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Clothespins do not all have holes for the same reason. Their openings depend on the peg’s design: one documented peg uses separate openings for the clothesline and laundry, plus a crosswise hole for a wire clothes hanger. That patent explains one specific design—not every clothespin. For familiar spring-operated pins, a popular explanation assigns different jobs to the two openings, but that claim has not been confirmed by a manufacturer or performance test.
First, identify which kind of clothespin you mean
“Clothespin” can refer to different constructions. A familiar spring-operated pin has two jaws joined by a metal spring, and may have openings in its jaws. Other pegs use a one-piece body with a forked grip or a hook. Because the shapes differ, a hole on one kind of peg need not serve the same purpose as an opening on another.
That distinction matters when interpreting patent documents. A patent can establish how its particular invention is constructed and what its designer intended its features to do. It cannot, by itself, establish why every similar-looking peg has an opening. A patent is evidence about the design it describes, not a universal instruction for identifying every peg on a laundry line.
It also helps to be precise about what counts as a “hole.” Some openings may be split by the peg’s two halves or jaws, while another may pass across the jaws in a different direction. The shape, location and orientation of an opening matter: two cutouts that look similar at a glance can have different jobs in a particular design.
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What a patented peg’s holes are documented to do
A German patent published on 14 December 1989 describes a clothes peg with openings associated with holding laundry and securing the peg to a clothesline, as well as a separate transverse hole for a clothes hanger. Its abstract says the transverse hole passes through both holding jaws and receives the wire suspension part of a hanger after the peg is mounted on the line. The hanger can then hang crosswise, which the patent says saves space and helps keep it from falling off. Read the DE3818467A1 patent record.
The patent description distinguishes a split opening for the clothesline, another split opening for hanging clothes, and the transverse hanger hole. In other words, the documented arrangement assigns separate roles to the line opening, the laundry opening and a crosswise opening that accepts hanger wire. The crosswise feature is not simply another name for either of the split openings: it passes through both jaws and is described as a way to suspend a hanger from the peg.
The extra hanger feature is therefore a documented purpose in this particular design. It is not proof that the holes on ordinary spring clothespins were made to hold wire hangers. If a peg has an opening that appears to fit a hanger, its appearance alone does not establish that the manufacturer intended that use or that it can safely support a hanger. The patent describes its own arrangement, not the capacity of unrelated pegs.
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A different example appears in a European patent published on 29 May 1985. It describes a one-piece peg with a forked element that grips laundry and a hooked element that secures the peg to the line. This is a different way to perform the basic tasks of gripping fabric and attaching the peg; it should not be treated as an explanation for the openings in a spring-operated pin. Read the EP 0143083 A2 patent document.
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The contrast between these two patents is useful. One describes a one-piece fork-and-hook construction; the other describes holding jaws, split openings and a transverse hanger opening. Both relate to attaching a peg to a line and holding laundry, but the construction and documented features differ. Neither record compares how well the designs perform, and neither makes its particular arrangement a rule for all clothespins.
Do the two openings on a spring clothespin have separate jobs?
A Tom’s Guide article published on 9 October 2026 proposes that, on a standard spring pin, the smaller opening near the spring goes around the line while the larger opening holds the fabric. It also suggests that this arrangement spreads the gripping force and may reduce marks on clothing. Read the article.
That is a practical explanation, not a verified universal design rule. The article does not identify a pin manufacturer, a design authority, or a test supporting the claimed effects. The patents discussed above document different structures and do not validate the explanation for common spring pins. There are no measured results in these sources showing that using one opening for the line and the other for fabric reduces marks or prevents slipping.
So, if you are looking at a spring pin, you can try the suggested orientation, but treat it as a tip rather than a guaranteed feature. Whether it fits a particular peg depends on that peg’s shape and openings. The suggestion is specifically about the smaller cutout near the spring and the larger opening; it should not be transferred automatically to one-piece pegs or to a design whose openings are arranged differently.
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There is a difference between a plausible way to use an opening and a proven reason it was designed that way. A small opening may seem suited to a line and a larger one may seem suited to cloth, but appearance is not the same as manufacturer documentation. Likewise, the claim that this arrangement spreads force or reduces marks is a proposed benefit, not a measured outcome established by the cited sources. If the suggested arrangement does not fit the pin comfortably, there is no evidence-based reason here to force it.
What holes can tell you when you use a peg
The reliable, everyday job of a clothespin is to grip laundry while it is on a clothesline. Beyond that shared purpose, the shape can offer clues, but the function should not be assumed from appearance alone.
- A peg with a documented hanger opening: In the DE3818467A1 design, a dedicated transverse hole accepts a hanger’s wire suspension part while the peg is on the line. The patent’s stated arrangement lets the hanger hang crosswise.
- A one-piece peg with a fork and hook: The EP 0143083 A2 design uses those elements to grip laundry and attach the peg to the line; its description does not establish a universal purpose for holes in other types.
- A spring pin with two visible openings: The smaller-opening-for-line explanation is a recent suggestion, not a demonstrated rule for all pins.
If you are trying to work out what an unfamiliar opening does, start by identifying the construction. Is the peg a spring-operated pair of jaws, or a one-piece fork-and-hook form? Then note where the opening sits and which direction it passes through the body. A split cutout associated with the jaws is not automatically equivalent to a transverse hole passing through both jaws. Finally, check product or maker documentation, if available, before treating a visual guess as the intended function.
If you are trying a hole as a hanger attachment, check that it is actually shaped and positioned to accept the hanger wire and that the peg is secure on the line. The patent describes its own design’s intended use; it does not establish the load capacity or safety of unrelated pegs. Do not assume that every opening is a hanger point, or that a peg intended to grip laundry has been tested to carry a hanger.
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For ordinary line-drying, the supported common use remains straightforward: the peg grips laundry and attaches it to a clothesline. The specialized hanger arrangement is an additional documented use of one patented design, not evidence that people should use any clothespin as a hanger adapter. No other craft or household functions are established by the cited examples.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the evidence does—and does not—show
The patent records are useful for identifying specific designs and their intended functions. They do not report comparative tests establishing that one construction grips better, leaves fewer marks, or is less likely to slip. The recent spring-pin explanation likewise offers no measured performance results.
That means there is no substantiated figure to cite for how much an opening reduces clothing marks, whether a certain arrangement prevents slipping, or which peg construction performs best. The patents describe structures and intended uses rather than comparative performance. The spring-pin article makes a practical claim but does not provide a measured result or name a manufacturer whose design documentation could confirm it.
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That leaves a qualified answer: holes may be part of how a particular peg grips a line, holds laundry, or accommodates a hanger, but their purpose depends on the design. For an unfamiliar clothespin, the maker’s documentation—if available—is more conclusive than assuming that every opening has the same job.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two holes in a clothespin for?
A Tom’s Guide article published 9 October 2026 suggests that a spring pin’s smaller opening near the spring fits around the line and its larger opening holds fabric. That explanation has not been confirmed by a manufacturer or performance test, so it is not a universal rule.
What is the little hole on a clothes peg for?
It depends on the peg. In the specific German patent DE3818467A1, a transverse hole through both jaws accepts the wire suspension part of a clothes hanger. That documented feature does not show that the little hole on every peg is meant for a hanger.
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No. The hanger use is documented for one patented design with a transverse hole positioned for hanger wire. The cited patent does not establish the strength or safety of unrelated pegs, so do not assume another opening can support a hanger.
Do clothespin holes prevent marks or slipping?
The cited sources provide no measured evidence that a particular hole arrangement reduces clothing marks or prevents slipping. The spring-pin explanation is a practical suggestion, not a verified performance result.
Are one-piece pegs and spring clothespins designed the same way?
No. The EP 0143083 A2 patent describes a one-piece peg with a forked laundry grip and a hook that secures it to the line. The DE3818467A1 patent describes a different jaw-and-opening arrangement, including a dedicated hanger hole. These examples show design variation rather than a single standard layout.
The Bottom Line
Clothespin holes do not have one universal purpose. Specific patents document openings for a clothesline, laundry and—on one design—a wire hanger, while a popular explanation of the two openings on spring pins remains unverified. Identify the peg’s construction and check its maker’s documentation instead of assuming every hole does the same job.
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