The short answer
Fabric if it hangs, rigid if it stacks. That is the whole decision, and neither format is better in the abstract. What decides it is whether anything will ever sit on top of the wreath.
Side by side
Published figures for the two formats | Fabric (Zober 2-pack 36 in) | Rigid-shell (Elf Stor 36 in) |
|---|
| Published dimensions | 36 x 36 x 15 in | 36 x 36 x 10 in |
| Depth per wreath | 7.5 in | Container height 10 in |
| Material | 600 denier Oxford | Not published as a denier |
| Garland provision | Interior pockets | Interior compartment |
| Hangs on a hook | Yes | Not designed to |
| Crush resistance | None | High |
| Wreaths per container | Two | One |
Depth is the figure to compare, not height
A container that stacks two wreaths publishes a total height, and a container that holds one publishes the same number for a different thing. The Zober two-pack publishes 15 inches of height and, separately, 7.5 inches of depth per wreath — that second number is the useful one, because it is what your wreath has to fit into.
The Elf Stor publishes 10 inches for a single wreath, which is the most generous depth in our ranking. If your wreath has a large bow or deep pine cone decoration, depth is the dimension that gets compressed and the one worth paying for. Measure from the back of the frame to the highest point of the decoration; the method is on wreath sizes and how to measure.
The case for fabric: it hangs
A wreath is a large flat disc, which is the worst possible shape for a shelf and a perfectly good shape for a wall. A fabric container with reinforced handles goes on a garage hook, a closet rod, or a nail in a rafter, and occupies wall space that had no other use.
That single property makes fabric the right answer more often than the specification comparison suggests, particularly for households storing two or three wreaths. Two containers on two hooks take no floor and no shelf.
The case for rigid: it takes weight
A wreath in a fabric bag on the bottom of a stack is a flattened wreath. There is no version of this where the fabric helps, because fabric transmits load directly to the contents.
If your storage is a garage where bins go on the floor and get stacked, a rigid shell is not a preference, it is a requirement. The same logic applies to ornament boxes, which is why the answer there is often a rigid outer bin — see bins and totes.
Both formats provide for garland, differently
The Zober publishes interior pockets; the Elf Stor publishes an interior compartment. Either way, the point is the same: garland belongs coiled flat with the wreath it matches rather than in a separate bag, because the two go up together and come down together.
Coil it loosely rather than folding it. The method is on how to store garland after Christmas.
Our verdict
Fabric, for most households, because most households have a hook or a shelf and no intention of stacking anything on a wreath. Rigid if the storage is a garage floor, or if the wreath is expensive enough that crush protection is worth the shelf space it costs.