Merz b. Schwanen

After a fated encounter with an original workers shirt made in 1911 , Peter Plotnicki researches the origins of this extraordinary piece of clothing and uncovers a textile industry over one and a half centuries old, located in the Swabian Jura.

A flea market vendor from Berlin bought the Henley-style longarm-undershirt at one of the last hosiery companies called “Merz b. Schwanen”. The company was founded in 1911 by Balthazar Merz and employed more than 2,000 workers over several decades – a rarity in this otherwise very poor region.

Today, Gitta & Peter Plotnicki are continuing the story of 'Merz b. Schwanen', with contemporary designs and new fabric blends.