People have felted wool for clothes and other garments for centuries. Felt boots (valenki) found their way to Finland from Russia during the late 19th century. The birthplace of the Lahtiset company, the Jämsä region, has been one of the core centres of the Finnish felt industry.
During the peak of the felt industry, there were seven different felt boot factories working side by side in the village of Partala. Today, the Lahtiset company is the only Finnish manufacturer of long legged felt boots.