One of only two loopwheeling mills left in the world still knits T-shirts the old way. This one has been running in Albstadt, Germany since 1911.

Merz b. Schwanen was founded by Balthasar Merz to produce loopwheeled workers' henleys and underwear. At its peak the factory employed two thousand people. Globalisation made the business untenable, and the family shut production in 2008. In 2010, Berlin-based designer Peter Plotnicki tracked down thirty-two of the original loopwheel machines, obtained naming rights from the Merz descendants, and restarted the line.

The machines run slow. About one metre of fabric every ninety minutes, under zero tension. The result is a seamless tubular jersey with no side seams, a signature triangle gusset under the arm, and a hand that softens with every wear. All garments use GOTS-certified organic cotton, no chemical finishings, no offshore production.

Mr. Derk is Edmonton's first traditional menswear store to carry the line. We brought it in because the best basic is still a basic, and the best basics are still made by hand in Albstadt.