Merz b. Schwanen: When Does a T-Shirt Become More than Just a T-Shirt

Merz b. Schwanen

When Does a T-Shirt Become More than Just a T-Shirt

In today’s world of global manufacturing and relentless calendars, there are fewer brands celebrating domestic craftsmanship, durability, and timeless style. Even though it’s as important now as ever, it feels like the end of an era. Those in pursuit, though, are here to keep the craft alive. I can think of a few off the top of my head commanding a higher price point for that holy trinity, but Merz b. Schwanen immediately comes to mind.

The story of Merz b. Schwanen is one of rebirth and revival. Founded in 1911 by Balthasar Merz, the brand we know today, originally known as Balthasar Merz beim Schwanen, carries over a decade’s worth of manufacturing expertise, design references, and reputation. Merz b. Schwanen was based in Germany’s Swabian Jura, a region with a rich history of garment production dating back to the mid-1800s, when government-issued hand-knitting machines fuelled a textile boom that allowed local manufacturers to flourish and created much-needed employment in an area where farming was difficult.

Until 2008, Merz b. Schwanen remained a family-run business, but its first chapter was coming to a close. Several factors were involved, but the main reason was globalisation, which led to much of Germany’s textile industry being outsourced to low-wage countries. It was a race to the bottom, and Merz b. Schwanen simply could not compete without sacrificing its ethos, methods, and craftsmanship, spelling an end to almost 100-years and several generations of the brand.

However, it doesn’t end there. The legacy lives on. In 2011, a 90-year Henley top was found by Gitta and Peter Plotnicki at a Berlin flea market. An echo of the past. This rare Henley piqued the pair’s curiosity, leading them to a long-retired factory in the Swabian Alps, the region in Germany where Merz b. Schwanen was initially based. Standing here, the pair came up with the idea of reviving both the brand and its machines.

Soon after, Merz b. Schwanen’s ‘THE ORIGINALS’ collection was born, paying homage to authentic workers’ clothing from the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s, with a modern edge. Updated cuts, materials, and methods, without losing character. What distinguishes this line is its Made in Germany moniker, where exceptional fabrics are made with time-honoured techniques on loopwheeler machines – knitting machines that set a slow, careful pace. Two words that just do not exist in today’s fashion industry, but become standard here. They work 20 times as slowly as modern machines, and every adjustment is made by hand, requiring time and patience. Yes, it’s slower, much slower, but these machines achieve real depth, character, and quality.

Today, THE ORIGINALS takes the shape of Schwanen’s most iconic range: loopwheeled t-shirts arriving in a variety of colours, cuts, and fabric densities. Necklines, length, and shoulder drop are carefully considered and scrutinised by discerning buyers looking for that t-shirt. You know, the same one Carmy Berzatto wears throughout The Bear.

In 2016, Merz b. Schwanen entered into a partnership with a family-run manufacturer in Portugal, leading to the evolution of a Portuguese-made range that builds on the foundations of THE ORIGINALS. This invited contemporary styles, new colours, and materials into the fold, further ushering the German brand into the modern era. From cropped Oxford shirts and straight-legged chino pants to twill workers’ jackets and classic jersey t-shirts, Merz b. Schwanen evolved to fulfil demand without losing sight of its heritage and principles. Enduring craftsmanship and timeless styling.

And, to think, it all started with a flea market find. Now, the future of Merz b. Schwanen rests in the hands of those who seek to uphold the same principles the brand champions. Customers are looking for durability in an age when fast fashion churns out products at an unfathomable rate. The challenge for Schwanen, though, is preserving the very limitations that distinguish it: old machines, considered materials, and patient production. Growth may be inevitable, but the brand shows that speed need not be. You can go against the industry’s demands.

That enduring approach can be found across HHV’s offering of Merz b. Schwanen styles, spanning its THE ORIGINALS line and Made in Portugal range. From the Workers Jacket and Mid-Century T-Shirt to the Waffle Structured Pullover and the Loopwheeled T-Shirt.

Merz b. Schwanen online at HHV.

Text: Ali George Hinkins