7 Eco-Friendly Hangers for Sustainable Closet Organization

Jump scare: the fashion industry tosses tens of billions of single-use plastic hangers every year.

Published Feb. 13 2024, 5:06 p.m. ET

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Look away from the single-use plastic utensils for just a minute; there's another industry creating an insurmountable amount of plastic waste: the clothes hanger industry. Fashion designer Roland Mouret even called single-use hangers the "plastic straw" of the fashion industry in 2019, per the BBC.

According to waste management company Veolia, a whopping 85 billion single-use hangers are discarded around the world annually, rotting for up to a millennium in landfills. With this in mind, eco-friendly hangers are a must.

Instead of buying cheap polystyrene hangers — which will eventually photodegrade (not biodegrade) and leach BPA into the earth, as per Real Simple — opt for durable ones made of recycled, recyclable, and renewable materials.

Our list of sustainable clothing hangers would even please the likes of Faye Dunaway's Joan Crawford — read on for our recommendations!

These aren't your standard plastic hangers. The ( r e )ˣ eco-friendly Adult Hangers are made of 100 percent recycled plastic collected directly from the ocean (or near the ocean) during beach clean-ups and "local recycling efforts in South Africa," as per the woman-owned company. Additionally, ( r e )ˣ's products come in 100 percent recycled and biodegradable packaging.

The brand is proud to have recycled over 310,120 pounds of ocean plastic. Instead, let the former sea debris make waves in your closet.

Created by Brisbane-based mum Jody Templeton, children's lifestyle brand Moodie offers a youth hanger made of 100 percent recycled formaldehyde-free and non-toxic PP plastics. With an ergonomic shape that denounces shoulder dimples and stretched out necklines, and a body that is 20 percent thicker than most standard child hangers, Moodie's Recycled Plastic Kids Hangers are built to "hang tough."

According to the Washington Wheat Foundation, agricultural waste product wheat straw is made of 40 percent cellulose, 40 percent hemicellulose, and 15 percent lignin, making it a great bioplastic source.

3 Sprouts's Baby Wheat Straw Plastic Clothes Hangers are made of 50 percent wheat straw and 50 percent polypropylene, a thermoplastic polymer that does not release toxins when heated. With 2 garment hooks and a thin frame, these hangers are perfect for any nursery.

Kangaroo founder and inventor Angus Willows felt the standard clothes hanger needed a makeover. The mechanical engineer and designer created a flexible, versatile, and sustainable hanger with a paper clip-like functionality, putting cheap, slippery virgin plastic hangers to shame. The patent-pending Heavy Duty Hangeroos are made of 100 percent recycled and recyclable ABS, and were constructed to disrupt the wasteful hanger industry.

Professional organizer Marie Kondo collaborated with a beloved storage retailer back in 2021 for the The Container Store x KonMari collection. Intended for jackets, suits, coats, and dresses, her Serene Matte Metal Suit Hangers are made of aluminum, an infinitely recyclable material. That sparks joy in us.

Additionally, they feature natural beech wood bars for draping pants. Though beech is a readily available and renewable resource, it's important to note that the species is battling beech leaf disease (BLD) across the U.S.

Recommended by the New York Post, the MORALVE Space Saving Pant Hangers will help you make the most of that tiny cabinet you call a closet. The collapsible devices hold up to 30 pounds and can store clothing vertically or horizontally, making them versatile closet organizers as well as hangers. Made of European beech wood, MORALVE's unique hangers have been given Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly stamp of approval, as they're Forest Stewardship Council certified products.

Though Trempel' often markets its customizable clean cardboard hangers to boutiques and fashion labels, we think they'll make your wardrobe look super sleek. The Adult Basic Hangers are entirely recyclable and biodegradable, as they're made from 100 percent FSC recycled waste paper. These cardboard hangers also boast certifications from the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification and Blue Angel, making them a standout. Just be sure to keep them away from wet clothes!