Stenströms (pronounced "sten-strums") is a Swedish luxury shirtmaker founded in 1899 in Helsingborg. The company has been owned by the Bengtsson family since 1981, and today operates from its original factory in Helsingborg alongside a production facility in Estonia. Stenströms holds a Royal Warrant as official supplier to the Swedish Royal Court, and their shirts are constructed through 60 individual work steps using 23 separately cut parts.
There is a difference between a shirt that fits and a shirt that was made to fit. Stenströms has spent over 125 years understanding that difference, and it is the reason we carry them at Mr. Derk.
A Factory Born From Demand
The story begins in 1883, when Swedish tailor August Stenström established a small retail business in Helsingborg through personal shirt manufacturing. He was already building a reputation for precision, but it was not until 1899 that demand forced his hand. The word had spread. The elegant gentlemen of the time all wanted a Stenströms shirt, and August could not keep up working alone. That year, he built his first factory in the heart of Helsingborg, and Stenströms as we know it was born.
Helsingborg was a port city. Consuls, shipowners, and sea captains passed through regularly, and they carried Stenstrom shirts with them across the world. By 1912, the operation had grown into Scandinavia's largest shirt factory with 140 employees. The shirts of that era still had starched, loose collars and detachable cuffs, but the quality was already unmistakable.
Three Families, One Standard
What makes Stenströms unusual in an industry full of corporate acquisitions is continuity. Only three families have ever led the company across its entire 125-year history.
August ran the factory until his death in 1939 at the age of 83. His daughter Ingeborg Stenström stepped in as manager and ran the company successfully through the war years and beyond. When Ingeborg passed in 1956, cousin Lars Béen took over as owner and CEO alongside partner Rolf Norström. Together they pushed the brand forward through the material innovations of the mid-century.
In 1981, the Bengtsson family acquired Stenströms, and Anders Bengtsson became CEO in 1986. The company remains under the Bengtsson family's ownership today. Three families across 125 years. That kind of stability is rare anywhere, and in fashion it is almost unheard of.
"Purveyor to the Royal Court of Sweden" since 1962. The Swedish King and Queen wear Stenströms.
Royal Warrant, renewed by King Carl XVI Gustav and Queen SilviaWhat Goes Into a Stenströms Shirt
Every Stenströms shirt is assembled from 23 individually cut parts. By the time it reaches the finished stage, 60 separate work steps have been performed. The collar alone passes through 25 of those steps. Five dedicated inspection stations examine the garment throughout production, catching details that most manufacturers would never notice, let alone correct.
This is not the kind of shirt you grab off a rack and hope for the best. The construction is deliberate. Seams are reinforced where stress naturally occurs. Buttons are secured with cross-stitching that holds through years of laundering. Collar stays sit precisely where they should, and the placket lies flat without pulling. These are the things you notice after owning the shirt for six months, not when you first try it on.
Materials and Fabrics
The quality of a dress shirt starts with the cotton. Stenströms sources fabrics from mills across Europe, selecting for thread count, hand feel, and durability in equal measure. Their twill weave produces a smooth, slightly lustrous surface that resists wrinkles naturally. The Active Stretch line uses a proprietary blend where the stretch is woven directly into the fabric structure rather than relying on elastane that breaks down over time.
What you will not find in a Stenstrom shirt is filler. No polyester blends passed off as premium. No shortcuts in the weave that save cost but sacrifice longevity. The fabrics they use hold their colour through repeated washing, maintain their drape across seasons, and develop a softness with wear that cheaper cottons simply cannot replicate. This is the difference between a $60 shirt and a $300 one, and you feel it the moment you put it on.
Collar Styles and Details
Stenströms offers several collar options across their range, and the collar is often what separates a good shirt from a great one. The most versatile is the spread collar, which sits cleanly with or without a tie and works under most suit lapel widths. For a more contemporary look, the cutaway collar opens wider and pairs well with a Windsor knot or worn open. Their button-down collar options, particularly in the Oxford cloth, carry a more relaxed feel suited to sport coats and denim.
The collar construction itself is where the 25 dedicated steps come in. Stenströms builds their collars with internal fusing and precise stitching that keeps the points in place throughout the day. No curling. No drooping by mid-afternoon. That consistency is something you notice when you have worn lesser shirts that lose their shape after lunch.
The Range We Carry
We have built our Stenströms selection around what our clients actually need. Not every occasion calls for the same shirt, and not every man wants the same fabric against his skin.
Active Stretch is the workhorse of modern shirting. Stenströms engineered this fabric to move with you through a full day without losing its composure. The stretch is built into the weave, not added through cheap elastane blends, so it does not degrade over time. We carry the Active Stretch in light blue, navy, textured black, and patterned options. If you travel for work or spend long days moving between meetings and dinners, this is the shirt to own.
Twill is the classic. Smooth, refined, and naturally resistant to wrinkling. Our white twill at $299 is the foundation every wardrobe should have. We also carry the twill in checked patterns and a champagne option that pairs exceptionally well with navy and charcoal suits. These are the shirts you reach for when you want to look sharp without thinking about it.
Jersey is where Stenströms quietly surprises people. The brand introduced jersey into their men's shirting in 2021, and it works better than it has any right to. A dress shirt made from jersey knit fabric sounds like it should not work, but it does. The navy and white striped jersey and the dark blue denim jersey both have the collar structure and button placement of a proper dress shirt, with the comfort of your favourite weekend layer. Worn under a sport coat with no tie, these are hard to beat.
Knitwear rounds out the collection. The black chunky merino wool turtleneck is the kind of piece that anchors a winter outfit, whether worn alone or layered under a topcoat.
Sizing and Fit
Stenströms offers two distinct fits across most of their range. The Slimline sits closer to the body with a more tapered waist and narrower sleeve. The Regular is the slightly fuller cut, offering more room through the chest and midsection while still keeping the silhouette clean. Neither fit is boxy. Both are designed for men who understand that a dress shirt should follow your shape, not hang off it.
If you are between sizes or unsure which fit suits your build, come in and try both. That is what we are here for. We have been fitting men in shirts for over 80 years, and the difference between the right fit and the almost-right fit is something you feel immediately.
Slimline Fit — Size Chart
Regular Fit — Size Chart
How to Measure
If you are not sure what size to choose, place your favourite garment flat and compare with the measurements below. All measurements are in centimetres unless otherwise stated.
Measure your neck tightly below the Adam's apple. Put one finger between the tape and neck for the right measurement.
Measure the chest width under the armhole. Multiply by 2.
Measure the width at the narrowest point of the shirt. Multiply by 2.
Measure the width at the bottom of the shirt. Multiply by 2.
Measure from the lower edge of the collar, down the back to the end of the shirt.
Measure from the middle of the neck, along the top of the sleeve until it ends (include cuff).
Caring for Your Stenstrom Shirts
A shirt built to this standard deserves proper care. Machine wash on a gentle cycle with cold or lukewarm water. Avoid hot water, which weakens cotton fibres over time and can cause shrinkage. Use a mild detergent and skip the fabric softener, which coats the fibres and reduces breathability.
Hang dry or tumble on low heat. If you iron, do it while the shirt is still slightly damp. A medium heat setting with steam will remove wrinkles without scorching the fabric. Iron the collar, cuffs, and placket first, then work through the body. If you prefer to skip ironing altogether, the twill and Active Stretch fabrics are naturally wrinkle-resistant and hang well straight from the dryer.
Store shirts on wooden or padded hangers with the top button fastened. This keeps the collar shape intact and prevents the fabric from stretching at the shoulders. Folding is fine for travel, but for long-term storage, hanging is always better.
How Stenströms Compares
Clients occasionally ask how Stenströms sits alongside other premium shirt brands. The honest answer is that it depends on what you value.
Among premium shirtmakers, Stenströms consistently ranks alongside Eton, Barba Napoli, and Finamore for construction quality and fabric selection. What separates Stenströms from most competitors is the combination of Scandinavian precision with accessible pricing.
Eton, also Swedish, operates at a similar price point and quality tier. The construction is comparable, though Stenströms tends to offer a slightly more traditional fit while Eton leans slimmer. Both are excellent choices, and we respect the brand.
Charles Tyrwhitt and T.M.Lewin occupy a lower price tier and use different construction methods. They are serviceable shirts, but the fabric weight, collar construction, and overall longevity do not match what Stenströms delivers. You will replace a Tyrwhitt shirt two or three times in the lifespan of a single Stenströms.
Where Stenströms stands apart is in the combination of heritage, construction rigour, and fabric quality at a price point that remains accessible for what you are getting. At $299 to $379 CAD, you are getting a shirt built to the same standard as brands charging $450 and above. And the fact that we can tailor the fit in house at Mr. Derk, adjusting sleeves, body, or collar with our on-site tailoring team, means you are not limited to off-the-rack sizing. That is something no online retailer can offer.
Why We Chose Stenströms
We have carried a number of shirt brands over the years. Some impressed on the hanger but disappointed after a few washes. Others fit well initially but lost their shape within a season. Stenströms is the brand that consistently holds up. The fabric quality, the construction, and the fit all remain intact wash after wash, season after season.
There is something fitting about carrying a brand with this kind of history. Stenströms was founded in 1899. Mr. Derk was founded in 1939. Both companies have stayed in family hands, both have prioritized craft over trend, and both believe that the best garments are the ones you reach for without thinking. That shared philosophy is why Stenströms has earned a permanent place in our collection.
Shop Stenströms at Mr. Derk
8025 102 Street NW, Edmonton | 780.431.4293 | menswear@mrderk.com
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