Made in Germany | A textiles factory in Germany

Globalization has seen production decline in the European textiles industry. Challenging this trend is a cloth mill in Tirschenreuth, Bavaria that was founded in 1644. Ludwig Mehler runs the family-business - now in its 11th generation - with his cousin Paulus and sister Edith. Their strategy combines flexible customized production featuring exquisite quality and very reasonable prices. Traditional Bavarian-green loden fabric is now being replaced by highly durable fabrics for industrial applications and the export market. Four years ago the Mehler firm took over the Forst spinning works - a move that has seen the workforce expand and turnover double. Christian Pricelius takes a look around.