How To Pack Clothes Without Wrinkles and Why You Need a Garment Bag For Travel

Before we cover how to choose the best garment bag, let’s define what exactly it is. A garment bag is a piece of luggage designed mainly to carry hanging clothing that would get wrinkled if it was folded.

Unlike standard suitcases and duffle bags that work best for folded or rolled clothes, garment bags allow clothes to be packed while lying flat, making them the best luggage for carrying pressed clothes, blazers, suits and dresses.

At Travelpro®, we’ve incorporated the function of a traditional hanging garment bag into a variety of luggage styles and shapes. In addition to our compact, medium-sized and larger garment bags, we also offer weekender bags and rolling luggage with suiters for pressed clothing protection.

Garment bags are usually made of ultra-strong fabrics, like ballistic nylon and stain-resistant, water-resistant polyester. Like other softsided luggage, garment bags have some give and can stretch a little to accommodate what you pack.

Today’s garment bags are more than just a way to transport your fancy duds. After all, it’s unlikely that you will spend your entire trip dressed up. And even if you do, you’ll still need toiletries, undergarments and maybe even a change of shoes. Look for garment bags with plenty of room and zip pockets for smaller items as well.

Travelpro® offers a range of garment bag sizes, from carry-on size to larger garment bags. The size you choose, like the size of any luggage, should be led by how much you need to pack and how you plan to travel.

For shorter trips of one to three days, choose garment bags that provide plenty of room for a few hanging garments and also have space for pajamas or other folded clothing. A small but functional all-in-one garment bag spares you carrying one bag for your pressed garments and another bag for the rest.

Our Crew™ VersaPack™ Weekender Carry-on Duffel Bag with Suiter is among the most compact bags you can find with a removable fold-out suiter for packing hanging clothes garment bag style.Other options include the Travelpro® Maxlite 5 Bi-Fold Hanging Garment Bag, a lay-flat design with dual hanger hooks to hang open for easy access, Travelpro® Platinum® Elite Bi-Fold Carry-On Garment Valet, a lightweight classically-styled garment bag with added interior mesh pockets and two exterior large zippered pockets or the Travelpro® Platinum® Elite Tri-Fold® Carry-On Garment Bag– a unique, lightweight, compact garment bag that also allows you to hang the bag while open, providing easy access to everything you packed. All four bags, along with the rest of our garment bags, have comfortable carrying handles and shoulder straps.

For wheeled options, the Travelpro® Platinum® Elite Carry-On Rolling Garment Bag or the Travelpro®  Crew™ VersaPack™ Carry-on Rolling Garment Bag both give you the freedom to roll and fit within carry-on luggage size restrictions for most major domestic airlines.

If you are going away for more than a few days or need to bring more hanging clothes than a compact bag will fit, size up. Look for a larger garment bag with more capacity for everything you need.

The Platinum® Elite 50” Rolling Garment Bag is one of our most popular large garment bags, and for good reason. With dual hanger hooks on each end of the bag, you can double up your hanger space, plus, the built-in organization of this bag is hard to beat.

Multiple interior zippered pockets include four interior corner pockets, shoe pockets, and even a water-resistant wet pocket for keeping damp or soiled items away from everything else. A large zippered exterior pocket is big enough for a laptop, jacket, or shoes, and a smaller zippered pocket keeps small items and accessories handy.

Choosing the best garment bag for your needs isn’t just about size. After determining what size garment bag you need, look at the features and functions available. For example, if you don’t want to physically carry your bag, shop wheeled luggage only. Travelpro® makes several wheeled garment bags designed for easy mobility.

If lightweight luggage is your priority, the Travelpro® Maxlite® 5 Carry-on Rolling Garment Bag is a great choice. Built for lasting durability, this lightweight, carry-on sized garment bag has a lay-flat design with multiple zippered and mesh pockets inside and out and is designed to fit in the overhead bins of most major US-based commercial airplanes.

Prefer to avoid checking bags and their associated fees? Stick with carry-on-sized garment bags and suiter suitcases. If you are going on a longer trip than your carry-on alone can handle, consider pairing it with a travel tote, backpack or other personal item. Better yet, for ultimate convenience, get a rolling carry-on garment bag and a travel tote or backpack that stacks securely using the extension handle of your rolling bag.

Whether you’re a business traveler or just mean business about traveling wrinkle-free, a garment bag is key. The style that is best for you will keep your style looking its best.