Columbia Sportswear has filed a lawsuit against Seirus Innovative Accessories for infringement on its patent for its insulating Omni Heat reflective material. In the lawsuit it filed in Seattle at the beginning of December, Columbia accused Utah-based Seirus of selling gloves with a heat-reflecting material and bearing a wavy ornamental design similar to those sold by Columbia. The Seirus products' insulating material also has the trade name “Heatwave.” Columbia obtained the patent for the heat reflective material in April 2012, which covered the ornamental design. Columbia seeks a judgment calling for Seirus' profits from the sale of its gloves, not less than $250 per pair. It also seeks a “reasonable royalty” for Seirus' alleged use of the patent, plus interest and costs, and a permanent injunction against Seirus from continuing to sell products with the wavy, insulating design. This is not the first time Columbia has become embroiled in a lawsuit over its heated clothing. Earlier last year, Innovative Sports filed a lawsuit against Columbia, claiming it designed and developed technology for heated clothing and disclosed those ideas to Columbia during meetings. The complaint related to Columbia Sportswear's Omni-Heat Electric heated apparel line and its discontinued 2009 collection of heated jackets. The lawsuit, however, was withdrawn in April this year, when all claims against Columbia were dismissed, with written assurances by Innovative Sports that no future claims would be made against the firm.

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