How to Reuse Metal, Plastic and Wire Hangers…

Since hangers are not accepted with recycling, we suggest reducing and reusing them; keeping hangers out of our solid waste stream.

Wire Hangers: The top suppliers of wire hangers are dry cleaners. Many dry cleaners will take metal hangers back and reuse them. Ask about that (and the plastic bags most dry cleaners use to cover clothes) the next time you pick up garments. Or, simply leave the hangers at the store when you pick up your clothes (if you are picking up lots of items, consider bringing your own hangers and a garment bag).

Plastic Hangers: There are a couple of kinds of plastic hangers. There are the purely plastic hangers, available in a rainbow of colors, that you can pick up at any drug store. Then, there is the kind used to hang clothes in retail stores, which are a combination of plastic and metal. You can practice the other two “R’s” with plastic hangers: reduce and reuse. If a store clerk offers to let you take hangers home with you, say no. See if your local thrift store is interested in your old plastic hangers.

Wood Hangers: Wood hangers are also not recyclable. The wood is treated with varnish or other types of finish, resulting in a nonrecyclable product. Wood hangers are best suited for coats, so consider donating unwanted ones to charities with lots of jackets to store and give away. Your local rescue mission or health and human services office are two places to check with first. Or, you can see contact a NJ chapter of Dress for Success, which gives suits to people who need them for job interviews.

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