Columbia's tough apparel outfits Discovery's Survivor Series

Columbia’s history starts with Gert’s parents, Paul and Marie Lamfrom, when they fled Germany in 1937. They bought a small hat distributorship in Portland, Oregon, and named it Columbia Hat Company, after the river bordering the city. The Lamfroms soon decided to start manufacturing products themselves, with Gert designing a fishing vest for the company. In 1948, Gert married college sweetheart Neal Boyle, and after the deaths of her parents, they took over the family business and led the growing company. When Neal suddenly died of a heart attack in 1970, Gert enlisted help from her son Tim, who was still a college senior at that time. The business took off when Columbia was one of the first companies to make jackets from waterproof/breathable fabric. They introduced the innovative Columbia Interchange System, which features a shell and a removable liner combination for multiple wearing options.

The early 1980s saw the then 60-year-old Gert in her role as “Mother Boyle” for Columbia’s successful and popular advertising campaign, which they are still using up to now.

Kate Hudson wearing winter boots by Columbia's subsidiary, Sorel

After going public in 1998, they have become a world leader in the active outdoor apparel industry.  Columbia Sportswear now employs more than 1,800 people around the world, has direct distributors in more than 50 countries, and ships to more than 12,000 retailers internationally. They also do business in more than 300 factories around Asia, allowing them the lowest rates and tariffs available on import and export fees.

Innovatively using customer feedback as a marketing campaign to cement brand loyalty. The “Tested Tough” Campaign, asked customers like ‘Ma’ Gert and her son, Tim, to test the products to using tests they can make up or just their everyday use of the apparel. More than 3000 e-mail entries, some of which were accompanied with pictures or videos flooded the company with activities as diverse as alligator wrestling and earthquake relief work in Pakistan. Needless to say, the company has now become a global household name.

Their full line of apparel for outdoor enthusiasts include jackets for all four seasons, all tested, cut generously, sporting multiple well-placed pockets and made with lightweight materials; very comfortable long, short, ski, or trek pants again with multiple pockets in just the right places, made of very sturdy material and generously cut, long or short-sleeved shirts, plus hoodies, and sweatshirts designed to fit comfortably under the jackets and windbreakers, footwear for all kinds of outdoor sports like hiking, boating, skiing, cold weather trekking, and casual shoes and sandals for that special night out on the trail. All clothing is wear-tested, guaranteed to be easy cleaning and quick drying, which is a boon for anyone that likes outdoor sports. Add to that the well thought-out accessories of bags and backpacks, hats, gloves, mittens, scarves and neck gaiters, Columbia can outfit you and your whole family for your next foray into the great outdoors.

Everest climber Jamling Tenzing Norgay outfitted in Mountain Hardware, another Columbia subsidiary

With Columbia itself focusing on the camping/fly fishing/golfing type of outdoors people, their subsidiary Mountain Hardware is geared towards the pros. With promoters like celebrated mountaineers Ed Viesturs and Sherpa Jamling Tenzing Norgay (both starred in the 1998 Imax documentary, Everest), they can now pull in the specialty athletes, who choose their gear according to what the experts have already used.

They have also recently sponsored their own cycling team, Team Columbia, which is a young, international professional cycling team with riders from different nationalities at the renowned Tour de France. Testing the Omni-shade 30 SPF all-day sun protection set of zip jacket, long-sleeved tee, cycling shorts, and racing shell, this active fit apparel promises to be as durable as the cyclists they outfit.

The latest release for Columbia’s Autumn 2010 line is the Omni-Heat line, which adds heat without extra bulk or weight. Utilizing electric, heat reflective, and thermal features to regulate body temperature and keep outdoors people warm, the patent pending designs are cutting edge, to say the least. Omni-Heat Thermal reflection uses a dot-matrix design of reflective material to retain body warmth and expel excess heat. Columbia’s battery powered heat sources in their bootsoles keep feet toasty warm with just one button push. And their innovative thermal insulation made with 50% recycled material achieves “the industry’s highest heat retention per gram.”

Team Columbia competing in Qatar in February 2009

Columbia is known for fulfilling their corporate responsibilities. Their charities range from working with the Ocean Foundation to spread knowledge about the importance of sea grass habitats, to cleaning up waterways, to sending shoes and clothes to Haiti during the last horrific earthquake.

Recently, Columbia went one step further in making life easier for their shoppers. They installed a mobile commerce site for its customers that feature everything available on its e-commerce site. Now you can buy Columbia on the run, and learn everything about it at the same time.

Columbia’s equally well known subsidiaries are Mountain Hardware, Sorel, and Pacific Trail. You can get more information thought their websites at www.mountainhardwear.com, www.sorel.com, and www.montrail.com.

Columbia may be contacted at:

Columbia Sportswear Company
14375 NW Science Park Drive
Portland, OR 97229-5418
Corporate office (503) 985-4000
Customer service (800) MA-Boyle   (800) 622-6953
Customer service Canada (800) 265-7067
www.columbia.com

Purchase your own pair of Columbia Sportswear Company right now!

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