Respect your clothes, invest in good hangers.

Respect your clothes, invest in good hangers.

Having a wardrobe clear out? Now is a good time to get rid of those mismatched plastic and wire miss-shapen hangers. The right hanger will allow air to circulate around the clothing eliminating wrinkles.

If hangers are too narrow, the weight of the garment is distributed over the end of the hanger which causes indentations in your clothing. This fabric damage can be irreversible, resulting in permanent shoulder dimples.

Wire hangers (like the ones from dry cleaners) misshape easily, are never wide enough and can also discolour some fabrics. Lightweight fabrics easily slip off the hanger and fabric is easily snagged. On returning from the dry cleaners always re-hang your garments with a better hanger.

Velvet or flock hangers have become popular because they take up less space in your wardrobe. The body of the hanger is a thin plastic that has a flock or velvet-like surface that provides friction to prevent clothes from slipping. They also have little indentations to hold straps. They are really only suitable for lightweight garments. Be careful if you drip-dry clothing on this type of hanger as some types transfer the dyed flick to your clothing.

The best choice to support coats, jackets and suits is a wooden contoured or wishbone hanger, which are usually thick and sturdy. The contours will correctly support the mould of the shoulder line of your garments. Good wooden hangers will last a lifetime, a good investment.

Before hanging your garments back into your wardrobe, empty your pockets. A set of keys can quickly deform the fabric of your garment. It is also a good habit to brush off any debris and inspect the garment for stains that need treating before storing.