Well, this could be a real buzz-kill.
Jessica Alba’s Honest Company has filed suit against a company offering hemp products, claiming that the company is trying to bogart Alba’s trademark.
In the suit, filed in federal court in California on Tuesday, Honest Company — which, according to the suit, is “a leading lifestyle brand that has enjoyed, and continues to enjoy, a tremendous amount of success” — says that the Honest Herbal line wants to “confuse consumers and profit from the goodwill and consumer recognition associated with The Honest Co.’s HONEST Marks.”
According to the suit, one of Honest’s most successful products “is its face + body lotion,” while Honest Herbal’s products include “lotions, creams, supplements, and apparel items, such as scarves.”
Honest Herbal’s website states that it produces “full spectrum cannabinoid rich hemp products that are available nationwide.”
The suit states that Honest made a “good faith effort to resolve this matter without having to resort to litigation” earlier this month, but Honest Herbal’s “failure to cease and desist demonstrates a deliberate intent on Defendant’s part to continue to willfully infringe.”
Honest Herbal’s lawyer, Aaron Bradford, told TheWrap that, contrary to the lawsuit’s suggestion, Honest Herbal did respond to Honest Company’s inquiry, and the two sides were scheduled to speak this week, but the lawsuit was filed anyway. He also said that Honest Herbal’s hemp line consists of pain-relief products, which Honest Herbal does not deal in.
“We intend to defend against The Honest Company’s” lawsuit, Bradford said.
Alleging trademark infringement, unfair competition and other counts, the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.