A photo of Gert and Neal Boyle from the 1950s.
1938
One Tough Hat Company
In 1937, Gertrude Lamfrom and her family fled Nazi Germany and settled in Portland, Oregon. The Lamfroms had been in the clothing business for generations with Gert’s father Paul owning a large and successful shirt factory in Augsburg. But the family had to start all over from scratch upon arriving in the Pacific Northwest.

With a small loan, Paul established the Columbia Hat Company in Portland, naming the fledgling business after the renowned local river. From these humble beginnings, the company that would become Columbia Sportswear was born.
The original Columbia Hat Co. logo and address.
Catalog Cover
1952
Two employees laying out jackets in the Columbia sewing room in the 1970s.
Sewing Room
1970s
Close-up of a fishing vest catalog listing from 1983.
Fishing Vest from Catalog
1983
A fisherman wading in the river wearing a fishing vest.
1960s
The Vest That Gert Built
Gert Boyle’s husband Neal takes over the family business, expanding from quality hats to diverse outdoor gear.

When Gert hears from Neal that his customers are asking for a fishing vest with enough pockets to store flies and other gear, she whips up a prototype on her own sewing machine featuring pockets with zippers and flaps, a magnet for lures and flies, and a rod-holder to free up the hands. Henry’s Fork Vest becomes an instant bestseller and puts Columbia Sportswear on the map. All in a day’s work.
Gert and Tim Boyle with family and friends in front of the Columbia Sportswear headquarters from the 1970s.
1970s
From Housewife to Executive
Neal passes away unexpectedly in 1970, leaving Gert and her son Tim (a college senior at the time) to try and chart a course forward.

At one point in the ’70s, the mother-and-son duo were prepared to sell the struggling business when a potential buyer tried to undercut the agreed-upon price at the last minute. Gert defiantly responded, for that price, “I’ll run it into the ground myself.”

Instead, Gert, Tim, and a small group of dedicated employees steadily turned the company around, setting the stage for a dramatic leap from a local outfitter to a global leader in outdoor gear. 

Time and Gert Boyle in the Columbia Sportswear office in 1975.
Tim & Gert Boyle
1975
A spring catalogue cover from 1962.
Catalog Cover
1962
A photograph from the 1970s of the Columbia building in the St. John's neighborhood of Portland.
Columbia Building in St. John’s Neighborhood
1970s
Gert Boyle showing off her "born to nag" tattoo in the infamous Columbia Sportswear advertisement.
1980s
The Toughest Mother Of Them All
Oregon firm Borders Perrin Norrander launches an advertising campaign that will make Gert Boyle an international star. Gert becomes “One Tough Mother,” an exacting boss who demands perfection, ensuring quality products at a fair price. Talk about typecasting.
A Columbia advertisement featuring Tim Boyle holding a salmon and fishing pole.
1990s
Stepping Into A New Era
With the introduction of the original Bugaboo™ Interchange Jacket early in the decade, Columbia had the momentum to explore more outdoor markets, from launching the footwear business in 1993 with the Bugaboot™ to revisiting its roots in angling with the launch of Performance Fishing Gear in 1996.
A Bugaboo advertisement from 1986, showcasing a red and black plaid jacket.
Bugaboo Advertisment
1986
A Columbia Sportswear product tag from the 1970s.
Product Tag
1970s
A catalog cover from 1987 with Tim Boyle showcasing the Bugaboo ski jackets.
Catalog Cover
1987
Close-up of a winter snow boot with the words "Take the road less plowed" as an overlay.
2000s
A Decade Of Innovation
Tried-and-true technologies like Omni-Grip™ traction (2002) and Omni-Shade™ sun protection (2009) made their first appearance in this new millennium, solidifying Columbia as an industry leader in outdoor gear technology. And it was just the beginning.
Models standing outside in the snow and covered up by Omni-Heat jackets.
2010s
The Evolution Of Warm & Dry
Columbia creates revolutionary Omni-Heat™ technologies, starting with those little silver dots. Inspired by space blankets, Omni-Heat™ reflective maintains breathability while retaining body heat for extra warmth without added weight.

Omni-Heat™ has since taken many other forms, from the warm and fuzzy Omni-Heat™ 3D and gold reflective dots of Omni-Heat™ Infinity to thermal-regulating Omni-Heat™ Helix and the solar energy-capturing Omni-Heat™ Arctic.

Meanwhile, Columbia turned waterproofing inside out with OutDry™ Extreme. An industry first, this waterproof-breathable tech revolutionized how you stay dry by defying conventional wisdom and putting an impermeable membrane on the outside (instead of inside) with enhanced next-to-skin comfort on the inside.
The Mt. Hood wilderness, featuring evergreen forests and a river.
TODAY
What’s Next
From crafting technology inspired by polar bears to literally landing on the Moon, our past has cleared the way for a future filled with possibilities.
Close-up of tree rings.

MOTHER OF
INVENTION

“It’s perfect, now make it better.”
Our Founder, Gert Boyle, was one tough mother. At a time when few women headed up corporations, self-proclaimed housewife Gert turned a struggling family business into the powerhouse it is today. Her legacy of strength, tenacity, wit, and unapologetic perfectionism lives on in everything we do.
From Your Jacket To The Moon
In our most ambitious testing mission yet, we sent our Omni-Heat™ Infinity technology to the Moon to help protect the IM-1 lunar lander from extreme temperatures in space. It’s the same tech we use to protect you on adventures closer to home.
Culture Of Innovation
With industry-leading technologies like OutDry™ Extreme, Omni-MAX™, and Omni-Shade™ Sun Deflector, our mission is to relentlessly push the limits of innovation to help you explore the outdoors in comfort.
Gif showcasing different Columbia Sportswear technologies.
Culture Of Innovation
With industry-leading technologies like OutDry™ Extreme, Omni-MAX™, and Omni-Shade™ Sun Deflector, our mission is to relentlessly push the limits of innovation to help you explore the outdoors in comfort.
True Originals
Our Icons collection remasters styles from the archives with contemporary innovation and utility while paying homage to classic designs.
Collage of Columbia advertisements featuring Gert Boyle and the Interchange system.
Interchange Since 1984

Don't buy
a single jacket.

The Columbia Interchange system is turning 40. And no wrinkles so far. Only four decades of keeping you warm, dry, cool, and protected
with a 3-in-1 system that allows you to adapt to any weather.
Video of Gert Boyle sitting with her arms crossed.
OUR
FAVORITE
STORIES
“Early to bed, early to rise,
work like hell and advertise.”
Join us on a walk, hike, or even car wash trip down memory lane with some of our most-beloved video spots over the years.
Video of Gert Boyle sharing the history of Columbia Sportswear.
Retrospective of Gert Boyle
Video snippet of the One Tough Mother advertisement.
One Tough Mother
Video of the lunar lander featuring Columbia's tech.
Tested Tough in Space
The Star Wars and Columbia Sportswear Collaboration.
STAR WARS™ x Columbia Sportswear Collaboration
Close-up of tree rings.

FRIENDS IN
HIGH PLACES

Whether it’s top athletes or one-of-a-kind collaborations, Columbia is proud to partner with fellow trailblazers.
Ambassadors
From world-class skiers and pro anglers to groundbreaking NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace and chart-topping musician Luke Combs.
Magic Of The Outdoors
An ongoing special-edition collaboration with Disney captures the magic of iconic characters with gear the whole family can enjoy on adventures near or far.
Inspired By A Galaxy Far, Far Away....
A special collaboration series with Lucasfilm featuring one-of-a-kind outdoor gear built for the ultimate Star Wars™ fan.
Nature. The world’s
largest playground.
GERT BOYLE, COLUMBIA FOUNDER