What Is a Crewneck? The Round Neckline and the Sweatshirt Named After It

A crewneck is a round, collarless neckline that sits close to the base of the neck and is finished with a narrow band of rib knit. The word also names the garment cut with that neckline, most often a long-sleeve pullover sweatshirt, which is why “crewneck” and “crewneck sweatshirt” mean the same thing in everyday US speech. A crew neck T-shirt or sweater has the same neckline on a different garment.

We stitch pet portraits and pet designs on the Gildan 18000 crewneck sweatshirt, the blank behind our custom pet sweatshirts, so it is the example used below.

What is a crewneck sweatshirt?

A crewneck sweatshirt is a hoodless pullover sweatshirt with a round, ribbed neckline, usually with ribbed cuffs and a ribbed waistband as well. The Oregon State University Extension Service glossary Fashion Terms and Styles for Women’s Garments (1991) defines the crew neckline as a high rounded neckline finished with a narrow strip of rib knit, and the sweatshirt as a pullover of fleece-backed heavy knit with a ribbed neck, wrists and waistband.

The Gildan 18000 crewneck sweatshirt shows those parts on a current blank:

• Fabric: 8 oz/yd² (about 271 g/m²) Heavy Blend fleece. Solid colors are 50% cotton / 50% polyester, heather colors 60% polyester / 40% cotton.
• Rib trim: 1×1 rib knit with spandex at the cuffs and waistband.
• Body: a seamless body in a classic fit.
• Sizes: S–5XL, from 20 to 34 in (51–86 cm) wide and 27 to 34 in (69–86 cm) long.

The style began as athletic wear. According to GQ, Benjamin Russell Jr., a University of Alabama football player, came up with the first crewneck sweatshirt in 1920 as a more comfortable, cooler cotton replacement for itchy wool jerseys. GQ also describes the small triangle at the collar of those early sweatshirts, an extra overlapping layer that kept the neck from stretching out.

What is the difference between a crewneck and a sweatshirt?

The difference between a crewneck and a sweatshirt is scope: “crewneck” names a neckline, and the crewneck sweatshirt is one style inside the wider sweatshirt category. A sweatshirt can also be a hoodie or a quarter-zip pullover, neither of which has a crew neck. In practice the two words often point to the same garment; Russell Athletic, the brand that calls itself the inventor of the sweatshirt, notes that the crew neck sweatshirt is now often called simply a crew neck or a sweatshirt.

A hoodie is a sweatshirt that is not a crewneck: the hood is sewn into the neckline in place of the round rib collar. Our hoodie vs sweatshirt comparison covers the hood, pocket and layering differences.

Does a crew neck count as a sweatshirt?

A crew neck counts as a sweatshirt only when the garment itself is a sweatshirt, a fleece-backed knit pullover with ribbed trim. A crew neck T-shirt is a lighter knit with ribbing only at the neck, and a crew neck sweater is knitted from yarn rather than made of fleece. When someone says “a crewneck” with no other word, they usually mean the sweatshirt, but on a product listing check the fabric: if it names fleece and shows ribbed cuffs and a ribbed waistband, it is a sweatshirt.

What’s the difference between a T-shirt and a crew neck?

The difference between a T-shirt and a crew neck is that a T-shirt is a garment and a crew neck is a neckline, so most T-shirts are crew necks. The OSU glossary defines the T-shirt as a knitted pullover with a ribbed crew neck and notes that it is also called a crew or crew-neck; V-neck and scoop-neck tees are the exceptions.

The two blanks we embroider show the gap, with T-shirt specs from the Comfort Colors 1717 page:

For a pet portrait, our guide to choosing a sweatshirt, hoodie or T-shirt compares the garments side by side.

Is a crew neck the same as a round neck?

A crew neck is one kind of round neck, so every crew neck is a round neck but not every round neck is a crew neck. What sets it apart is height and finish: it sits high and close to the neck and ends in a narrow rib-knit band. The OSU glossary separates the round necklines like this:

Why do they call it a crew neck?

They call it a crew neck because the name comes from rowing, which Americans call crew. The American Heritage Dictionary, as quoted on Wordnik, traces the term “from the wearing of similarly styled sweaters by rowers.” Gear Patrol makes the same link to rowing, or crew as it is commonly called in the United States, and adds that rowers in the early 1900s wore collarless shirts with rounded necklines that let them move freely.

The sources disagree on when the term appeared. Gear Patrol puts its earliest known use in 1939, while Wikipedia’s crew neck article, citing Merriam-Webster, says the name dates back to as early as 1930. Both point to the 1930s for the word, and Gear Patrol notes that the neckline itself was in use before the name.

Why are crewnecks so popular?

Crewnecks are popular because the plain round neck works on its own and under other layers, and the crewneck sweatshirt has been a staple since 1920, by GQ’s account. Four reasons stand out:

• Layering: the neckline sits close to the neck, so a crewneck lies flat under a jacket or over a collared shirt. Wikipedia notes that the crew neck is often worn with other layers.
• Comfort: the style started as a softer cotton alternative to wool football jerseys, as GQ tells it.
• Range: Russell Athletic describes the sweatshirt as something you can dress up or down, and GQ counts the grey crewneck sweatshirt as a lasting piece of American style.
• Simplicity: a crewneck has no hood, zipper or buttons, so there are fewer details to fit or to look after.

Why does a round neckline suit an embroidered pet portrait?

A crew neck closes high and round, so the front below it stays one flat panel with no placket, zipper, drawcord or pocket in the way. That leaves room for a pet portrait centered under the collar or a smaller one on the left chest. Our pet portrait embroidery placement guide shows the left-, center- and right-chest positions.

Frequently asked questions

Is a crewneck the same as a pullover?

A crewneck is a pullover, because it goes on over the head with no front opening, but not every pullover is a crewneck. Hoodies, mock necks and quarter zips are pullovers with other necklines.

How should a crewneck sweatshirt fit?

We recommend a fit where the rib waistband sits at the hips and the cuffs at the wrists, without pulling across the chest. Measure a sweatshirt that fits you well, laid flat, and compare it with our Gildan 18000 sweatshirt size chart: a size M is 22 in (56 cm) wide and 28 in (71 cm) long. Made-to-order pieces are not eligible for size exchanges, so check before you order.

Do crewneck sweatshirts shrink?

Yes, a crewneck sweatshirt can shrink, especially in the dryer. Wash it cold and keep dryer time short; our guide on how to wash a sweatshirt or hoodie has the full routine, and how to unshrink a sweatshirt explains what to do if one already came out small.