Did You Know?

Does a sweatshirt’s V-stitch have a real purpose?

Ever notice how some of your sweatshirts have V-shaped stitching under the collar? Known by some as a V-insert  and others as a Dorito (yum!), this strange little detail would appear to put form over function — it doesn’t really do anything, so far as most of us can tell, and some might find it a strange design choice at that. Amazingly though, the V-stitch can actually serve not one, but two purposes.

The first has to do with the structural integrity of the sweatshirt itself. As these garments are worn by placing one’s noggin directly through the collar, they’re also prone to stretching — but not if they’ve got a V-insert, whose elastic ribbing promotes elasticity and prevents the material from losing shape. The second has to do with sweat, which has a way of permeating crewnecks and letting the outside world see how much that last workout raised your heart rate. Ribbed V-stitches absorb some of this perspiration, keeping us looking fresh even when we aren’t feeling that way.

While it’s true that many V-inserts you’ll see today are purely decorative, as they aren’t ribbed, some uphold the traditions of yore and keep our sweaters looking like they did the day you bought them. Thanks, V-stitch.

So glad you asked “why so?”