Portland-based Columbia Sportswear is marking the 35th anniversary of its popular Helvetia fleece with a limited-edition collection featuring a pattern inspired by the iconic carpet at Portland International Airport (PDX). The geometric design, known for its distinctive green color scheme, has become one of the city’s most recognizable symbols. After the carpet was replaced in 2015, residents launched a grassroots campaign to defend it, and the carpet was even chosen as an honorary grand marshal of the annual Portland Rose Festival parade. Over time, its image has appeared on beer cans, Portland Trail Blazers merchandise and now fleece clothing.
The new collection will go on sale Thursday at Columbia’s airport store, online and at several retail locations, including the company’s flagship store in downtown Portland. The men’s and women’s styles will cost $100, and the company expects them to sell out quickly. Introduced in 1991, Helvetia fleece is considered an important part of the brand’s identity. Columbia recently drew attention to the style with an unusual advertising campaign that offered free fleeces to people who responded by fax. Fans of the famous carpet also have a happy ending to look forward to: following the renovation of PDX’s main terminal, replicas of the carpet have returned to the airport, including in two new greeting areas.
Based on: Columbia Sportswear’s new fleece honors iconic PDX carpet patterns