The loopwheel knitting machine operates at roughly one-tenth the speed of a modern circular knitter. It produces fabric as a seamless tube, under almost no tension, which is why the finished garment has a naturally soft hand and a slightly irregular texture that no faster process can replicate. There are now only two regions where this method still functions at any meaningful scale: the Swabian Alps and Japan.
Merz b. Schwanen has been based in that part of southern Germany since 1911. The 346 is their 10oz midweight sweatshirt - three-ply organic cotton, unsanforised, meaning it will shrink approximately an inch on first wash and then set permanently. Colourways include Ink Blue and Deep Black. No external branding. The intention is a garment worn for decades rather than seasons.
The price is low enough to feel like a trap until you handle one. It is not a trap.
£70 - merzbschwanen.com