UPDATE: For a closer and more recent look at Columbia's new Omni-Heat collection, click here.
For the past two years, Columbia has been shifting their focus away from selling sportswear through department stores and over to driving innovation in the outdoor industry. Seven months ago, Columbia was looking to hire an Innovation Manager to help bring new technologies to market. Their new found focus has obviously worked as Mick McCormick, VP of Global Sales and Marketing, said Columbia has been "cranking up innovation. We've had more patents in seven months than in the past seven years."