Columbia Sportswear sues Columbia Univ over confusingly similar merchandise

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For decades, T-shirts, sweatshirts and other clothing under the Columbia Sportswear brand and clothing emblazoned with the Columbia University name coexisted more or less peacefully without confusion.

But now, the Portland-based outdoor retailer has sued the New York-based university over alleged trademark infringement and a breach of contract, among other charges. It claims that the university's merchandise looks too similar to what's being sold at more than 800 retail locations, including more than 150 of its branded stores, as well as its website and third-party marketplaces.

In a lawsuit filed July 23 in the US District Court for the District of Oregon, Columbia Sportswear, whose roots date back to 1938, alleges that the university intentionally violated an agreement the parties signed on June 13, 2023. That agreement dictated how the university could use the word Columbia on its own apparel.

As part of the pact, the university could feature Columbia on its merchandise provided that the name included a recognisable school insignia or its mascot, the word university, the name of the academic department or the founding year of the university 1754 or a combination.

But Columbia Sportswear alleges the university breached the agreement a little more than a year later, with the company noticing several garments without any of the school logos being sold at the Columbia University online store.

Many of the garments feature a bright blue colour that is confusingly similar to the blue colour that has long been associated with Columbia Sportswear, the suit alleged.

The lawsuit offered photos of some of the Columbia University items that say only Columbia.

The likelihood of deception, confusion, and mistake engendered by the university's misappropriation and misuse of the Columbia name is causing irreparable harm to the brand and goodwill symbolised by Columbia Sportswear's registered mark Columbia and the reputation for quality it embodies, the lawsuit alleged.

The lawsuit comes at a time when Columbia University has been threatened with the potential loss of billions of dollars in government support.

Last week, Columbia University reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore federal research money that was cancelled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus.

Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay a $200 million settlement over three years, the university said.

Columbia Sportswear aims to stop all sales of clothing that violate the agreement, recall any products already sold and donate any remaining merchandise to charity. Columbia Sportswear is also seeking three times the amount of actual damages determined by a jury.

Neither Columbia Sportswear or Columbia University couldn't be immediately reached for comment.