No More Plastic Hangers: 3 Eco-Friendly Projects

Have you ever noticed that no matter how many hangers you have, it’s never enough? Since hangers are the essential element for closet organizing, the choices are just a few – plastic (yick), wire and cardboard (from the dry cleaner), wood (expensive) and fuzzy coated wire. If you are like me, you’ve waved good-bye to the dry cleaner, and stopped buying plastic hangers years ago. The dry cleaner was the major source for acquiring free, wire and cardboard hangers. The cardboard on those last few hangers are either bent or disintegrated. I’ve got a few plastic ones from years ago, and some hand-me-down wood hangers for the coats. Time for a hanger makeover.

Do you know that an estimated 8 billion polystyrene and polycarbonate hangers clog our landfills every year? It is enough to fill the Empire State Building 4.6 times! Read more from this article titled, “How Many Clothes Hangers Does it Take to Fill a Landfill?”

Want to bring nature into your closet and keep hangers out of the landfills?
Revamp your closet or make some gifts with these quick, eco-friendly hangers. These hangers also make beautiful gifts.

DIY Hanger Projects

Hanger Project #1: Bamboo and Wire Hanger

What you need:

Wire clothes hanger

Bamboo stalk–We used leftover bamboo from a gardening project.

Bamboo stalks have a natural hollow core.

Hand saw or tree pruner

What to do:

1. Remove the cardboard from the wire part of the hanger. The cardboard can be recycled.

2. Cut twig or branch to 16”.

3. Using some pressure, place both open wire ends into each side of the bamboo core.

Hanger Project #2: Hook and Wood Hanger

What you need:

Twig or branch

Hook with a screw bottom – I used one I found in the garage. But, if you want a clothes hanger size hook, an old wooden hanger can be dismantled or purchase a hook at the hardware store.

What to do:

1. Cut twig or branch to 16”.

2. Using some pressure, screw the hook into the middle of the twig or branch.

Hanger Project #3: Wire and Twig Hanger inspired by the fabulous book, Eco-Craft by Susan Wasinger

What you need:

Wire clothes hangers

Twigs or branches

Hand saw or tree pruner

Drill

What to do:

1. Dismantle the cardboard from the wire part of the hanger.

2. Cut twig or branch to 16”.

3. Drill holes into both sides of the twig.

4. Using some pressure, place both open wire ends into each side of the twig.

Ronnie Citron-Fink lives in New York with her husband, two children (when they come home to the nest), two dogs and a cat. Ronnie is a teacher and a writer. She has been a contributing writer for Family Fun magazine. She currently writes articles about education and home design. Her writings are in four books including Family Fun Home and Some Delights of the Hudson Valley.