For years, clothing items like T-shirts and sweatshirts from Columbia Sportswear and apparel bearing the Columbia University name have coexisted without much confusion. However, tensions have now escalated as the Portland-based outdoor brand has filed a lawsuit against the New York-based university, alleging trademark infringement, breach of contract, and other violations. Columbia Sportswear claims the university’s merchandise resembles its own, potentially misleading customers at its 800+ retail outlets, including 150+ branded stores, its website, and other marketplaces.

In a lawsuit filed on July 23 in the U.S. District Court for Oregon, Columbia Sportswear, which dates back to 1938, asserts that Columbia University deliberately breached a contract signed on June 13, 2023. This agreement outlined strict rules on how the university could use the “Columbia” name on apparel. Specifically, university merchandise was required to display an identifiable school logo, mascot, the word “University”, academic department names, the founding year 1754, or a combination thereof.

However, the lawsuit alleges that just a year after the agreement, Columbia Sportswear discovered several university garments being sold online that lacked any official school insignia. Many of these items also featured a bright blue shade, which the company says is nearly identical to the color long associated with its brand. The lawsuit includes images of university apparel that simply display the word “Columbia”, lacking any school-specific identifiers. Columbia Sportswear argues that the university’s misuse of the Columbia name is likely to cause consumer confusion, misrepresentation, and damage to the brand’s reputation, leading to irreparable harm to the company’s trademark and goodwill.

This legal action arises as Columbia University faces the possible loss of billions in federal funding. Recently, the university agreed to pay over $220 million to the U.S. government to reinstate federal research funding, which had been suspended amid efforts to address antisemitism on campus. Under the settlement, the Ivy League institution will pay $200 million over three years. Through the lawsuit, Columbia Sportswear is seeking to halt all sales of infringing merchandise, demand a recall of sold items, donate unsold inventory to charity, and pursue triple damages as determined by a jury.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.