How To Recycle Coat Hangers

It is all too easy to end up with more coat hangers than you need, whether you have cleared out your wardrobe, have a pile of children's coat hangers that are now too small to use or are looking to get rid of lots of those annoying wire hangers from the dry cleaners.

To reduce the number of coat hangers you have to deal with, always refuse them when you buy something, especially those annoying, flimsy hangers that underwear is often sold on which are no use to anyone.

So how can you recycle plastic, wooden or wire coat hangers?

Wire Coat Hangers

The wire coat hangers that you get from the dry cleaners are not actually very good for your clothes and seem to get tangled up with everything else in your wardrobe. Some dry cleaners may take them back from you, so it is always worth asking next time you have something dry cleaned.

First check with any friends and family who are keen DIY-ers and crafters though, wire coat hangers have lots of uses, from unblocking drains to providing the structure for papier mache sculptures (yes really).

They should not go in your household recycling, but could go to the metal recycling section of your local household recycling centre.

Plastic Coat Hangers

For every person who wants to get rid of hangers there always seem to be someone who needs coat hangers, so if the hangers are usuable, start by asking around.

Charity shops may be able to use them - ask before you carry a huge bag to your local shop, as bigger charities may only use a certain type of hanger (and will have to put any other hangers in the bin), but smaller charities may be able to use any type.
Schools and theatre groups may be interested in them for hanging up costumes.
Car booters may be able to use them for displaying stock.
Students going off to university will need to take their own coat hanger with them, so if you know a student, ask them.
You could offer them on Freecycle, Freegle or a local Facebook freebies group.
Some clothing retailers and dry cleaning chains do, from time to time, run schemes where you can take in plastic coat hangers for recycling, however at the time of writing there are none that I know of. If I hear of any I'll update this page.

You will need to check with your own council to know whether you can put your plastic coat hangers into your houshold recycling collection - you probably cannot put them in your recycling bin - however many councils will accept all types of plastic at household recycling centres.

Wooden Coat Hangers

I love wooden hangers and can't imagine why anyone would give them away.

So firstly ask around if anyone would like to use them. If not, offer them to a charity shop who could probably sell them if they cannot use the hangers themselves.

If the hangers are broken, they would need to go to the wood recycling section of your local household recycling centre.

How To Recycle Coat Hangers

Wire Coat Hangers

Plastic Coat Hangers

Wooden Coat Hangers

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