Active outdoor apparel and footwear manufacturer, Columbia Sportswear Company, has reported that its efforts to eradicate counterfeiting of Columbia products in key markets such as China, Vietnam and Australia have proved successful. Working with authorities in these countries, the company has managed to seize apparel and accessories.

In July alone, Columbia seized almost 80,000 counterfeit products in a series of raids in China. Acting on a request by Columbia, Chinese officials in Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province staged a raid that yielded nearly 45,000 pairs of counterfeit Columbia pants. Other July raids uncovered an additional 34,000 garments, including parkas, ball caps and fishing vests.

Efforts to expand Columbia's anti-counterfeiting programme in Vietnam led to the shut-down of three workshops manufacturing bogus backpacks. According to the Tan Thoi Nhat Ward District 12 officials, this was the area's largest raid to date of counterfeit product.

Additionally, during the first half of the year, activities in Australia have resulted in the seizure of counterfeit apparel valued at one million dollars and led to the identification of significant importation and local distribution chains of counterfeit goods and the successful conclusion of Australian Federal court proceedings.