Adidas introduced its Trefoil logo in 1972.
The Trefoil consists of three leaf-like lobes crossed by three horizontal stripes. Adidas adopted it as a major brand symbol during the 1970s, when the company was expanding beyond athletic footwear and building a broader sportswear identity.
The three leaves are commonly explained as representing the landmasses of the Americas, Europe-Africa, and Asia, while the stripes remain a defining Adidas design element. The Trefoil later became especially associated with Adidas Originals, the lifestyle division that draws on the company’s historical products and visual language.
A common mix-up is treating the Trefoil as Adidas’s only logo. The company introduced the three-bar mountain mark in 1991 for performance products, and the newer performance emblem is often seen on athletic clothing and equipment. The Trefoil remains widely used, but its role is now distinct from the performance logo rather than replacing it entirely.