Take a look at your favorite sweatshirt. You might notice a peculiar feature at the neck — a V-shaped stitch that sits right at the middle of the collar. Why is it there? It’s a confounding detail that has stumped people for years.
That little detail goes by a few names, most commonly the V-insert, V-stitch and, its tastiest moniker, the Dorito. But you won’t find it on every sweatshirt. It’s become less prevalent over the years and was phased out by many brands, fueling further confusion surrounding its intent.
Originally, the design was a ribbed knit material that was inserted at the collar and stitched into place. It served two main purposes: Like the ribbing at the sleeves and at the hem, the ribbed insert allowed the wearer to more easily don the garment without it losing shape. As the wearer would get their head through the neck of the sweatshirt, the V-insert would stretch to accommodate. The elasticity of the ribbing could stretch as needed without losing integrity.
The second reason is that it helped to absorb sweat. If you’ve seen someone sweat through a crewneck, you’ll know that the chest is a major point of perspiration. Though, the V-insert could only take so much.
Early versions saw the V-insert at both the front and the back of the collar while others would just have one at the front. Eventually, the detail became merely decorative as companies began to stitch a V at the collar without the ribbed material, weening the consumer before leaving it out altogether.
But, the recent resurgence of heritage brands and a focus on vintage influences has brought the V-insert back into vogue as brands like Merz B. Schwanen, Warehouse and Champion look to capitalize on archival styles. Whether you use yours to catch some sweat or the one you’ve got is purely ornamental, you now have a new fun fact to share.
This story is part of Further Details, a series dedicated to ubiquitous but overlooked elements hidden on your favorite products.
