The vast majority of underwear, regardless of style or material, comes with an extra piece of fabric which mimics a ‘pocket’ in the crotch area – and most people had no clue what it was for
People are surprised to learn the real reason behind the extra “pouch” which lines underwear at the crotch. It’s called a gusset and typically appears as a small “pocket” which is designed and included in most kinds of knickers for hygiene purposes.
Underwear comes in all shapes and sizes, with a variety of styles to suit all body types and requirements. There’s styles including the bikini, hipster, briefs, high-rise briefs, thong, G-string, boy-shorts, seamless underwear, French-cut and tangas. There’s also designs for specific concerns, such as maternity lingerie, control briefs, and more. Underwear also comes in a variety of materials from cotton to silk.
Usually though, there’s the inclusion of the gusset which is crafted in cotton. It’s a feature countless people will have seen while getting dressed yet many were unaware of its purpose or name.
One curious person was tired of wondering what the extra fabric was for and took to X to get some answers. They shared an image alongside their question.
They simply penned: “I’ve always wondered why do underwear have these holes???”
Their post clearly struck a chord with fellow social media users, racking up more than 170,000 likes and over 15 million views.
Many people took to the comments section to share their thoughts and theories.
One person said: “The extra piece of fabric is called [a] gusset and it’s there to reinforce the crotch area.
“It makes the piece more durable and stops moisture from seeping through. You could topstitch [it] so there’s no hole but it’s not really necessary and can cause irritation.”
Another said: “It helps prevent UTIs and yeast infections, you can also put a liner in it if you know your flow is heavy so if it bleeds through it won’t bleed through your underwear.”
Someone else referenced an old design of sanitary towels, which didn’t come with a sticky back or wings to secure them in place. They said: “Pads. They used to have long ends that you would push into the holes to keep them in place.”
Not everyone offered helpful insight, though. Some were quite keen to joke about the gusset’s purpose.
One person said: “I’ve heard that’s where girls keep their Aldi quarter.”
Another quipped: “Don’t listen to the people saying it’s for ‘reinforcement’ or some BS. It’s to store hidden chicken nuggets for later.”
A third joked: “Well, that is Victoria’s secret.”
According to underwear and clothing company Leonisa, the gusset is “the extra layer of fabric sewn into the crotch portion of women’s underwear”.
The company states: “Men’s underwear may also have a gusset, but it’s far more common in women’s panties.
“Gussets can be found in just about every type of underwear for women, from boy-shorts to bikini panties to thongs.”