In a small factory on the Swabian Alps in Germany, 30 loopwheel machines (produced between 1889 and 1960) quietly knit the fabric for Merz b. Schwanen's tees and henleys. These antique machines work slowly, knitting at 1/10th the speed of more modern sinker weave machines, producing a soft and airy fabric with only a few needles, gravity, and some time.
The fabric is a lightweight 100% cotton loopwheel knit, this is a single-thread fabric, which combined with the weight of the yarns and airiness of the loopwheeled construction breathes extremely well and feels great on a hot day. The low tension knit and organic cotton feel exceptionally good on bare skin - which is the absolute minimum one should settle for in our opinion.
It's got a classic, old school tee fit with tight shoulders, extra short sleeves, and an ever so slightly fitted chest. Triangle underarm inserts allow a full range of movement even with the 1/4 length sleeves and more narrow shoulders. The torso is cut slightly longer than other vintage tees (even after shrinkage), great for tucking in, but not so long as to look unnatural untucked.
These run true to size for a trim fit - size up for a more regular fit. Will shrink ~1" in length after washing, but will stretch back out with wear. Wash cold on delicate cycle, hang dry.
- 100% organic cotton from Greece
- Lightweight single thread knit
- Loopwheeled (no side seams)
- Vintage-style 1/4 length sleeves
- Underarm triangle insert
- Knit collar and cuffs
- Custom labels
- True to size
- Wash cold on delicate, hang dry
- Designed and produced in Germany
