The year 1973 was crucial for one for the giants of European industry. That was when Finnish Rubber Works merged with Finnish Cable Works, forming a company called Nokia Corporation. That year, Nokia had a massive consumer market blockbuster with Kontio Rubber Boot. Kontio was named after the Finnish term of endearment for “bear” that was commonly used in Middle Ages to avoid the religious taboo against using the true name of this animistic deity (Karhu).
This groundbreaking footware introduced many key features that would become staples of modern rubber boot manufacturing: a tightening strap, a reflective band and a rotationally rigid midsole construction. Kontio would define the Nokia brand in Europe during late 1970s and the 1980s.
Read more here: Boy Genius Report