Columbia Sportswear Company is a renowned name among athletes and people who look for the highest quality outerwear.
If you are a fan of sports or outdoor activities, you must have come across this famous brand selling the kind of apparel you would need outside.
Columbia Sportswear is a family business located in Cedar Mill, an unincorporated area in Washington County, Oregon.
The brand came into existence in 1938 when two German immigrants bought a piece of land to open a small hat company. The company is headed by Tim Boyle, nephew of the founders of Columbia and the son of Gert Boyle.
Columbia focuses on preserving nature and the environment and using innovation in technology to create the best performance fabrics.
This article will discuss the various attributes of Columbia Sportswear Company, the specifics of its production, and how good the brand is compared to one of its competitors, Patagonia.
Is Columbia as Good as Patagonia?
Patagonia is a celebrated brand in the outdoor sports community because of its expertise in producing and selling outdoor clothing.
The company was founded in 1973 as a branch of another company that made climbing gear.
Compared to Columbia, Patagonia is not a family business which reduces its charm. The reason is that people are more attracted to family businesses due to their trustworthiness and credibility.
Patagonia is known for its tireless efforts to reduce its environmental impact, reflecting its ethics and social responsibilities.
What makes the brand attractive to environmentalists is that the products at Patagonia are mainly derived from recycling.
The products that are unable to be recycled are produced through ethical means. The brand reassures its customers that all their products are attained by righteous means, and they do their best to keep the environmental impact to a minimum.
When we compared Columba with the environmental policies of Patagonia, the former wasn’t far behind.
Around 80% of polyester at Columbia is recycled, and the brand has received RDS certification to ensure that its efforts are authentic. Both the brands try to use less harmful DWR coatings and are easily degradable.
However, Patagonia is superior when it comes to quality and performance. The only con is that the products at Patagonia will cause a dent in your wallet.
It’s not a problem for people who can afford it, but if you don’t want to spend $200 or more on a jacket, Patagonia is not your brand. Columbia offers good quality apparel at half the price of Patagonia.
What is Columbia Known For Brand?
Columbia is the brand name of an outdoor apparel and sporting goods company well-known among the athletic community.
The brand manufactures apparel, shoes, bags, and sporting goods.
However, what Columbia is mainly known for are its jackets and coats. People applaud their jackets and coats due to their waterproof material breathable nylon material.
The brand is famous among outdoor enthusiasts. People who love climbing, biking, hiking, and skiing rave about Columbia.
Anybody who loves to explore the outdoors is a potential customer of Columbia. You can find attire for every outdoor activity here. From snowboarding to hiking, they have something for everything.
Columbia is known for providing its customers the protection, style, and comfort they need while they are outdoors. You will find all kinds of hats, footwear, pants, and shirts for both men and women and children.
How Good is Columbia Sportswear?
There has to be a good reason why sports enthusiasts worldwide are dedicated to buying sportswear from Columbia. Here are some reasons why Columbia is a good brand and why you should invest in its products.
High-Quality Products
What makes Columbia one of the best among its competitors is the flawless quality of its products.
Columbia has devoted a significant amount of time, effort, and money to developing several clothing technologies to provide breathable, moisture-free material. Let’s explore some of these technologies:
Omni-Wick: Provides breathable fabric with moisture-wicking properties.
Omni-Tech: Provides a breathable, windproof, and waterproof fabric.
Omni-Freeze: Provides an instantly cooling-down feature that helps to ward off heat.
Omni-Shade: Protects against sunlight, UV-rays, and heat.
Environment-Friendly Practices
Among the many reasons that Columbia has a widespread fan base, one of the fundamental reasons is that the brand has consciously developed practices devoted to minimizing its environmental impact.
Around 80% of the polyester used at Columbia is recycled.
The brand ensures that they derive all their materials from ethical means. Its sincerity is represented by the RDS certification that proves that the down-insulation at Columbia is traceable and that any animal they use for their products is humanely treated.
Moreover, the brand uses short-chained perfluorinated compounds as chemicals for their DWR treatments. These chemicals are far less damaging to the environment.
Affordability
Compared to many of its competitors, Columbia does not cost a fortune for its high-quality products.
Despite being excellent both in quality and performance, the products are relatively cheaper.
What makes shopping at Columbia easier is that there are prices in all ranges. This makes it feasible for everybody.
Comfort and Fit
When you think of outdoor gear, you imagine uncomfortable, stiff, oddly-fitting bags. Well, in that case, you haven’t shopped at Columbia.
At Columbia, you will find material that is both soft and durable. You won’t feel restricted by your apparel once you try it on, and it will be easy to move around.
The attire is not suffocating, and neither does it bunch up in awkward places. The fit is perfect irrespective of gender, making it even more stylish.
Durability
What makes customers remain loyal to Columbia is that the products here are long-lasting. You don’t have to worry about wear and tear because these products are incredibly durable.
They can withstand all kinds of weather conditions and the test of time.
Where are Columbia Products Made?
On the website, Columbia states that its products are “imported.” What it fails to mention is that they are imported from Asian countries.
Columbia clothing is made all around the globe but especially in Asian countries.
The manufacturing takes place in India, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
