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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchClothespins have holes for different reasons depending on their design. Some openings are part of how a peg grips laundry or engages a clothesline; a 1989 patented design also has a separate hole for hanging a wire clothes hanger. That extra hanger feature is not a universal purpose of the holes on ordinary spring clothespins.
Why clothespins have holes depends on their design
“Clothespin” covers more than one construction. A familiar spring-operated pin, a one-piece peg and a specialized peg described in a patent can have openings that look similar but serve different purposes. The shape of a hole alone does not establish what its designer intended.
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Patent documents are useful for understanding particular designs: they describe the parts and how the inventor proposed using them. They do not prove that every peg has the same layout, that a design became common, or that it performs better than another. That distinction matters because some recent explanations assign a standard purpose to the two openings on a typical spring pin without identifying a manufacturer or design source.
The best-supported answer is therefore specific rather than universal: openings may be involved in holding laundry or positioning a peg on a line, and at least one patented design adds a dedicated transverse opening for a hanger. To identify the purpose of a particular peg’s openings, look at its construction and any documentation for that model rather than assuming every hole has the same job.
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In other words, “Why do clothespins have holes?” does not have one answer for every peg. A useful follow-up is to ask which opening, on which design, and what the documentation says it does. A cutout close to the spring on a common-looking pin is not automatically equivalent to the crosswise hanger hole described in a patent.
What the documented designs show
A peg with separate openings and a hanger hole
A German patent published on 14 December 1989, DE3818467A1, “Clothes peg with transverse hole”, describes a peg with split openings associated with the clothesline and the laundry, plus a transverse hole for a hanger. The patent’s abstract says that the transverse opening passes through both holding jaws. Once the peg is on the line, the wire suspension part of a shirt hanger can be placed in that opening so the hanger hangs crosswise.
The patent says the arrangement is intended to save space and help prevent the hanger from falling off. Its description states: “The clothes peg according to the invention has, in addition to the normal functions of previous clothes pegs, a transverse hole which is situated in both holding jaws, is directed tranversely to the washing line and into which there is suspended the wire suspension part of a hanger for shirts or the like when the clothes peg has been mounted on the washing line.”
Here, “transverse” describes the orientation of the hanger opening in relation to the clothesline: it runs across the peg rather than simply being another opening for gripping laundry. The patent’s described sequence is also specific: mount the peg on the line, then suspend the hanger’s wire part in the hole through both jaws. Its space-saving and anti-fall benefits are the inventor’s stated aims, not measured results reported in the patent.
This is a documented purpose for that particular invention, not evidence that all common spring pins have a hanger hole or were designed for wire hangers. The patent explains the intended arrangement; it does not provide comparative test results showing how reliably it holds a hanger.
A different, one-piece peg
A separate European patent, EP 0143083 A2, “Clothes peg,” published 29 May 1985, describes a one-piece peg rather than a conventional spring-operated construction. It has a forked element to grip laundry and a hooked element to secure the peg to the line.
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This design illustrates why one opening cannot be assigned a universal function just because it appears on a clothespin. The peg’s overall structure determines how it grips fabric and attaches to a line. This patent is evidence of a different approach to those jobs; it does not establish what the openings on a typical spring pin are for.
How the two examples differ
| Design | Construction | Line and laundry features described | Dedicated hanger opening |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE3818467A1 | Peg with holding jaws and a spring-related arrangement described in the patent | Split openings are identified for the clothesline and hanging clothes | Yes. A transverse hole through both jaws accepts a wire hanger’s suspension part |
| EP 0143083 A2 | One-piece peg | A forked element grips laundry; a hooked element secures the peg to the line | Not stated in the patent description cited here |
The comparison is about construction and documented features, not a ranking. The 1989 patent explicitly adds the crosswise hanger opening; the 1985 patent describes a fork-and-hook arrangement in a one-piece peg. Neither record establishes which design is more secure, easier to use, gentler on fabric or more suitable for a particular clothesline.
That is also why patent dates should not be mistaken for evidence of a standard feature. The 1985 and 1989 publications document inventions from those years. They do not show how widely either design was sold or whether a modern peg with a similar-looking cutout uses it for the same purpose.
What the two openings on a standard spring pin might do
A recent Tom’s Guide article by Kaycee Hill, published 9 October 2026, proposes that on a standard spring clothespin the smaller inner opening near the spring wraps around the clothesline while the larger opening holds fabric. It also says the arrangement may spread force and reduce marks. You can read that explanation in the article.
Treat this as an unverified practical explanation, not a settled design rule. The article does not identify a pin manufacturer, quote a designer or cite a test of the openings. The patent descriptions above do not validate that general claim about ordinary spring pins, and no measured reduction in clothing marks or slipping is established here.
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That does not prove the proposed use is wrong for every peg. It means the explanation should not be generalized to all models or presented as a demonstrated benefit. A manufacturer’s instructions or a patent for the exact design would be stronger evidence of intended purpose; a visual resemblance to another peg is not enough to confirm it.
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It is helpful to keep two questions separate: “Can this opening be used to position the pin on a line?” and “Was it designed to reduce marks or stop slipping?” The first may be a practical observation about how a particular shape fits. The second is a claim about purpose or performance and needs model-specific documentation or testing. The cited article supplies neither a named maker nor test results, so its proposed explanation remains a tip rather than a verified general feature.
How to work out what the holes on your peg are for
- Identify the construction. Check whether the peg is a spring-operated pin, a one-piece design or another arrangement. Do not assume that a hole in one construction serves the same role in another.
- Look at where each opening sits. Note whether it passes through the gripping jaws, forms part of a fork or hook, or runs across the peg. These details can help distinguish an opening connected to line or fabric handling from a separate feature, but appearance by itself does not prove the intended use.
- Check model-specific documentation. Look for a manufacturer’s description or a patent that matches the peg’s construction. The 1989 patent, for example, explicitly describes a transverse hanger opening; that evidence applies to the design it documents, not automatically to another pin.
- Use the peg for its established laundry function. Clothespins and pegs are used to grip laundry on a clothesline. Do not put a hanger into an opening merely because it resembles the patented transverse hole unless the peg’s instructions or design support that use.
- Separate observation from performance claims. You can observe whether an opening lines up with the line or fabric on your peg. That observation does not demonstrate that the opening prevents slipping or reduces fabric marks.
When checking a peg, compare the whole arrangement rather than one hole in isolation: where the jaws meet, where the line would sit, whether the opening crosses both sides, and whether a fork or hook is part of the design. Those clues can help you describe what you see, but they cannot replace documentation for the exact model. A hole that looks like a hanger opening is not enough to establish that a hanger is an intended load.
This approach answers the practical question without turning an interpretation of one product into a rule for all clothespins. If a particular opening is not explained by the item’s documentation, its intended role may remain uncertain.
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An opening can be part of a peg’s geometry, but its presence alone is not proof of a specific benefit. The claim that one opening holds fabric in a way that reduces marks is plausible as a proposed explanation, but the cited article supplies no measurements, controlled comparison or test conditions. There is no established percentage or other figure for a reduction in marks.
The same limit applies to claims about keeping a peg from slipping. A patent may describe how a hook or opening is intended to engage a line, but that is not the same as measured evidence across different lines, fabrics or weather conditions. The two patent records establish design features and intended uses; they do not report comparative performance results.
For a reader choosing how to use an existing peg, the supported takeaway is modest: use it to grip laundry as intended, and rely on the exact model’s instructions for any additional function. Do not treat an online explanation of a generic “two-hole” arrangement as proof that every opening prevents marks, improves grip or holds a hanger.
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There is no supported number to quote for how much a hole arrangement might reduce marks, nor a comparative result showing that one of these patented designs slips less than another. A claim that sounds mechanically reasonable is not the same as a tested outcome. Without a named model, test method and results, the careful answer is that the effect is unknown rather than quantified.
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Common questions about clothespin holes
Are the holes on every clothespin made for a clothesline?
No single answer applies to every design. One patent identifies split openings for the line and laundry, while another describes a one-piece peg with a forked grip and a hooked line attachment. The specific design matters.
What are the two holes in a clothespin for?
It depends on the construction. Tom’s Guide proposed that the smaller inner opening on a standard spring pin is for the line and the larger one is for fabric, but did not identify a manufacturer or supporting test. A 1989 patent documents separate line- and laundry-related openings in one specific peg, plus a distinct transverse hanger hole. Neither example makes one explanation universal.
Is the small hole on a spring clothespin definitely for the line?
That is one explanation proposed for some spring pins, but it is not established as a universal purpose. The 9 October 2026 Tom’s Guide article offers the explanation without naming a manufacturer or test, so check the documentation for the pin you have.
What is the little hole on a clothes peg for?
Its purpose depends on the peg. In the DE3818467A1 design, a separate transverse hole through both jaws is intended to receive a hanger’s wire suspension part. For a different peg, check its design or instructions rather than inferring the same use from appearance.
Can I use a hole to hang a clothes hanger?
A 1989 patent describes a transverse hole in a particular peg for a wire hanger’s suspension part. That documented feature does not show that ordinary clothespins are all designed for this use.
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Do the holes reduce clothing marks?
A recent article proposes that they may, but no measured reduction is established by the sources discussed here. The patents describe structures and intended uses, not tests of marks on clothing.
Do the holes keep a clothespin from slipping?
No comparative performance result establishes that. The patents describe how particular features are intended to engage a line, but do not report tests across different lines or conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two holes in a clothespin for?
It depends on the design. A recent Tom’s Guide article proposed that the smaller inner opening on a standard spring pin is for the line and the larger one is for fabric, but did not identify a manufacturer or test. That is not a verified universal rule.
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A German patent published on 14 December 1989 describes a particular peg with a transverse hole through both jaws for a wire hanger’s suspension part. It does not establish that ordinary spring clothespins share that feature.
Do clothespin holes prevent marks or slipping?
No measured reduction in marks or comparative slipping result is established by the cited patent descriptions or the recent article. Check the documentation for the exact peg before relying on an additional function.
The Bottom Line
Clothespin holes do not have one universal purpose. Patents document different peg designs, including a 1989 model with a dedicated transverse hole for a wire hanger. The popular explanation that the two openings on a standard spring pin divide line and fabric duties—and reduce marks—remains unverified, so check the exact peg’s design or instructions.
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