls to prevent overheating. [11]

To protect the large financial investment into such engineered-climate systems, patent portfolios are used to secure rights to the embedded heating elements, power routing through flexible substrates, washable connectors, and localized thermal zones. The technical challenge is to integrate electronics and power delivery into textiles without compromising stretch, weight, or durability, while meeting safety standards for prolonged contact with skin in cold environments.

Kappa®: Italian Engineering Meets Olympic Performance

As Italy’s historic sportswear brand, Kappa was expected to feature prominently at its home Olympics. Kappa is known for proprietary compression fabrics and stretch-mesh ventilation zones, engineered for directional elasticity, reduced seam friction, and optimized airflow – key performance factors for speed skating, skiing, and bobsleigh.

Kappa KOMBAT® compression garments are designed for a tight, “second-skin” fit using high-stretch polyester/elastane jersey fabrics, often combined with mesh panels for breathability. Product descriptions consistently highlight four-way stretch and anti-odor benefits. See [12]. Kappa traces the KOMBAT design to its early 2000s football kits and has iterated that architecture into current compression and performance collections. See [13].

The brand frequently describes ergonomic cuts and athletic fits that move with the body, including raglan sleeves and panel layouts intended to reduce restriction during complex movement patterns. Many KOMBAT and technical training garments feature mesh inserts or large-holed polyester mesh in high-heat zones (such as back panels) to increase airflow and moisture evacuation at peak exertion.

Kappa holds registered trademarks linked to its performance platforms used in winter sports and Olympic-level gear. The KOMBAT mark, for example, covers technical shirts, jerseys, uniforms, and compression-style athletic wear, which has been actively enforced, including at USPTO opposition proceedings. [14]

The Broader Impact on the Milan-Cortina Games

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics displayed both a global showcase and a real-time testing environment for patented and patent-pending sports technology. From inflatable thermal chambers to dimensional mesh fabrics and sensor-integrated heating systems, elite Olympic gear represents decades of investment in intellectual property and materials science.

As Milan’s fashion heritage converged with Cortina’s alpine extremes, patented textile and apparel technologies redefined how athletes prepared, performed, and recovered. The innovations on display in 2026 will not remain confined to the podium; they set performance and comfort benchmarks that will influence winter sports apparel for years to come.

1. U.S. Patent No. 4,569,874 (filed April 17, 1985), https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/bd/05/24/63bd36b55483ce/US4569874.pdf.
2. Press Release, Nike, Inc., Nike Therma-FIT Air Milano Jacket (Oct. 2025), https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-therma-fit-air-milano-jacket-official-images.
3. U.S. Patent No. 10,426,206 (filed July 19, 2016), https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/d1/6d/28/785974164c788b/US10426206.pdf.
4. U.S. Patent No. 11,998,071 (filed June 17, 2022), https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/c8/5d/cf/aa4e59e40576a9/US11998071.pdf.
5. Press Release, Nike, Inc., Nike ACG Team USA Collection (Jan. 2026), https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/acg-team-usa-collection-official-images.
6. U.S. Patent Application No. 15/218,693 (filed July 25, 2016) https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/a2/6e/2b/193f5c4a36968f/US20160331055A1.pdf.
7. WTAE.com, Where to Buy Official Nike Gear for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics (Feb. 2026), https://www.wtae.com/article/buy-official-nike-gear-team-usa-2026-winter-olympics/70239153.
8. adidas, COLD.RDY Collection, https://www.adidas.com/us/cold.rdy.
9. RevUp Sports, What Is adidas HEAT.RDY Apparel Technology?, https://revupsports.com/blog/adidas-heatrdy-apparel-technology.html.
10. NSS Sports, adidas CLIMAWARM Jacket for the Winter Olympics, https://www.nss-sports.com/en/lifestyle/44140/adidas-climawarm-winter-olympics-jacket.
11. Press Release, adidas, adidas Unveils CLIMAWARM System for Sub-Zero Race Conditions (Feb. 2026), https://news.adidas.com/outdoor/adidas-unveils-climawarm-system-for-sub-zero-race-conditions/s/1713df15-bf2a-48e9-a65f-29b709502d1d.
12. Kappa Riding, Long Compression Shirt, http://www.kappariding.com/long-compression-shirt.html.
13. NSS Sports, Kappa KOMBAT Style: From Football to Performance Gear, https://www.nss-sports.com/en/lifestyle/32003/kappa-kombat-style.
14. Notice of Opposition, Basic Trademark S.A.. v. Andres Martinez, Opposition No. 91253160 (T.T.A.B. filed Dec. 28, 2019), https://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=91253160.