Columbia Sues Columbia......

Columbia Sportswear has filed a lawsuit against Columbia University in the U.S. District Court for Oregon, alleging trademark infringement, unfair competition, and breach of contract. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, centers on the university's sale of apparel that the outdoor retailer claims too closely resembles its own branded products, potentially causing consumer confusion.

According to the complaint, the dispute stems from a June 2023 agreement between the two entities. This agreement permitted Columbia University to use the word "Columbia" on its merchandise, provided it was accompanied by recognizable school insignia, the word "university," the name of an academic department, or the institution's founding year (1754). In exchange, Columbia Sportswear agreed not to sue the university over trademark issues.

However, Columbia Sportswear alleges that in September 2024, it discovered numerous items in the university's online store that violated this agreement. These items, including shirts and sweaters, reportedly featured only the word "Columbia" in a college block font, without any additional university branding. The sportswear company also took issue with the bright blue color used on some of the university's apparel, stating it is "confusingly similar" to the blue long associated with Columbia Sportswear. Furthermore, some of the allegedly infringing garments were co-branded with competitors like Nike and Champion.

“The word ‘Columbia’ refers to only one thing in the minds of consumers of apparel, footwear, and related accessories: a long-standing, well-known brand that offers high-quality recreational products, clothing, and gear to consumers at accessible prices,” the company writes in its complaint. “The University’s conduct is currently causing and/or is reasonably likely to cause substantial confusion in the marketplace.”

“Notwithstanding this express agreement, in September 2024 Columbia Sportswear became aware of numerous apparel items for sale on the University’s webstore that used the name Columbia without any other university indicia," the company says.

“Moreover, many of these garments are, or incorporate, a bright blue color that is confusingly similar to the blue color that has long been associated with Columbia Sportswear,” the company says.

“A consumer looking at the infringing merchandise would reasonably be induced into believing there is an association between Columbia Sportswear and Champion to manufacture and sell the infringing merchandise, when, in fact, there is not,” the company says.

Columbia Sportswear claims it attempted to resolve the matter amicably by reaching out to the university last September, but the school did not "cure the breach" and continues to sell the merchandise in question.