Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Concentrations (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Concentrations (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Apparel Production [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Concentration risk sourcing countries 17  
Footwear Production [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Concentration risk sourcing countries 5  
Maximum [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Remaining maturity of derivative contracts 1 year  
Aggregate unrealized gain of derivative contracts with single counterparty 4,000,000us-gaap_FairValueConcentrationOfRiskForeignCurrencyContractAsset
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
 
Canada [Member] | Credit Concentration Risk [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Concentration percentage 11.20%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= colm_CanadaMember
10.50%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= colm_CanadaMember
Vietnam And China [Member] | Apparel [Member] | Supplier Concentration Risk [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Concentration percentage 68.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SupplierConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= colm_ApparelMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= colm_VietnamAndChinaMember
 
China And Vietnam [Member] | Footwear [Member] | Supplier Concentration Risk [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Concentration risk, geographic substantially all  
Five Largest Apparel Factory Groups [Member] | Apparel [Member] | Supplier Concentration Risk [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Concentration percentage 30.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SupplierConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= colm_ApparelMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= colm_FiveLargestApparelFactoryGroupsMember
 
Largest Apparel Factory Groups [Member] | Apparel [Member] | Supplier Concentration Risk [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Concentration percentage 11.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SupplierConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= colm_ApparelMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= colm_LargestApparelFactoryGroupsMember
 
Five Largest Footwear Factory Groups [Member] | Footwear [Member] | Supplier Concentration Risk [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Concentration percentage 85.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SupplierConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= colm_FootwearMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= colm_FiveLargestFootwearFactoryGroupsMember
 
Largest Footwear Factory Groups [Member] | Footwear [Member] | Supplier Concentration Risk [Member]    
Concentration Risk [Line Items]    
Concentration percentage 41.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SupplierConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= colm_FootwearMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= colm_LargestFootwearfactoryGroupsMember