Good Future

Our mission is to do our part to increase appreciation for textiles and bring about positive change in the textile industry.

By offering original, organic, simply good basics, we aim to honor our heritage and make a change now.
We do this by contributing to our three core values:

• TIMELESS DESIGN
• GOOD MATERIALS
• GOOD MANUFACTURING

Good products don't have to be invented again and again. They are timeless and long-lasting. We intend to connect the 'good' of the past with the demands of the present while acting responsibly for a good future.

Merz b. Schwanen – the good basic.

1. TIMELESS DESIGN

We create all-time favorites.
Enjoying garments for a longer time
saves resources and reduces waste.


READ MORE

1. TIMELESS DESIGN


We create all-time favorites.
Enjoying garments for a longer time
saves resources and reduces waste.


READ MORE

pile of organic cotton Henley's and t-shirts
detail shot of 215 t-shirt in white
cotton cones
2. GOOD MATERIALS

We choose all-natural, sustainable, recycled and fully recyclable materials.


Certified Organic Cotton

Preferring a T-shirt from organic cotton
saves over 430 liters of water.


READ MORE

cotton cones
2. GOOD MATERIALS
We choose all-natural, sustainable, recycled and fully recyclable materials.

Certified Organic Cotton

Preferring a T-shirt from organic cotton
saves over 430 liters of water.


READ MORE

sheep on a meadow
Mulesing-free Merino Wool

The mulesing treatment is a painful surgical procedure for sheep,
primarily used in Australia due to fly strike for nearly 100 years.
We use certified mulesing-free merino wool for our garments.


READ MORE

sheep on a meadow
Mulesing-free Merino Wool

The mulesing treatment is a painful surgical procedure for sheep,
primarily used in Australia due to fly strike for nearly 100 years.
We use certified mulling-free merino wool for our garments.


READ MORE

woven neck label with the blue swan logo
Good Details​

From thread to labels and buttons – organic cotton, viscose, to corozo nut: We pride ourselves in using only the best natural materials, and no plastic wherever possible.
Our exceptional woven labels are authentically made in Germany on an old punch card Jacquard loom from 1890.

3. GOOD MANUFACTURING

We care for everybody involved:
Respectful, honest cooperation,
and fair working conditions are key to us.


READ MORE

3. GOOD MANUFACTURING


We care for everybody involved:
Respectful, honest cooperation,
and fair working conditions are key to us.


READ MORE

knitter kneeing in front of loop wheeler machine
group of seamstresses

TO US SUSTAINABILITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN MORE
THAN JUST USING ORGANIC MATERIALS

• People

We work with people who embody
our values: kind, reliable people
who are passionate about their crafts
and about the people they work with.
People who share the same love

for subtle designs and work-ethic
like us; who appreciate good
materials and socially responsible
manufacturing processes.

• Planet

We are grateful for all the good
that Mother Earth gives us. We
know that nothing on the planet
belongs to us. So, we want to do
our part to appreciate and honor
by committing to it. From the
beginning on, we strived for
honesty, sustainability, and
transparency.

• Product

From creating all-time favorites,
choosing high-quality

organic materials through the
whole value chain, and opting for
eco-friendly packaging, our
mission is to honor our unique
past and to make a change now
while looking into the future.

Striving for more transparency, we
believe you deserve to know what
you get and where your good
textiles come from.

You are welcome to visit our
German production site.
 

TIMELESS DESIGN

Timeless garments save ressources

Enjoying garments for a longer time saves a lot of resources.
We believe that good products don't have to be invented again and again.
This is one of the main reasons why we focus on creating timeless and long-lasting garments.

Seasonals
To prevent overproduction, we divide the quantities in advance so that no significant amounts are left at the end of the season.

We focus on small and steady collections. In addition, we offer seasonal sales for remaining stock and the opportunity to purchase styles from recent seasonal collections for a reduced price. 

Textile Waste
The European Commission estimates that the EU textile industry generates around sixteen million tonnes of waste per year, most of which end up in landfills and incinerators – the is tendency rising.

We don't neglect our materials. The textile wastes and remnants are collected and recycled by a local company, which also uses renewable energy.

There's a lot of waste that we need to take serious. Every piece matters!

TIMELESS DESIGN

Timeless garments save ressources

Enjoying garments for a longer time saves a lot of resources.
We believe that good products don't have to be invented again and again.
This is one of the main reasons why we focus on creating timeless and long-lasting garments.

Seasonals
To prevent overproduction, we divide the quantities in advance so that no significant amounts are left at the end of the season.

We focus on small and steady collections. In addition, we offer seasonal sales for remaining stock and the opportunity to purchase styles from recent seasonal collections for a reduced price. 

Textile Waste
The European Commission estimates that the EU textile industry generates around sixteen million tonnes of waste per year, most of which end up in landfills and incinerators – the is tendency rising.

We don't neglect our materials. The textile wastes and remnants are collected and recycled by a local company, which also uses renewable energy.

There's a lot of waste that we need to take serious. Every piece matters!

t-shirt henelys sweatshirts and pants hanging on rack
GOOD MATERIALS


Why do we use only good materials such as organic cotton or mulesing-free merino wool?

Organic Cotton
Did you know that opting for a T-shirt made of organic cotton saves over 430 liters of water?
And this is only one T-shirt!

All the cotton that we use for manufacturing meets premium standards.
In Greece – where the organic cotton for our GOOD ORIGINALS come from – farmers use complex watering systems, which ensure a targeted water supply for each individual plant.
This method, called drip irrigation, assures optimized and careful handling of the precious resource – water.

Organically farmed land also reduces the highly climate-damaging greenhouse gas methane through oxidation and microbial transformation in the atmosphere.

Three facts about organic cotton

91% less water
• 0% toxic chemicals
• 46% less CO2 emissions

GOOD MATERIALS


Why do we use only good materials such as organic cotton or mulesing-free merino wool?


Organic 
Cotton
Did you know that opting for a T-shirt made of organic cotton saves over 430 liters of water?
And this is only one T-shirt!

All the cotton that we use for manufacturing meets premium standards.
In Greece – where the organic cotton for our GOOD ORIGINALS come from – farmers use complex watering systems, which ensure a targeted water supply for each individual plant.
This method, called drip irrigation, assures optimized and careful handling of the precious resource – water.

Organically farmed land also reduces the highly climate-damaging greenhouse gas methane through oxidation and microbial transformation in the atmosphere.

Three facts about organic cotton

91% less water
• 0% toxic chemicals
• 46% less CO2 emissions

Mulesing-free Merino Wool
The mulesing treatment is a painful surgical procedure for sheep, primarily used in Australia due to flystrike for nearly 100 years.

​Flystrike is when blowflies lay their eggs in the folds of the skin around ​the tail area of the sheep (for nearly 100 years). The eggs can hatch into ​larvae and then feed off the flesh of the sheep. If left untreated, the sheep are at risk of blood poisoning and ​death.

​To reduce the risk of flystrike, wool producers have traditionally cut flaps of skin around the lamb's breach and tail to create an area of bare, scarred ​skin, which is less likely to attract blowflies. Until recently, this procedure was ​carried out without any pain relief.

​While flystrike does not present a serious animal welfare concern, mulesing ​causes significant pain and stress to sheep. With the exception of Victoria, there is currently no mandatory requirement for producers to use an anesthetic or ​pain relief during and after the procedure.

We use certified mulesing-free merino wool for our garments!

Mulesing-free Merino Wool
​The mulesing treatment is a painful surgical procedure for sheep, primarily used in Australia due to flystrike for nearly 100 years.

​Flystrike is when blowflies lay their eggs in the folds of the skin around ​the tail area of the sheep (for nearly 100 years). The eggs can hatch into ​larvae and then feed off the flesh of the sheep. If left untreated, the sheep are at risk of blood poisoning and ​death.

​To reduce the risk of flystrike, wool producers have traditionally cut flaps of skin around the lamb's breach and tail to create an area of bare, scarred ​skin, which is less likely to attract blowflies. Until recently, this procedure was ​carried out without any pain relief.

​While flystrike does not present a serious animal welfare concern, mulesing ​causes significant pain and stress to sheep. With the exception of Victoria, there is currently no mandatory requirement for producers to use an anesthetic or ​pain relief during and after the procedure.

We use certified mulesing-free merino wool for our garments!

GOOD MANUFACTURING

GOOD ORIGINALS – made in Germany.
GOOD BASICS – made in Portugal.

We are committed to our partners, customers, and friends.
We share a respectful interaction with all parties involved and care for environmentally-friendly production methods.

The fabrics for our GOOD ORIGINALS line are traditionally manufactured on original loopwheelers in Germany.

When it comes to picking a production facility for the GOOD BASICS line, we are steered by our core values: making the best sustainable textiles possible by paying close attention to the exclusive use of high-quality natural materials, sturdy craft, innovative production techniques, and fair working conditions.
Trust and respect are the base of our relationship with our production partners.

GOOD MANUFACTURING


GOOD ORIGINALS – made in Germany.
GOOD BASICS – made in Portugal.

We are committed to our partners, customers, and friends.
We share a respectful interaction with all parties involved and care for environmentally-friendly production methods.

The fabrics for our GOOD ORIGINALS line are traditionally manufactured on original loopwheelers in Germany.

When it comes to picking a production facility for the GOOD BASICS line, we are steered by our core values: making the best sustainable textiles possible by paying close attention to the exclusive use of high-quality natural materials, sturdy craft, innovative production techniques, and fair working conditions.
Trust and respect are the base of our relationship with our production partners.

underpants getting sewn by hand
brown hangtag with merz b. schwanen logo
GOOD ORIGINALS​

The GOOD ORIGINALS line is where we come from. It is our heritage.
Our origin is making unique fabrics using original, rare, one-hundred-year-old loopwheelers in Germany.


SHOP GOOD ORIGINALS 

white good basics hangtag with merz b. schwanen logo
GOOD BASICS

The GOOD BASICS line is the evolution our heritage and is well-made in Portugal. We combine traditional and innovative production techniques and know-how to create basics with a modern approach.


SHOP GOOD BASICS WOMEN'S  SHOP GOOD BASICS MEN'S

GOOD BASICS

The GOOD BASICS line is the evolution our heritage and is well-made in Portugal. We combine traditional and innovative production techniques and know-how to create basics with a modern approach.


SHOP GOOD BASICS WOMEN'S 


SHOP GOOD BASICS MEN'S

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

Acting responsibly is key to us. We believe in the power of our choices, words, and actions. 
When we think, talk, and act consciously, the results are aligned with the higher good of all living beings and planet Earth. We strive to do our best to make a change in our daily routines and business practices:

ORIGINAL LOOPWHEELERS – truly sustainable
Using our authentic machines is upcycling at its best!
Up to this day, our unique fabrics in our production in Germany are made on original machines built between 1890 to 1965. No new machines and equipment are being used and installed. 
Nice fact: All our loopwheelers are run by a single motor.
Our production site in Germany and the majority in Portugal use solar energy.

Fabrics
All our fabrics are made from sustainable, organic, all-natural materials.
We do not use harsh chemicals and refrain from using additives wherever possible.

Packaging
We only use recyclable packaging or packaging that is recycled and recyclable again.
The packaging of GOOD ORIGINALS products is made from recycled paper or cardboard and is traditionally manufactured in a family-run factory in Germany.
The poly bags of the GOOD BASICS are made of recycled plastic 
and are entirely recyclable. We are working on sourcing more sustainable options steadily.

Transport
Production: We attach great importance to keeping the distances in production as short as possible so that unnecessary transport routes are avoided. Additionally, our employees in Berlin come to the office mainly by bicycle or public transport.

Shipment: All shipments that we send via DHL Express are sent climate neutral with GoGreen, an add-on with which DHL Express offsets greenhouse gas emissions by supporting various conservation projects. We are happy to mention that we received our DHL Express GoGreen certificate for 2022.

Commuting: Our employees in Berlin come to the office mainly by bicycle or public transport.

Flagship Store Berlin
Our inventory is 80% upcycling using vintage classic design furniture and sustainable materials such as the linoleum floor, the mid-century classic teak wall from designer Poul Cadovius, or vintage mirrors and shelves. 
The entire interior stands the test of time and trends.

Office Furnishings
Here as well, we focus on upcycling: Our inventory is mainly vintage design classics like USM and ARTEMIDE, as well as vintage pieces from 1900 to the 1960s.

(No) Plastics
We also avoid plastic wherever possible in the office, production, and store.
For instance, we only have spring water in glass bottles for our guests and employees, make our coffee in real portafilter machines, and use coffee beans from local coffee roasters.

Donations
We offer old stock, proto styles, samples, and remaining items for donation to shelter homes and similar institutions.

Our Attitude

We're not perfect, but we work on getting better every day.
So, we keep a fresh attitude, keep learning, do our best to impact the textile industry positively and develop good products that you will hopefully enjoy for a long time.
We believe this is good for everybody as well as Mother Earth.
We thank you for joining and supporting us!