A sweatshirt is a long-sleeved, collarless pullover garment typically constructed from a thick knit cotton jersey or cotton-blend fabric. This comfortable, durable piece of clothing is now a universally recognized wardrobe staple. Despite its modern status as casual loungewear, the item retains a name that seems unusual for a garment often worn for warmth, leading many to wonder why it is called a “sweatshirt.”
How Athletic Necessity Shaped the Design
The invention of the modern sweatshirt was a direct response to the discomfort of early 20th-century athletic apparel. Before the 1920s, American football players and other athletes wore heavy, knitted wool jerseys during practice and games. These wool garments were notoriously itchy, chafed the skin during strenuous activity, and were extremely difficult to clean without shrinking significantly after repeated washing.
In 1926, Benjamin Russell Jr., a quarterback for the University of Alabama football team, approached his father, Benjamin Russell Sr., who owned a textile manufacturing company. Russell Jr. proposed replacing the team’s restrictive wool jerseys with something cooler and more comfortable. The company, which later became Russell Athletic, adapted a design originally used for women’s undergarments. They created a loose, collarless pullover made from thick, durable cotton, providing a softer, more breathable layer that did not chafe or shrink like wool.
The Literal Function Behind the Name
The garment’s name is a straightforward, functional description rooted in its original purpose on the athletic field. The “shirt” part of the name simply refers to the basic, pullover design that replaced the traditional wool jersey or sweater. The key lies in the “sweat” component, which references the garment’s primary function of managing perspiration during hard exercise.
The thick cotton fleece material, with its brushed or looped inner side, was highly absorbent. It was designed to soak up the copious amounts of perspiration generated by athletes during training. The cotton material would absorb the sweat, helping to keep the athlete warm after a vigorous workout by preventing a rapid drop in body temperature during cool-downs.
Specific design elements were engineered to manage moisture and reinforce the collar against stretching from repeated wear and washing. While modern technical fabrics are engineered to “wick” moisture away for quick evaporation, the original thick cotton fleece successfully absorbed and held a significant volume of sweat away from the body. The name “sweatshirt” became the simple, descriptive term for this new type of athletic practice shirt, and the designation persisted as the pullover transitioned to mainstream casual attire.