Slim Hangers Compared: Ultra-Slim Wooden, Plywood or Plastic?

If your racks are full, the fastest way to fit more stock is not a new rack. It's a thinner hanger. A standard wooden hanger is about half an inch thick. Slim hangers are a fraction of that, so the same rail holds noticeably more garments and looks neater and more even.

There are three main kinds of slim hanger. Here's how they compare and which one suits your store.

The three types at a glance

	Ultra-slim wooden	Slim plywood	Slim plastic
Thickness	¼"	about 0.3"	about 0.5 cm (0.2")
Look	Painted wood: black, white or natural, chrome or gold hook	Natural wood grain	Black, white, gray, ivory, pink, raspberry or crystal clear
Feel	Premium, boutique	Warm, natural, eco look	Clean, practical
Best for	Boutiques, menswear, display walls	Natural-look stores, kids' stores, closets	High-volume retail, budget-conscious stores
Our families	WS70–WS73, kids WSK71–WSK73	WLM21, WLM24, kids WLMK32 / WLMK33	PL010–PL025, P411 / P412, clear P250 / P255

Ultra-slim wooden hangers

Ultra-slim wooden hangers give you the look of wood at about half the thickness of a standard wooden hanger. They're the choice when the rack is part of the display: boutiques, menswear and feature walls.

Our WS70–WS73 family is ¼" thick and comes in black with a gold hook, white with a chrome or gold hook, and natural. It covers a whole outfit:

WS70: shirt and top hanger with a bar.
WS71: no-bar shirt and top hanger.
WS72: skirt and pant hanger with rubber-grip clips.
WS73: a combo with shoulders for the top and clips for the bottom.

All are retail packed in 5-packs, with a kids version in white (WSK71–WSK73).

Good to know: ultra-slim hangers are made for shirts, tops, dresses and bottoms. For heavy winter coats and tailored suits, a wide-shoulder hanger like the W5701 / W5901 keeps the shoulders in shape better.

Clothes on natural plywood hangers with chrome swivel hooks on a wooden rail

Slim plywood hangers

Slim plywood hangers are cut from one piece of layered wood, so they show a natural wood grain with no glue lines or joints. At about 0.3" they're much slimmer than a standard wooden hanger, and plywood resists warping and splitting.

WLM21: a 17.3" suit hanger with a pant bar.
WLM24: a 14" clip hanger with rubber grips that holds jeans and slacks.
WLMK32 and WLMK33: 12" kids' versions.

Plywood is a good fit for stores with a natural or eco look, kids' stores and daycares.

T-shirts on thin white plastic hangers on a bright store rack

Slim plastic hangers

Slim plastic hangers are the most practical option: light, strong, low cost per hanger and available in the most colors. Most are about 0.5 cm thick.

PL010–PL025: our everyday space-saving shirt hanger in six colors: black, white, gray, ivory, pink and raspberry.
P411 / P412: slim ABS hangers in black, white, gray and ivory, with a matching clip hanger.
P250 / P255: the same slim shape in crystal clear.
PL060: a barless version for tops and dresses.
Kids: P350, P415 and PL031–PL036 at 13.7".

Smooth plastic is also safe for damp, freshly laundered clothes.

What about velvet hangers?

Velvet (flocked) hangers are another popular slim option, mostly for home closets. They grip well, but they aren't made for damp clothes, and some fabrics can catch on the flocking. We don't sell velvet hangers. If you need grip on a slim hanger, try:

PL201–PL203: slim plastic with rubber grips on the shoulders.
PVC31: a slim metal hanger with a non-slip PVC coating that also works with damp clothes.

Which slim hanger should you choose?

A high-end boutique look: ultra-slim wooden, in black and gold or white.
A natural, warm look: slim plywood.
The most hangers for your budget, or lots of color: slim plastic.
Silky or wide-neck tops that slip: slim plastic with grips, or PVC-coated.
Heavy coats and suits: don't go slim. Use a wide-shoulder wooden hanger.

Whichever you pick, use one family for the whole store so every rail matches. See all slim and space-saving hangers, or read our hanger size guide to get the width right.

Every hanger is sold by the full case, with no minimum order. Shipping is free within the U.S., and orders placed by 1:30 PM ET ship the same day.