The Best Hangers For Sweaters

If you’re staring your dresser in the face wondering where you’re going to put all those precious sweaters, a space-saving hanger that retains your favorite knit’s shape is the answer. However, not any hanger will do since the wrong kind can cause the all-too-common shoulder bumps. That’s why the best hangers for sweaters feature a curved, contoured shape and are wide enough to preserve the integrity of your garment. Whether you prefer luxe velvet, sturdy wood, or padded satin, a hanger with some type of nonslip surface will prevent any delicates from falling to the floor.

Shape & Size

The shape of your hanger is one of the most important factors to consider when it comes to sweaters so that you don’t get that dreaded ridge between the neckline and the shoulder that is difficult to smooth out. Deeply curved, contour hangers match the natural shape of your shoulders (and your sweater) and have no sharp angles, thereby preventing bumps and sagging to retain a smoother neckline.

Another cause for misshapen knits? The hanger not being wide enough to preserve the sweater’s shape. To avoid this, opt for a hanger at least 16 inches shoulder-to-shoulder to keep sweaters looking their best.

Material

Hangers that come with a nonslip surface save the day by keeping sweaters in their appointed place. Hanger materials such as velvet and padded satin can help keep them creaseless. Though steel or traditional wooden hangers don’t have soft or padded surfaces, some feature a grip design, making these equally nonslip on top of being durable and strong.

When it comes to caring for your sweater, some experts agree that folding your sweaters is the best way to really maintain the quality, so you’ll also find an option below that takes advantage of your vertical closet space but still allows you to fold sweaters.

With these points in mind, here are the best hangers for sweaters for every wardrobe.

1. These Affordable Velvet Hangers With A Cult Following

If you have a serious sweater collection, these velvet contour-shaped hangers come in a pack of 50 and at a relatively budget-friendly price point. The arc shape prevents shoulder bumps and the velvet nonslip texture helps keep sweaters off the closet floor. These hangers span 17.9-inches wide and include several small hooks and a bar to hang other garments or store accessories. You can choose among four different colors (blush pink, teal, light purple, and black) that will brighten up any closet. This pick enjoys a high 4.7-star rating with more than 1,700 reviews on Amazon.

Helpful Review: “I love these hangers! They are very durable, and perfect for sweaters and blouses. I wasted so much space folding sweaters to avoid the hanger print that plastic hangers leave. I wish I had found these sooner. I will be ordering more. I love the variety of colors as well. Great product for the money.”

2. A 10-Pack Of Supremely Strong Hangers For Your Bulkiest Knits

This hanger may have a minimalist profile, but the super-strong inner steel frame allows it to handle heavier clothing, encouraging you to pile on the bulky sweaters. Its graceful, deeply contoured shape leaves no shoulder bumps and a nonslip coating keeps your sweater in place. At 16.5-inches wide, this hanger gives you the appropriate amount of width to protect your garments. Coming in a pack of 10, you can choose between the two classic colors: black or white.

Helpful Review: “I have been looking for sweater hangers for a long time. I have several large loose-fitting sweaters that become a wrinkled mess when you fold them. These hangers are 100% what I was looking for. The sweaters slide right on and the shoulders curve down so there are no bumps and they don't become a wrinkled mess. I am very pleased with them.”

3. This 4-Pack Of Soft, Padded Satin Hangers

If you’re looking for hangers with a luxe feel, these soft and sleek hangers are wrapped in cushioned satin fabric, preventing both creasing and shoulder bumps, with a 360-degree gold swivel hook. The fabric’s slight ruching helps keep your sweaters in place and its 17-inch wide frame helps preserve their shape. They come in a choice of white, black, and ivory and are sold in packs of four (shown here), five, or 10.

Helpful Review: “I use satin hangers for thick cardigan sweaters and knit dresses. These are the best I've ever used as they are very long across and nothing ever falls off. Will definitely order these again.”

4. A 10-Pack Of Bendable Hangers For Ultimate Versatility

These flexible hangers ingeniously bend to any shape you need, molding perfectly to the form of the sweater you’re hanging and eliminating the despised shoulder bump. With an extra-large 18 inches of width, you have plenty of room to accommodate sweaters in a number of different sizes and smooth nonslip foam keeps things in place while preventing wrinkling or creasing. These hangers come in a pack of 10 and, as an added bonus, can be used to hang-dry wet sweaters due to the foam’s waterproof but breathable material.

Helpful Review: “I will only hang my sweaters and softer fabric shirts made out of materials like Modal on these hangers. They are great for avoiding the "shoulder pookies" and misshaping that top area of the sleeves. Highly recommend them. They may seem pricey but they are worth it.”

5. A 10-Pack Of Wood Hangers With Great Grip

These beautifully crafted wooden hangers give you that desired contour shoulder on top of being constructed of solid, durable wood that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council US, which ensures it comes from a responsibly managed forest. The silhouette of the design discourages shoulder bumps from forming and soft nonslip rubber grips sit at the end of each shoulder, keeping sweaters in place. Coming in a 10 pack, each hanger spans 16.73-inches wide, which is especially helpful with hanging wide-necked sweaters, according to some reviewers. This pick has a 36-degree swivel hook, an impressive 4.8-star rating, and also comes in a pack of 30.

Helpful Review: “Where my old favorite satin hangers take up too much closet space, these wooden hangers fit the bill without causing shoulder bumps! I feel so silly for never having looked for non-slip strips on my hangers because they are pure genius! They work great and don't take up much space, not to mention the gorgeous natural wood finish that looks nice and also keeps your clothing investment pieces looking smooth and sleek! For now, I grab these non-slip hangers for especially problematic tops, dresses & sweaters with wide necklines, but in the future, I'll be slowly replacing all of my old plastic ones and even my other wooden ones that just have spaghetti strap notches (which we all know don't work very well).”

Worth Considering: The Hanging Organizer Lets You Fold Sweaters

If you are a die-hard “folded sweaters only” person, but you lack the drawer space, a hanging closet organizer with multiple shelves gives you the best of both worlds. Made of sturdy canvas, it features five shelves and six mesh side pockets for various small clothing items and accessories. This organizer also comes in a six-shelf version, in addition to letting you choose from nine different color options.

Helpful Reviews: “I put this up in my closet for sweaters. I love it! It holds a lot of sweaters and it is pretty sturdy. I was worried about that, but it actually is pretty solid. It is wide enough and doesn’t squish my sweaters. No complaints here.”