Apparel & textiles/Density or item-specific
Hanging clothing freight class and NMFC guide
Clothing on hangers needs a garment box or rack, which adds cube without much weight. That packaging usually pushes the shipment into a lighter, more expensive class.
Reviewed November 11, 2026 · Reference 2026.11 · Estimate, not a classification
At a glance
MixedClassification basis
Density or item-specific
Typical packed density
2–5 lb/ft³
Wide estimate
Density-rated span
Class 175–250
Reclass risk
High
The commodity ships in several forms, is easy to under-measure, or changes cube sharply with assembly or packaging.
Handling flags
Density-based estimate. Confirm the NMFC item, the packaging form, and any density subprovision before booking.
What drives the class
The density story behind clothing on hangers.
Hanging garments need vertical space, so the handling unit is mostly air. A garment box keeps the clothes clean but adds a rigid frame; a garment rack takes even more cube. Density is usually low, and the class can be expensive. Compression helps, but the garments still need to arrive without creases. The item and service also matter: some carriers offer garment service, and the BOL should say the freight is hanging.
Density or item-specific. Hanging apparel may be density-rated, but the garment box or rack can change the item and the handling requirements.
Density thresholds
Where the estimate sits on the 2025 scale.
The highlighted rows are the classes touched by the endpoints of the typical density estimate. A single measured density returns one class; the span is a planning range. The scale is effective July 19, 2025.
| Density band | Class | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 50 or more lb/ft³ | 50 | Reference |
| 35 to under 50 lb/ft³ | 55 | Reference |
| 30 to under 35 lb/ft³ | 60 | Reference |
| 22.5 to under 30 lb/ft³ | 65 | Reference |
| 15 to under 22.5 lb/ft³ | 70 | Reference |
| 12 to under 15 lb/ft³ | 85 | Reference |
| 10 to under 12 lb/ft³ | 92.5 | Reference |
| 8 to under 10 lb/ft³ | 100 | Reference |
| 6 to under 8 lb/ft³ | 125 | Reference |
| 4 to under 6 lb/ft³ | 175 | Typical span |
| 2 to under 4 lb/ft³ | 250 | Typical span |
| 1 to under 2 lb/ft³ | 300 | Reference |
| 0 to under 1 lb/ft³ | 400 | Reference |
Measure it right
The handling unit is the shipment.
Carriers measure what is tendered, not the product inside the box. Use the pallet, crate, or bundle as the handling unit and include everything that travels with it.
- Measure the garment box or rack at its full height, width, and depth.
- Use gross weight with hangers, box, and any rack.
- Measure hanging and folded shipments separately; the cube difference is large.
The formula
cube = L × W × H ÷ 1,728
density = gross lb ÷ cubeRound for display only. Compare the unrounded density to the scale boundary.
Moisture-sensitive
Needs wrap, desiccant, or a dry loading position to avoid a damage claim.
Oversize / bulky
Long, tall, or irregular handling units can affect stowability and linear feet.
Pack it for the rating
Packaging changes the cube before it changes the class.
- Use a garment box or rack that keeps the clothes clean and supported.
- Protect against moisture; hanging garments are hard to press after a wet delivery.
Don't confuse it with
Adjacent items, different answers.
The most expensive classification mistake is usually a description that sounds close but is not the item. Check these before you copy a description from another shipment.
Boxed clothing
Fabric rolls
Garment racks
Before you book
Make the rating defensible.
- Confirm the item for hanging apparel and the garment packaging.
- Ask whether the carrier offers garment service or requires a rack.
- Photograph the garment box or rack before pickup.
BOL description template
Starting pointClothing on hangers, [quantity] garments, in [number] garment boxes, [gross weight] lb gross, [length x width x height] in per box.
Add the confirmed NMFC item number before you tender the shipment. The template describes the freight; it is not a classification.
Common questions
Clothing on hangers and the 2025 scale.
How are clothing on hangers classified for LTL freight?
At an estimated packed density of 2–5 lb/ft³, the 2025 density scale spans Class 175–250. That is a planning span derived from the endpoints of the density estimate, not a promise that every shipment lands in every class. The NMFC item and the shipment as tendered control the final class.
What is the classification basis for clothing on hangers?
Density or item-specific. Hanging apparel may be density-rated, but the garment box or rack can change the item and the handling requirements.
How do I confirm the NMFC item for clothing on hangers?
Confirm the item for hanging apparel and the garment packaging. Ask whether the carrier offers garment service or requires a rack. Photograph the garment box or rack before pickup. Confirm the current item in ClassIT+ or with the carrier before booking.
Related commodities
Keep the comparison close.
Apparel & textiles
Boxed clothing
Boxed clothing is light for its cube unless it is compressed or densely packed. Carton size, fold method, and the number of units per carton drive the density.
Class 92.5–175Apparel & textiles
Fabric rolls
Fabric rolls are denser than finished clothing and usually easier to rate. Roll diameter, length, and the way the rolls are racked or stacked decide the handling unit.
Class 70–100Furniture & fixtures
Mattresses
Mattresses are bulky and light for their cube, so packed density usually lands in the low single digits. Compression, pallet height, and overhang move the result more than the mattress type.
Class 175–250Automotive
Tires
Tires are bulky and awkward, and new, used, and baled tires can follow different classification paths. Density depends heavily on whether the tires are loose, stacked, banded, or baled.
Class 70–100Sources & limits
What this page is, and what it is not.
This is an independent planning reference, not the NMFC and not a carrier classification. The typical density is an estimate. The class span is derived from the 2025 density scale. The NMFC item, the carrier tariff, and the shipment as tendered control the final rating.
Reviewed November 11, 2026 · Reference 2026.11
- NMFTA — National Motor Freight Classification
The official classification system, its 18 classes, and the role of the NMFC item.
- NMFTA — 2025 NMFC changes
The July 19, 2025 effective date and the density-scale restructuring.
- NMFTA — ClassIT+
The licensed lookup for current NMFC item numbers and classification text.
- Estes — freight class and density calculator
Carrier measurement and density conventions used to sanity-check the ranges.
Next step
Measure the load, then check the class.
Use the freight class calculator for a measured density, the pallet calculator for the finished handling unit, and the chart for the full 2025 reference.