Today the Nesnalobben brand is owned by Protex, a family-owned company from Ålen in Trøndelag, founded in 1966.
Carrying a Norwegian classic forward brings both pride and responsibility. The ambition is to preserve the heritage, hold on to the quality and develop Nesnalobben with respect for its history.
From cowshed floors in Helgeland to winter streets all over Norway. Nesnalobben has kept feet warm for generations. Wool felt is function and tradition. Lobbene are an original Norwegian product made for everyday life in cold and snow.
Today the legacy lives on in the Nesna collection, which ranges from winter shoes to seat pads, mugs and dog collars. All built on the same idea: genuine, durable products that work, and last.
Nesnalobben is made of wool felt that wraps the whole foot, underneath as well. The characteristic sole is then moulded on. This makes the shoes both extremely warm and light.
The wool fibres insulate well, while the material breathes and moulds to your feet. These are the qualities that have made Nesnalobben a favourite for generations.
Factory production starts in Nesna
Peak sales, and the Olympic team wears Nesnalobben in Lake Placid
Years of Norwegian winters, still keeping feet warm.
... and onwards. Carried on by Protex in Ålen
The story began in Nesna on the Helgeland coast. Before Nesnalobben became a known name, slippers of felted sheep's wool were something many people made at home for their own use. Wool was a readily available material, and the shoes kept people warm through cold winters.
Britt Løfwander saw the potential in the traditional footwear and took the initiative to organise production. In 1955 factory production of Nesnalobben began, with support from the Norwegian Parliament's development programme for Northern Norway.
Production became a collaboration between the factory in Nesna and people in the surrounding villages. The felt was cut and the soles attached at the factory, while much of the sewing and assembly took place in private homes. In this way a traditional wool shoe became a Norwegian industrial success story, of great importance to the local community.
Photo: Kaja Vardøen
Nesnalobben has been part of Norwegian winters for more than 70 years. The shoes have been worn at home, at the cabin and out in the winter cold, and have also found their place in outdoor life. In 1980 sales peaked, helped along by the Norwegian Olympic team wearing Nesnalobben at the opening ceremony in Lake Placid.
Over the years production and ownership have changed, but the shoes have kept their distinctive combination of warmth, low weight and simple function. For many they are also tied to memories and traditions.
Today Nesnalobben is more than a winter shoe. With Nesnakloggen, among others, the collection has been extended for year-round use.
It is not unusual to meet people who still have Nesnalobben they have looked after for decades, even generations. From children to grandchildren.
Nesnalobben is a product with a clear history, but the story does not stop there. The classic wool shoe is the starting point for a collection that keeps developing, with new models and products that take the tradition into new settings.
The goal is to preserve what makes Nesnalobben Nesnalobben, while making the products useful to more people and in more parts of everyday life. Warmth, function and durability remain at the core.
