Founded in 1938, Columbia Sportswear Company has grown from a small family-owned hat distributorship to one of the world's largest outerwear brands and the leading seller of skiwear in the United States. Columbia's extensive product line includes a wide variety of outerwear, sportswear, rugged footwear and accessories. Developing innovative products that are functional yet stylish and offer great value is what Columbia does. Columbia Sportswear s active clothing and footwear keeps you comfortable and protected so you can do more outdoors, whether you re hiking in the woods, fishing clear blue waters or traveling on vacation. New innovations include Omni-Shade , sun protective fabric recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation, which is featured in performance and casual shirts, pants and accessories for men, women and kids. Techlite , a new lightweight footwear cushioning technology, is available in Columbia s sandals and other summer shoes. Durable and functional bags and packs, help support your search for adventure. Get outdoors and get after it. As Columbia Sportswear has grown, so has their commitment to serving the expanding global community. Locally and throughout the world, Columbia provides support to organizations that specialize in human assistance, conservationism, the environment, the arts and education. Columbia offices are responsible for recycling tens of thousands of pounds of paper and cardboard, as well as glass, plastic, aluminum and tin. By avoiding excessive packaging and by using recycled paper and soy-based inks, Columbia's products also reflect their commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle. Education is first and foremost, as employees learn about environmental awareness, and are encouraged to carpool and use mass transit for incentives such as subsidized bus passes, guaranteed parking for carpoolers, and bike racks and showers in the office for cyclists.