Columbia Sportswear wants a federal court in Oregon to declare that its use of “Aspen” on products does not infringe on a trademark owned by Aspen Licensing International of Florida. In its counter-complaint to Aspen’s legal challenge, Columbia claims its use of “Aspen Square” and “Aspen Glen” on a glove and jacket, respectively, do not infringe on a patent owned by Aspen for apparel. According to Columbia’s complaint, Aspen Licensing has filed at least 12 trademark infringement lawsuits over the last four years and sells its products in different retail channels than Columbia. Further, Columbia’s attorneys argue that “Aspen is a weak trademark” so would only be entitled to a narrow scope of protection, if any.
