Metal coat hangers are excellent in various situations. They are ideal for retailers that need to stock clothing products in bulk. They’re also beneficial for those that are also seeking slim, durable hangers that maximize space in their wardrobes.
There’s just one issue: what can you do with these hangers once they become unwanted?
One option is to upcycle your metal coat hangers. If you’re willing to get your creative juices flowing, there are many routes you can take with upcycling. But what if you don’t want to turn your old hangers into a magazine rack or wreath? What if you simply want to see the back of them?
Of course, you’re a responsible person. You want to avoid simply throwing your hangers in the bin. Yet is it possible to recycle a metal hanger or not? If you can, how is it done? That’s what this guide will answer!
Can you recycle metal coat hangers?
Due to their material, you might think it is a no-brainer that metal coat hangers – aka wire hangers – are recyclable. While the simple answer to the above question is ‘Yes’, it isn’t a simple process in reality.
This is because a lot of recycling centers are not willing to accept metal hangers. You typically cannot simply place these hangers into a recycling bin and expect them to be taken away with everything else. Why? This is down to the hanger’s shape. The hooked end has the potential to cause damage to the recycling machinery.
Fortunately, there are other recycling options available.
What recycling methods are available?
If a recycling center will not accept your metal hangers, don’t panic. There are plenty of ethical, responsible methods to dispose of your unwanted wire hangers.
One way is to contact or visit a nearby scrap metal recycler. A lot of these centers will be willing to accept wire hangers. Perhaps the biggest issue is finding a place that is close to you. Fortunately, the search isn’t too difficult – and it’s likely there will be a recycler in close proximity.
The first approach is to head to Google. Enter your zip code alongside “metal clothes hangers”, and this should present scrap metal recyclers in your area.
Another route is to use the Earth911 search platform. This acts much the same way as a regular search. With Earth911, you can input “metal clothes hangers” into the “Search for” section, add your zip code, and voila, a list of recycling options is provided along with how far away each one is located approximately.
What if a scrap metal recycler is not a viable choice? An alternative is to take your metal hangers to a nearby dry cleaners. While your hangers won’t be melted down and turned into a different product, they will be reused by the dry cleaners when handing over dry-cleaned laundry to customers. Before heading straight to the dry cleaners, it’s wise to call ahead and check if they’re willing to accept your spare metal hangers, they might have too many themselves.
Should you use metal coat hangers?
With the trouble it takes to recycle them, this may suggest that metal coat hangers are not exactly the best choice available.
This point is compounded by the consensus on standard wire hangers. For prolonged use, they are viewed as too thin for a lot of clothes. The wire’s shape can deteriorate, which can see clothing hanging at weird angles. There’s also the possibility this can negatively impact the clothing itself, whether through creating stretch marks or by dropping to the floor.
Quick side note: these are not problems you’ll find with well-designed Mainetti metal hangers!
In terms of their sustainability, metal coat hangers can be recycled. That is clear. Yet this is also applicable with plastic and wooden hangers. For obvious reasons, the latter is seen as the better choice for both the environment and sustainability. Recycling wood helps by lowering the need to fell more trees, which helps everything from healthy ecosystems to oxygen levels.
So, should you use metal coat hangers? The answer is dependent on your situation. If you run a clothing retail business and deal with large product volumes, wire hangers will often be a suitable choice. However, if you are simply hanging up a small amount of clothes in a closet, a more durable, versatile hanger type is perhaps more appropriate.
With the push for sustainability across the board, the most important point, however, is that you’re able to successfully recycle your metal coat hangers.
How can you improve your recycling efforts with hangers?
You now understand how to recycle metal coat hangers. Yet is this all you can do with your recycling efforts? After all, hangers are a notorious product when it comes to sustainability – or the lack thereof.
Research reveals that up to ten billion – yes, billion – hangers are produced each year. Do you want to know how many of these metal and plastic coat hangers are recycled? About 15% in total. That’s not a lot – and that’s an understatement. Add in that these are only yearly numbers, and the number of hangers that are not being recycled are quickly adding up. The end result: landfills are featuring a lot more hangers than they should.
Of course, you can play a small part in increasing the recycling numbers for wire, wood, and plastic hangers. Your recycling program should focus on recycling any damaged or unused hangers when possible. These should also be sorted and sent to the right recycling centers or places that will make use of your hangers.
It’s also recommended that, if you haven’t done so already, you decide to use recycled hangers. These are ideal for further supporting your push to go green, whether it’s for a business or just at home. These hangers function just as you would expect. The only difference is they are made with recycled materials. The more you are able to support recycled hangers, the more you are ultimately supporting the World’s recycling effort as a whole.