Columbia Sportswear Sues Columbia University Over Trademark Pact

Columbia University’s sales of “Columbia” apparel that don’t specify the “University” violates a 2023 trademark coexistance agreement, Columbia Sportswear Co. said in a new lawsuit.

The New York school’s shirts and hats also bear manufacturer logos that could suggest a partnership between Columbia Sportswear and brands including Nike and Champion, the company said in its complaint filed Wednesday in the US District Court for the District of Oregon. A June 2023 letter that Columbia Sportswear said enshrined its agreement with the university allowed the school to register “Columbia” for merchandise as long as it’s used only with other indicators to ...