History of wooden clothespin

There are two basic clothespin designs in the past years. The first wooden clothespin, that like we use today, was invented and patented in the 1800s. In England, the craft of making this type of clothes peg has been widely associated with gypsies, who used to manufacture clothespins using mainly ash or willow wood. Despite the old fashioned design, these items do not require any additional pieces or springs. They are practical and inexpensive.

The second design was made by David M. Smith in Vermont, only a few years after the first one started to gain popularity. Slightly more complex, the new type of peg was made using two mirroring prongs that were joined together by a spring. With a lever action, the spring keeps the two pieces pressed together, creating a gripping effect.

While this spring-type design offers more possibilities when using materials other than wood, it may make such products slightly more expensive. However, from a practical point of view, it is generally said that both designs are quite versatile, not only when it comes to their classical use, but also in the case of more creative purposes.