Columbia's rapid sales growth was fueled by its jackets, which featured breathable waterproof fabric and interchangeable shells and liners.

Former chairwoman Gert Boyle's parents, Paul and Marie Lamfrom, fled Nazi Germany in 1937 and immediately purchased a Portland hat distributorship.

[6] Gert and son Tim Boyle, then a University of Oregon senior, took over the operations of Columbia, rescuing it from bankruptcy.

[16][17] In 2001, the company moved its headquarters from Portland to a site in an unincorporated part of Washington County,[18] in the Cedar Mill area and just outside the Beaverton city limits.

In 2007, City of Portland officials attempted to convince Columbia Sportswear to move back to Portland,[19] but the company ultimately rejected the idea due to the increased corporate tax burden such a move would entail and decided to expand its existing headquarters instead.

[23] In March 2015, Bryan Timm was named president of the company, taking over that position from Tim Boyle, who remained CEO.

[26] In October 2020, the company announced that alpaca wool would no longer be a part of their collections,[27] including their other brands Prana, Mountain Hardwear and Sorel.

[28] In November 2023, Columbia Sportswear Company announced that Cory Long was appointed as President of its brand Sorel.

[29][30] In February 2024, the Odysseus lunar lander used the Omni-Heat thermal reflective insulation technology produced by Columbia Sportswear.