Founded in 1946 in Norway by Odd Lofterød Sr., Odlo made their first mark in the performance apparel industry by developing an elastic, heat-regulating suit for cross-country skiers and speed skaters unlike anything athletes had ever seen. Those nylon race suits were used by Olympic teams starting in 1964, and by the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, over 25 teams wore the Odlo Thermic: the first fully synthetic base layer that kept athletes comfortable and dry. In this pre-sponsorship era, athletes and teams paid out of pocket to race in the revolutionary Odlo apparel.