The T-shirt, originally an undershirt, became outerwear and an icon of pop culture in the 1950s, not least thanks to screen stars such as Marlon Brando and James Dean. Today, it has become an indispensable part of everyday life. Merz b. Schwanen makes this T-shirt from a slightly thicker jersey. A fine ribbed knit finishes the neck. The cotton used comes from controlled organic cultivation.

The knitwear manufacturer Merz b. Schwanen had existed since 1911 in the Swabian Alps, once a traditional textile-producing region. In recent times, a Berliner, Peter Plotnicki, revived the tradition. Once more, the company is manufacturing shirts and sports trousers in the area – for the most part on original knitting machines dating from the 1920s or at least the 1960s. Their slow operational speeds are an advantage: They provide for the high density, characteristic structure, and substantial feel, as well as the excellent shape retention of the knitwear. A small but remarkable detail: Plotnicki has the clothing labels with the original Merz b. Schwanen logo and lettering crafted on an old weaver’s loom for jacquard ribbons.