"The story of Kiilto began in October 1919 in a small hair tonic and shoe cream factory in Tampere, in the Pispala district. In the 1920s, chemists were forced to sell hair tonics and mouthwashes, shoe factories ran out of dye, varnish, wax, and adhesives, and furniture factories needed lacquers and polishing agents. The name 'Kiilto' (literally meaning 'shine') refers to the products that the company started producing from its early days.