If you’ve ever taken a close look at a clothes hanger, maybe when you’re putting a garment on it in the closet, you may wonder why clothes hangers have notches. It’s not that all hangers have these notches, but many of them do, and most people don’t know what the notches are for.
Clothes hangers generally have notches when they’re designed to be used for hanging clothes that have thin straps. This could be an undershirt, a blouse with very thin straps, other kinds of undergarments like bras, or other related clothing items.
It could also be a larger dress or piece of clothing that has too wide of a neck to fit on a standard hanger. Many of these garments have small internal straps that can be used to hang the garment on a hanger. The notches on your hangers are specially spaced to accommodate these tiny, internal straps on wider neck scarves. The spacing of the notches helps to prevent the straps from sliding off.
Why Can Notches on Hangers Be Annoying?
Many people find the notches to be annoying, though. They can make it hard to put a standard-necked garment on the hanger without it slipping off. The notches are more common on wooden hangers and those that have a more slick surface. Velvet-lined hangers tend not to have notches, because the material lining the hanger is already good enough at holding straps that the notches are not necessary. The velvet provides enough friction to keep the straps in place, no notches required.
If you find notches on your hangers to be annoying, your best bet is probably to buy wire hangers, which rarely have notches. Another option is to go for the velvet-lined hangers, which again rarely have notches. Avoid slick materials like wood, where straps might slide off. These hangers are more likely to have notches on them.
Of course, if you wear garments that have a wider neck and that have internal straps, or if you hang a lot of undergarments, then you may be seeking hangers with notches. Plastic hangers are the ones most likely to include this small extra feature.
Looking for the best clothes hangers for your closet? Check out our guide.