When we think of single-use plastics, we generally picture straws, plastic cutlery and plates, coffee cups, and soft plastic packaging. Of course, these items are top of the list, but there is an unexpected single-use object you might not have considered: clothes hangers or coat hangers.
Read on to learn about the problem with plastic coat hangers and what you can do with your old hangers. We will also answer the question can you recycle plastic hangers? Plus, we will show you where you can find recycled hangers that help support recycling and the circular economy.
What's the Problem with Coat Hangers?
It’s estimated more than 30 million hangers are thrown into landfill from clothes and department stores every day. Sure, plastic hangers may not be the worst issue that the fashion industry needs to address, but they are certainly part of the problem.
If you want to learn more about the problems with fast fashion or how to dispose of unwanted clothes sustainably.
Single-use hangers are purely there to save time at the store. They keep the garments crease-free, so they can hand them as soon as they reach the stores.
These plastic hangers are cheap and lightweight, and help keep transport costs down. Often they are immediately replaced with more robust wooden or plastic hangers in store. It’s estimated 85% of these temporary hangers end up in a landfill.
Stores Just Keep Giving us Hangers!
How can you take a proactive role? I’ll give you an example.
I purchased some new underwear the other day, and when my delivery arrived, I found myself with six small plastic hangers. Do we really need to be putting underwear on hangers?
I contacted the company, and they said they would look into it. They already do have a drop-off box for hangers in their store.
Although this is progress, we know the better solution is to stop using them in the first place.
A great way you can take action is by supporting a petition set up by Arch and Hook, a company making sustainable hangers from certified wood, upcycled ocean-bound plastics, or other recycled plastics.
Support the “Show Fashion You Care” Campaign and let the industry know that single-use plastic hangers should be phased out.
What Can You Do With Your Old Coat Hangers?
Donate or Return Them
If the hangers aren’t broken, consider donating them to your local thrift or charity store. If you have metal hangers, try taking your hangers to your nearest dry cleaners.
Store Drop-Off
If the hangers are branded from a store, try and take them back to the store. Some stores have take-back programs, and there’s typically a box for depositing old hangers. For example, Target will accept their own brand of hangers back in their stores worldwide.
When you buy clothes at a store, make sure they remove the clothes from the hangers before they place them in the bag. It’s worth also asking the sales clerk what they do with them, and if they might consider using more sustainable hangers.
Can You Recycle Plastic Hangers?
Most plastic hangers do not have an obvious recycling number on them. But most of them are made from plastic no 6 or plastic no 7. Plastic no 6 is polystyrene or Styrofoam. Unfortunately, these plastics are difficult to recycle.
The answer to the question “can you recycle plastic hangers?” is unfortunately no, you cannot. The best thing to do with plastic coat hangers is to avoid getting them in the first place. If you already have a bunch, use them as long as you can, donate them if you no longer need them, otherwise dispose of them in the trash can.
Can You Recycle Metal Hangers?
The good news is metal hangers are often made of steel, which is easy to recycle. Unfortunately, most recycling centers or curbside recycling services don’t accept metal coat hangers, as they get caught in the machinery. There are examples of some locations that do – e.g., certain facilities in New York City or Riverside, CA, check your area.
The next best thing is to check with your local dry cleaner. Often they’ll accept donations or returns of metal coat hangers.
If you have exhausted these options, you can recycle metal hangers at a scrapyard. The steel is fully recyclable, so they should accept it.
You may not get much money depending on how many you have, but at least you know they’ll recycle them.
Can You Recycle Wooden Coat Hangers?
Wooden hangers are more likely to last longer as their design is sturdier. But unfortunately, most wooden hangers are not recyclable.
The timber has typically been treated with a varnish or paint, making it no longer useful for compost or wood chipping.
These hangers often have small parts made from metal. You might be able to remove these items and put them with your metal recycling for your next trip to the scrap yard.
Otherwise, they must be placed in your general waste bin.
What About Mixed Material Coat Hangers?
Unfortunately, many coat hangers are made from a mix of materials. They may contain wood, plastic, or even the padded types with metal frames. As with most items made from mixed material, these are even more difficult to recycle. You can remove the metal parts and take them to a scrapyard, but the rest will have to go in the general waste bin.
How to Reduce The Problem
Here are a few ideas to help you reduce your growing pile of clothes hangers.
- Repurpose your old coat hangers. There are plenty of options available. Take a look on Pinterest, and you’re bound to find a project you’ll love.
- Look after the hangers that you have to help make them last.
- If you need new coat hangers, first ask family and friends. You might be able to solve two problems if someone has an excess and has been looking to offload them.
- Next, try second-hand stores, local charity stores, or sites like gumtree, Craigslist, or Freecycle for used hangers.
- Always say no to coat hangers at the store and let the business know you would prefer they reuse them or even switch to recycled hangers.
Recycled Hangers
Buy recyclable or recycled hangers like the ones below.
These kids’ plastic hangers are made from 100% recycled polypropylene plastic. A great way to do your bit and keep materials in circulation.
Made from 100% recyclable FSC certified paper board these coat hangers are a great option if you are looking for some new hangers.
The Future of Hangers
Change is coming, even if it’s slower than we hoped. Target has been running a program to reuse, repair, and recycle its hangers since 1994. Marks & Spencer has a similar program in the UK.
Other brands are also starting to come on board with recycling programs. Many are also looking at more sustainable options like introducing recycled hangers made with recycled content like Superdry and designer Roland Mouret.
Many hanger manufacturers and companies are also coming up with solutions more aligned towards a circular model. Some great examples include:
- First Mile, a London-based recycling company, has begun accepting broken and unwanted plastic and metal hangers from retail businesses for shredding and repurposing by its partner, Endurmeta, in Wales.
- Arch and Hook make hangers sourced from sustainable materials, like their timber hangers with Forest Stewardship Council ® (FSC®) certification. They also have their BLUE® hangers made from marine plastic, ocean-bound plastic, and post-consumer plastic.
- EcoHanger has developed a recycled fibreboard and polypropylene hanger. The plastic can be removed and shipped back or recycled in general recycling programs if broken.
- The Green Hanger™ eco coat hanger is made from recycled cardboard and can be recycled again after use.
- Ditto Hangers are recycled paper hangers. They also use vegetable dyes and natural adhesives.e
The Wrap
The answer to the question can you recycle plastic hangers? No, you cannot. Well, at least not easily!
Coat hangers are often made from types of plastic that are difficult to recycle and not regularly accepted by our curbside recycling services.
The most common material used to make clothes hangers is plastic. They use hard to recycle plastics like polystyrene no 6 or polycarbonate, one of the plastic no 7’s. Some hangers are made from metal or wood, but they are often mixed with other materials like plastic or fabrics, making them even harder to recycle.
You can recycle metal hangers, but they are often not accepted by your local recycling service and need to be taken to a scrapyard.
Reducing what you use is always the best answer. If you need new coat hangers, see if anyone you know has some spare. You can solve two problems that way.
If you need to get rid of your excess hangers, offer them to your friends and family or try donating them to a charity store.
Or check out some of the brands listed above that are making recyclable and recycled coat hangers.
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- Jasmin Malik Chua, 2019, Plastic Hangers Are Fashion’s Plastic Straws, Busines of Fashion, www.businessoffashion.com
- Gary Barker, 2019, Plastic Hanger Fun Fact: 20 Billion into Landfills Every Year. But the Solution is Here!
- Rachel Cernansky, 2019, Fashion’s fight to phase out plastics
