4 Eco-Friendly Solutions to Your Plastic Hanger Problem
OVERVIEW
Reducing plastic usage is one of the most effective ways to make your business greener. Luckily, there are plenty of easy solutions to rid your business of this toxic and pervasive material. This post will guide you on replacing outdated, often fragile, and always polluting plastic hangers to a more earth- (and eye-) friendly option.
BENEFITS
ENVIRONMENTAL - Plastic production has the highest carbon footprint due to larger oil, CO2, and energy consumption. It doesn’t break down in a landfill for thousands of years - compare this with paper (6 weeks), wire (100 years) and wood (150 years).
an estimated 6-20 billion plastic hangers End up in landfills each year ~ about 85% of what is produced!
AESTHETICS - Racks of plastic hangers does your clothing presentation a disservice, especially if you are selling eco-conscious apparel.
DURABILITY - Those clear plastic hangers break the easiest and therefore create the most waste.
COST - While hanger pricing varies immensely based on MOQ, material, style, and size; constantly replacing broken plastic hangers and trash collection are both factors to consider.
HOW TO SWITCH
Step 1: Buying Sustainable Hangers.
Below we’ve listed four of our favorite sustainable hanger brands, ranked by their environmental-friendliness, that will fit any budget and aesthetic. Happy shopping!
BEST
1. Arch & Hook - Specializes in custom orders in three collections. Design your own shape, dimension, finish, logo, etc. Prices are available upon request.
Wood Hangers that are FSC-certified (responsibly forested).
Mission-E(R) are recyclable hangers made from recycled materials. Last 10x longer than single-use plastic hangers.
Blue - Made from upcycled thermoplastics, originated from marine plastics collected from the world’s most polluting areas. At the end of their lifespan, they can be collected and remade into new hangers.
A&H FSC-Wood Hanger
A&H Mission-E Hanger
A&H Blue Hanger
2. Ditto - Made from 100% recycled paper fiberboard. 100% non-toxic, 100% recyclable, compostable, & biodegradable. Slim profiles. Starting at $1.60.
Ditto Hanger
BETTER
Firefly - Made from 50% sugarcane, 50% reusable plastic. 100% biodegradable. Bamboo options as well. Starting at $0.99.
Firefly Sugarcane Hanger
GOOD
BGREEN Hangers - Made from fast-growing woods like birch & bamboo. Finished in low VOC finishes. Starting at $1.75.
BGreen Swoopie Birch Hanger
Step 2: Donate, Recycle, or Use What You Have
Plastic Hanger Recycling -
Check your local solid waste district as some plastic hangers are recyclable if they have a recycling number and your city processes that number. (Most hangers are made from a combination of plastic types, deeming them unrecyclable.) Be sure to remove the metal part first if there is one.
Alternatively, find a Terracycle collection center or host one yourself.
Metal Hanger Recycling - Check with your local scrap metal recycler.
Donating - Many Dry Cleaners, Thrift stores, and places of worship will accept hanger donations. Try Craig’s List for any leftovers!
Step 3: Communicate to your Customers
No action is too small to give a little shout out! A few quick glamor shots on Instagram or a bullet on your site’s sustainability page helps build your brand’s image and attests to your environmental commitments.
If you have any questions or need any help in getting started, prioritizing, finding vendors, etc, give us a call!