Most people have spotted the triangle panel on jumpers and hoodies, but it isn’t just for decoration
Most people will have spotted the small triangle on the neckline of jumpers and sweaters, but only a handful will actually know its purpose. Interestingly, many of the triangles on contemporary jumpers are merely decorative and serve no functional purpose.
TikTok content creator Alex Ma enjoys debunking myths and unveiling lesser-known facts about clothing and materials. He has garnered a following of dedicated fashion enthusiasts who relish learning about the true meanings behind their clothes labels and delving into the history of wardrobe essentials.
In one video that has amassed over six million views, Alex elucidates the genuine reason some jumpers feature a small triangular shape stitched in.
He said: “On many hoodies and crewnecks, there’s a V-shaped panel at the base of the collar. Usually on the front, sometimes the back and sometimes both. But it is not decoration.”
Alex proceeds to explain that it was devised to address a specific issue in 1926, the year American clothing manufacturer Russell Athletic designed the sweatshirt football jersey, reports the Express.
He said: “Before this, football players wore wool jerseys. Wool is warm, which is great, but when you mix wool, sweat and intense physical activity, you end up with a heavy, disgusting mess. Plus, when you wash it, the wool would shrink.
“So Russell design a cotton jersey with a specific problem to solve, sweat management. That V-shaped panel is positioned exactly where sweat first accumulates on your body, at the upper chest and collarbone area.
“The separate panel of fabric created by the V-shape absorbs moisture in that high-sweat area without the entire front of the garment getting soaked.”
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Alex also revealed that’s not the sole issue this clever little triangle addresses. He explained how the additional material serves as a flexibility point, so when you pull the jumper over your head, it enables the garment to move without stretching the neckline.
Nevertheless, Alex also highlighted that most V-shaped panels in clothing nowadays are imitations. He said: “You will see what looks like a V-panel, but it is not actually functional.
“Usually, it is the same fabric as the rest of the sweatshirt, just with extra fabric stitched on top. It doesn’t provide any extra stretch; it’s purely aesthetic. Even worse, some sweatshirts just have V-shaped stitching with no additional fabric at all.”
