How to fold a sweater so it keeps its shape

Why sweaters should be folded, not hung

Woolmark, the wool industry body, advises that knitted garments be gently folded and stored in drawers, while woven wool such as jackets and trousers goes on shaped or padded hangers. The difference is structure. A woven fabric holds its shape on a hanger; a knit is elastic, so a hanger concentrates the whole weight of the garment on two small points at the shoulders. Over days and weeks, the knit stretches there and the hem slowly drops.

Heavier knits suffer most: a chunky wool cardigan or a long cotton sweater weighs far more than a T shirt and stretches accordingly. Fine merino and cashmere are lighter but more delicate, and hanger marks show easily on them. Folding also helps between wears. Woolmark suggests resting wool garments for about 24 hours before wearing them again so the fibers can recover, and a sweater laid flat on a shelf recovers better than one hanging from its shoulders.

How to fold a sweater for a shelf or drawer

This fold makes a neat rectangle with the front of the sweater on top. Match its width to your shelf; for most adult sweaters, about 12 inches (30 cm) wide is a good target, which usually lines up with the outer edges of the shoulders. Work on a clean, flat surface such as a bed or table, because a sweater folded in the air comes out uneven.

1. 01

   Lay the sweater face down

   Place it front side down with the neck away from you and the sleeves spread out. Smooth it gently with your palms without pulling the knit.

   CheckThe hem is straight and the body lies at its natural width, not stretched wider.

2. 02

   Fold one side and its sleeve in

   Fold one side of the body toward the center along a line from the outer shoulder straight down to the hem. Then fold the sleeve back down so it lies along the folded edge, or diagonally across the back if it is long.

   CheckOne straight side, no cuff sticking out past the hem.

3. 03

   Fold the other side to match

   Repeat on the other side at the same distance from the neck.

   CheckA long, even rectangle with both sleeves lying on the back of the sweater.

4. 04

   Fold the body up

   Fold the hem up to the shoulders for a single fold, or in thirds for a shorter, thicker rectangle that suits a shallow shelf. Fold softly, without pressing a sharp crease.

   CheckThe edges line up and the rectangle sits flat.

5. 05

   Turn it over and place it

   Flip the sweater so the front faces up and place it on the shelf with the folded edge facing out.

   CheckYou can see the color and neckline from the front of the shelf. For drawers, fold once more and stand it on its edge, the file fold used in the KonMari method.

How to fold a sweater on a hanger

When there is no shelf space, you can still hang a sweater without stretching it by folding it over the bar of the hanger. The weight then rests across the middle of the garment instead of the shoulders. It works best with light and medium knits and a hanger with a nonslip or velvet finish. Very heavy knits are still better folded on a shelf.

6. 06

   Fold the sweater in half lengthwise

   Lay the sweater flat and fold it in half down the center so the sleeves lie on top of each other.

   CheckOne sleeve and one side of the body visible, the neck at the top corner.

7. 07

   Place the hanger at the underarm

   Set the hanger on the sweater with the hook in the underarm corner, pointing toward the sleeves, and the bar running diagonally down across the body.

   CheckThe hook sits in the armpit and the hanger lies inside the outline of the sweater.

8. 08

   Fold the body over the bar

   Lift the body and fold it over the hanger so it drapes across the bar.

   CheckThe body hangs over the diagonal bar like a towel over a rail.

9. 09

   Fold the sleeves over the other side

   Fold the sleeves over the bar on top of the body. Pick the hanger up by the hook.

   CheckThe sweater hangs securely, nothing is pulling at the shoulders, and the neckline is not stretched.

How to fold a sweater for travel

In a suitcase, light knits such as merino or fine cotton roll well: fold the sides in as for the basic fold, then roll tightly from the neck to the hem. The roll fills gaps and resists hard creases, and knits generally recover from a roll better than woven shirts do. Bulky sweaters are better folded flat and laid on top of everything else, where nothing heavy presses on them. Wearing the heaviest sweater on the plane saves the most space of all.

Pack sweaters clean and dry, and keep them away from shoes and toiletries. If a sweater arrives with a crease, hang it in a steamy bathroom for a while or lay it flat and let it relax; most knits recover on their own within hours. For the rest of the bag, our guide to packing a suitcase covers what to roll, what to fold and where each item goes.

Sweater storage ideas that keep knits visible

On open shelves, keep stacks to about three or four sweaters, fewer if they are chunky. Tall stacks press the bottom sweaters flat and topple when you pull one out, and the University of Kentucky extension service recommends putting the heaviest garments at the bottom when you do have to stack. Shelf dividers keep stacks from sliding into each other. In drawers, the upright file fold lets you see every sweater at once, which is the same reason it works for T shirts, as shown in our guide to folding a T shirt.

For off season storage, clean the sweaters first and make sure they are completely dry. Woolmark recommends breathable cotton bags and cautions that vacuum bags can trap moisture. UC Integrated Pest Management advises storing clean wool in airtight containers to keep clothes moths out. Clean and dry is the condition that makes either approach safe. Our guides to storing knitwear, washing wool and washing cashmere cover the seasonal routine in more depth, and for delicate knits the extension service suggests white tissue paper between folds to soften creases. If moths have already left a small hole, our guide to fixing a hole in a sweater shows how to close it before it grows.

How to fold hoodies, oversized and bulky sweaters

A hoodie folds like a sweater with one extra step. Lay it face down, fold the sides and sleeves in as for the basic fold, then fold the body up to just below the hood. Finally bring the hood down over the folded body, or tuck the body into the hood like a pouch, which keeps the stack tidy and stops the hood flopping over the shelf edge. Zip up hoodies fold more evenly when zipped closed first.

Oversized sweaters and long cardigans simply need a narrower rectangle. Fold the sides in further than usual, so the width matches your shelf rather than the sweater, and fold the body in thirds instead of in half. Chunky knits are thick enough that one fold may be all they need; forcing a second fold makes a tall, springy bundle that will not stack. For travel, give bulky sweaters their own flat layer at the top of the bag or wear the heaviest one on the way.

Jeans often share the same shelf, and they have their own simple fold, explained in our guide to folding jeans.