Skirt and Trouser Hangers with Clips: by Cut, Fabric and Store Layout
How to choose a skirt and trouser hanger with clips by cut and fabric: pleated skirts, elastic and bias-cut, tailored trousers, jeans and jersey, arranging on a store rack and fixing common problems.
Choose a clip hanger for skirts or trousers based on three things: the cut of the garment, its fabric, and where it will hang. A pencil skirt, a pleated skirt and a skirt with an elastic waistband all behave differently in clips, and so do tailored trousers, jeans and jersey pants. Some garments hang from the waist, some are better hung from the hem, and some shouldn't be hung at all. This guide goes through each type of garment, matches a hanger to it, and explains how to arrange trousers and skirts on a store rack.
Skirt hangers by skirt cut
The basic principle is the same for every skirt: clip the waistband on both sides, at an equal distance from the center, so the skirt falls straight. The differences start with the cut.
Pencil skirts and straight skirts: the easiest to hang. Any hanger with two clips works, and in a store it's best to choose one model for the whole row. The clips close on the waistband, not on the body fabric, so no mark is left on the front.
Pleated skirts: here it's important that the waist is spread to its full width, but not stretched. When the clips are too close together, the pleats open in the middle and bunch at the sides. A hanger with adjustable clips lets you set the distance exactly to the width of the waistband. On the rail, leave a pleated skirt a little space, because crowded garments crush the pleats.
Skirts with an elastic waistband: if the clips are set wider than the relaxed width of the waist, the elastic stays stretched for as long as the skirt hangs. Set the clips to the width at which the elastic is relaxed, and don't stretch it to straighten the fabric.
Maxi skirts and long flared skirts: these need clear height below the hanger so the hem doesn't touch the floor or a shelf. In a store, it's better to display them on a separate rack from short skirts.
Bias-cut skirts: fabric cut on the bias stretches under its own weight. The Threads forum recommends storing bias garments folded rather than hung, because the longer the skirt, the greater the weight pulling the fabric down. For a short in-store display you can hang them, but for long-term storage fold them.
Skirts with hanging loops
Some skirts have two ribbon loops sewn inside at the waistline. According to Threads, in tailored garments the loops are sewn near the side seams and distribute the garment's weight. When there are loops, you can hang them on the notches of a hanger, and then the clips don't touch the fabric at all. The white wooden hanger with clips has notches at the ends of the shoulders as well as a bar with two clips, so you can choose the method that suits each garment.
Trouser hangers by type of trousers
Tailored trousers with a pressed crease: in a store, hang them from the waist so the customer can see the cut. In the closet you can hang them upside down, from the hem, and FabricLink lists hanging from the hem or the leg end as one of the accepted ways to hang trousers. Align both legs along the crease before closing the clips.
Jeans and heavy fabrics: the weight pulls the garment down, so clip the thick waistband rather than the leg fabric. The metal hanger with clips is made entirely of chrome-finished metal, 40 cm wide, and its clips slide along the bar and open wide enough for wide-leg trousers.
Wide-leg trousers, palazzo pants and culottes: hang them from the waist so the drape of the leg shows. Move the clips out to the ends of the waistband, otherwise the fabric folds inward between the clips.
Jersey pants, leggings and knit trousers: knit fabrics stretch when hung. FabricLink recommends folding knitwear rather than hanging it. In a store, display them folded on a shelf or table, and at home keep them in a drawer.
Shorts: a short, light item that doesn't hang well over a regular bar. Two clips on the waistband hold them straight, and they can go on the same hanger used for long trousers.
Which clip hanger for which need
Trouser and skirt hanger with clips: a slim black plastic body, two clips with metal springs, one at each end, and a metal hook with a glossy finish. Suited to a long, uniform row in a store, because the slim body takes up little space on the rail.
Metal hanger with clips: when garments vary in waist width, for example narrow skirts next to wide-leg trousers, the adjustable clips let you set each hanger to the garment on it. The ends of the bar have black caps that close them off.
Multi-clip hanger: a black plastic body with clips along its length and a silver metal hook. It holds several items on one hanger, so it suits a studio, a stockroom and a closet, where the goal is to save space rather than display a single item.
White wooden hanger with clips: solid wood, 44.5 cm wide and 25 cm high, a chrome hook and two metal clips that slide along the bar. Suited to hanging a complete outfit, a jacket on top and trousers or a skirt below, and to boutique display.
For a comparison of materials and other types of hangers for a store, see the guide Types of hangers for a clothing store.
A suit or two-piece set on one hanger
When you sell a suit or a top-and-skirt set as a single unit, it's convenient for everything to hang on the same hanger. On a combination hanger, with shoulders on top and a clip bar below, hang the trousers or skirt first: slide the clips to the width of the waist and clip the waistband, on trousers close to the side seams. Only then put the jacket on the shoulders and fasten one button so it keeps its shape. In this order the jacket doesn't hide the clips and the trousers don't get stretched.
In a studio or fashion school, the same method is used for a finished garment before it is handed over to the client or photographed: the whole outfit is ready on one hanger, with no pieces going missing and no fold line across the middle of the trousers. For garments in progress, which change place several times a day, a multi-clip hanger keeps several pieces of the same project together and frees up space on the rail.
Arranging trousers and skirts on a store rack
A merchandising guide from Cotton Incorporated suggests several rules that work especially well for bottoms:
Arrange by size, from smallest to largest, left to right or front to back.
Within each group, arrange colors from light to dark.
Display different lengths on separate fixtures. Maxi skirts and long trousers aren't hung in the same row as shorts and mini skirts.
The first hanger at the front of the rack shows the complete look, so hang the item that represents the group on it.
In addition, use one type of hanger for each product family, turn all the hooks to the same side, and hang all the garments at the same waist height. That way the hems form a straight line, and the customer finds their size without breaking up the row.
Common clip problems and how to fix them
The skirt tilts to one side: the clips aren't at an equal distance from the center. Open them, straighten the waistband and close them again.
Heavy trousers slip out of the clip: the clip is closed on thin fabric. Move it to the waistband, which is the thickest and most stable part of the garment.
Fabric folds between the clips: the clips are too close together. Move them out to the ends of the waistband, and with a fixed-clip hanger choose a model whose width suits the garment.
Worried about damaging embellishments: Threads notes that clip hangers can damage embellishments and special fabric finishes. An embroidered, beaded or sequined waistband is better not clipped at all; hang it by its loops or fold it.
Damp garments: hang only dry garments. Moisture can leave marks on the garment where the metal parts touch it.
Clip hangers for stores and studios
HaBayit LaBubot sells all models individually and wholesale, to stores, chains, studios and fashion schools. You can see all the models in the Hangers with clips for trousers and skirts category, and the other types are in the Hangers category. For a quantity quote, or advice on which hanger suits your merchandise, contact us through the Contact page, by phone at 03-9444226 or on WhatsApp at 055-2473993.
Frequently asked questions
How do I hang a pleated skirt so the pleats stay in place?
Close the clips on the waistband while it is spread to its full width, without stretching it, and at an equal distance from the center. If the clips are too close together, the pleats open in the middle and bunch up at the sides. On the rail, give the skirt some space so other garments don't crush the pleats.
Can a skirt with an elastic waistband be hung on a clip hanger?
Yes, as long as the clips don't stretch the elastic. Set the distance between the clips to the relaxed width of the waistband. If you set them further apart, the elastic stays stretched for as long as the skirt hangs. A hanger with adjustable clips makes this easier.
Should you hang a bias-cut skirt?
For a short display in a store it's fine, but for long-term storage it's better to fold it. Bias-cut fabric stretches under its own weight, and the longer the skirt, the greater the stretch. Sewists on the Threads forum recommend the same.
What are the loops sewn inside a skirt for?
The loops are meant for hanging, and they distribute the garment's weight without a clip touching the fabric. Hang them on the notches of a hanger, for example on the shoulder ends of a notched wooden hanger. That way there's no risk of clip marks.
Should jersey trousers and leggings be hung on a clip hanger?
Better not. Knit fabrics stretch when hung, and FabricLink recommends folding knitwear rather than hanging it. In the store, display them folded on a shelf or table.
Why does the skirt lean to one side on the hanger?
Usually the clips aren't the same distance from the center of the waistband, or one of them is clamped onto the body fabric rather than the waistband. Open both clips, straighten the waistband and close them again on both sides at an equal distance from the center.
How do you arrange pants and skirts on a store rack by size?
Arrange from the smallest size to the largest, left to right or front to back, and within each group from light to dark. That is what the Cotton Incorporated merchandising guide recommends. When all the hangers are the same type and all the garments hang at the same height, customers find their size without taking the row apart.
Can maxi skirts and shorts hang on the same rail?
Not recommended. Merchandising guides recommend displaying different lengths on separate fixtures, because a mixed row looks untidy. In addition, long garments need clearance below the hanger so the hems don't touch the floor.
What do I do when heavy trousers slip out of the clip?
Move the clip to the waistband, which is the thickest and most stable part of the garment, rather than clamping it onto the leg fabric. For jeans and heavy fabrics, an all-metal hanger with clips that open wide enough for wide-leg trousers is the right choice.
Can you hang damp trousers on a clip hanger?
It is better to wait until the garment is dry. Moisture can leave marks on the fabric where the metal parts of the clips and spring touch it. Hang only completely dry garments on a clip hanger.
