It’s been a few years since we’ve delved into Merz b. Schwanen loopwheel tees. In case you’ve missed them, check out our Brand Spotlight with the owners Peter Plotnicki and Gitta Plotnicki, as well as our Sizing and Shrinkage article to help dial in your sizing and what to expect post-wash. This go-around, we’re doing a Merz loopwheel tee comparison by sizing up a few different fabrics and cuts to help you understand what makes each one unique, why you should opt for one, and why you may want to take a pass.

THE LINEUP

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For the different cuts, we’re comparing a couple Relaxed Fit tees to their Classic Fit Tee. For the different fabrics, we’re highlighting three different weight tees – their single thread (5.5oz), two-thread (7.8oz), and their heavyweight slub tee (13.4oz).

So let’s get to it and take a look at these three black/charcoal tees. Rather than the typical, “best white tee” thread, we’re going to offer up this review for those who love their black tees:

1. Merz b. Schwanen 1940s Single-Thread Loopwheel Tee – Deep Black (6 | Large)
2. Merz b. Schwanen 215 Two-Thread Loopwheel Tee – Deep Black (6 | Large)
3. Merz b. Schwanen 2S14 Heavyweight Slub Loopwheel Tee – Charcoal (5 | Medium)

For each tee, we’ll consider:

• What’s unique about the tee;
• What the fabric feels like;
• Where we like wearing it;
• Who should buy this tee; 
• And who should look elsewhere.

Lastly, rather than repeating several details throughout, just know that all of these tees are from their Good Originals line, which consists of all loopwheel fabric, using 100% organic cotton, and made in Germany. Further, all three of these tees come without a pre-wash, so they will shrink after their first wash. While this article isn’t intended to cover shrinkage (as we do in the aforementioned), we provide some measurements pre and post-wash below; all washing was done with machine wash on a normal cycle and hang-dry to minimize shrinkage. 

As a side note, while we will use the term “stretch” to describe how the fabric feels, note that there is no elastane, polyester, or other synthetic materials in any of these tees.

The model in all photos is 6’0″, 175 lbs, with a 39-40 chest. He typically wears Medium in most American brands, Large in most Japanese brands, and Large in most Merz knits to include 1940s, 1950s, 215, 206, etc. Note that the model wore a size M in the 2S14 below to obtain a slim fit on their relaxed tee (the tee is actually quite tight/constricting, so be careful about doing this if you prefer a comfortable fit).

MERZ B. SCHWANEN 1940S SINGLE-THREAD LOOPWHEEL TEE – DEEP BLACK

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The Merz b. Schwanen 1940s Tee is a relaxed version of their popular 1950s tee. The tee is lightweight and easy-going, and is much more accommodating for a variety of body sizes due to the wider chests and larger arm holes.

• What’s Unique About This Tee?

  Aside from a pocketed version of this tee, the 1940s tee is the only relaxed fit tee in their lineup of single-thread tees. The 1940s tee stands alone in this regard. You should also know that the neckline ribbing is a little wider on the 1940s versus the 1950s.

• What Does the Fabric Feel Like?

  The single-thread fabric is the softest of the bunch and has a decent amount of bounce to the fabric. What we mean by bounce is that if you grab a handful in your hands, it seems as if the fabric rebounds once you let go – this speaks to the plushness of the tee.

• Where We Like Wearing it?

  The soft, roomy cut, with the stretch in the fabric makes this a great tee for loungewear at home and running errands in. A super casual tee for many of life’s daily activities.

• You Should Buy This Tee…

  … if you enjoy soft and plush tees, and are looking for a nice lightweight tee for the warmer days or one to lounge around in at home… if you prefer tees that have a nice give to it – stretches and moves as you move… or if you’ve previously tried the 1950s tee and loved the fabric, but found it to be too slim, either through the body or in the arms.

• You Should Look Elsewhere…

  …. if you prefer tees that are more rigid and structured, perhaps with more of a dry feeling… if you’re looking for a slim fitting, form fitting tee (consider the 1950s in the same fabric instead).

MERZ B. SCHWANEN 215 TWO-THREAD LOOPWHEEL TEE – DEEP BLACK

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The Merz b. Schwanen 215 Tee has gotten much attention since Summer 2022 due to the FX show The Bear, in which the main character is oft seen wearing a white tee in his role as a chef (disclaimer–we have not watched this show so we make no judgment calls on whether the show is as good as the tee he’s wearing). But even before the show brought some attention to Merz and the 215 Tee specifically, many of you already loved this tee for what it was – a well-constructed tee with a perfect medium-weight, and a tee that feels premium from the moment you unbox it, to the first touch and subsequently wearing it.

• What’s Unique About This Tee?

  The 215 two-thread tee strikes that perfect balance between soft and crisp, stretchy yet structured. It might be hard to wrap your head around these juxtapositions until you get it in your hand and spend some time feeling and wearing it, but it truly is a unique tee in this regard. Of note, the 215 tees do tend to have a slightly wider neck opening / collar than other tees.

• What Does the Fabric Feel Like?

  As noted above, it’s got a nice balance of a soft tee, yet with a bent of crisp and dry feel to it. The fabric does have some more structure to it than the single-thread tees, making it feel more substantial on the body.

• Where We Like Wearing it?

  If you are the kind of guy (or gal) that is always on the move and likes to always dress to impress, you’ll find this to be a solid premium tee for your rotation. We like wearing this tee for a casual evening dinner with friends – not overly dressed, but not underdressed.

• You Should Buy This Tee…

  … if you’re looking for a solid all-around premium tee that you can wear in casual settings and slightly more elevated settings (think a nice dinner spot while throwing on an overshirt or jacket on top)…. or if you like a more structured tee that has a substantial hand.

• You Should Look Elsewhere…

  … if you prefer a little more room in your tees or want a relaxed fitting tee (consider the 214 tee)… if you prefer tees with smaller and tighter neck openings.

MERZ B. SCHWANEN 2S14 HEAVYWEIGHT SLUB LOOPWHEEL TEE – CHARCOAL

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Debuting a few years back, the 2S14 Heavyweight Slub Tee is one of their newer fabrics – a two-thread heavyweight slub jersey. The 2S14 comes in their relaxed cut – similar to the 1940s tee – with a wider chest and larger arm openings. That said, we sized down here to style it more of a slim fit just to show what you can do with different sizes. If you’re considering this, note that it can be quite slim and constricting putting it on and off, as well as possibly a little short on the torso. Merz currently doesn’t produce this fabric in Deep Black, but let us know if you’d like to see that in the future – maybe we can give them a nudge!

• What’s Unique About This Tee?

  Aside from possibly being the heaviest loopwheel tee on the market, the slub texture on the 2S14 make these especially unique within their Good Originals lineup. The slub texture is notable from a distance as well as up close – a tee that will certainly set yours apart from the rest.

• What Does the Fabric Feel Like?

  Very thick and sturdy in the hand, a crisp feel; not incredibly soft. It’s got a bumpy/grainy texture as you run your hand over the fabric due to the slub. As the fabric is quite dense and thick, it doesn’t have the stretchiness you would find in the single-thread tees; it’s much more constricting in that sense (putting on, taking off the tee).

• Where We Like Wearing it?

  We like this tee for the cooler days of the year where you can throw on a base tee and a heavier layer over top. With a relaxed fit, it’s great for your winter cabin trips, but also for at-home wear when it’s colder. If you happen to take a lower size for a slimmer fit, these can also work well in similar settings as we mention above for the 215 tee – a fitted and elevated tee.

• You Should Buy This Tee…

  … if you’re an enthusiast and are looking for something new and unique for your premium tees… if you’re looking for a extra heavy tee… or if you love slub and texture.

• You Should Look Elsewhere…

  … if you want a tee with very good drape (due to the thickness, it doesn’t drape incredibly well)… if you prefer easy-going tees (the 2S14 just feels a bit more heavy on the body and more constricting)… or if you’re looking to buy your first loopwheel tee, you might want to try out the 1940s/1950s single thread tee, or the 215 tee for an intro to Merz b. Schwanen’s loopwheel tees.

WRAP-UP – WHAT OTHER OPTIONS?

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Left: 1940s Tee, Middle: 215 Tee, Right: 2S14 Tee

 
We hope this Merz loopwheel tee comparison gives you some more insight into their lineup of tees, which is just a small portion of the overall collection. If one of these tees piques your interest but are looking for a different color, we have options! Whether that’s a white, navy, or army (green) tee, or seasonal colors that are one-and-done. Additionally, you can find many of these in different cuts and patterns. For example, the 1940s single thread tee is the same as the 1950s as alluded to above, just with a different fit. As well, the two-thread tees come in henleys as well – the 206 long-sleeve henley, and 207 short-sleeve henley. The 2S14 is also available in the 2S18 long-sleeve tee, and 2S04 long-sleeve henley, but is currently more of an outlier in that it’s only spec’d out for their Relaxed Fit. 

As always, please feel free to email us if you have any further questions on figuring out what tee and size to buy. 

You can shop our entire Merz b. Schwanen collection, to include these 1940s, 215, and 2S14 tees on our website, as well as many other styles that are not included in this review. If you’re specifically interested in one of the tees or styles of tees reviewed in this article, hit the links below:

Shop our entire Merz 215 T-Shirt Collection here.
Shop our entire Merz Heavyweight T-Shirt (2S14, 2S18, 2S04) Collection here.

1. Merz b. Schwanen 1940s Single-Thread Loopwheel Tee – Deep Black
2. Merz b. Schwanen 215 Two-Thread Loopwheel Tee – Deep Black
3. Merz b. Schwanen 2S14 Heavyweight Slub Loopwheel Tee – Charcoal

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Left: 1940s Tee, Middle: 215 Tee, Right: 2S14 Tee Left: 1940s Tee, Middle: 215 Tee, Right: 2S14 Tee