I recently received several clothes hangers from Kirby Allison of The Hanger Project and have had the opportunity to test drive them. My testing regimen was simple. I set my bespoke suits, jackets and trousers on their new hangers and observed how they fared.
With jackets, the most obvious difference is that the collar and back neck of each hugs the hanger more closely than before. I also was pleased to see quality construction (solid maple, wide shoulder flare) and multiple sizing options. Based on my observations over the past few weeks, my experience has been very positive and I would recommend the hangers, esp. for those who wear bespoke, MTM or high end RTW.
In particular, I think the sizing options are critical. It's remarkable how few tailors, large or small, supply different sized wooden hangers for their bespoke creations. This creates at least three potential problems which I have experienced:
If the hanger is too wide, the blades push out underneath the sleevehead.
If the hanger is too narrow, the shoulders sag over the ends of the hanger.
If the hanger is too straight (i.e. insufficient shoulder flare), the back of the jacket will ripple while "resting" on the hanger.
Fortunately, The Hanger Project supplies 4 sizes for suit jackets (15.5", 17.0”, 18.5”, and 20.0”) and 3 for sports jackets (17.0”, 18.5”, and 20.0”). Compared to standard wooden hangers, they are certainly pricier. But considering your suits spend most of their lives hanging in your closet, it's well worth the investment to pair them with hangers that most closely mimic your actual shoulders.
The Hanger Project also offers shirt, trousers and sweater hangers, as well as options for women. The other detail I liked is that each hanger is meticulously wrapped and packaged for shipping.