The Evolution Of Plastic Coat Hangers: A Breakdown Of Materials And Manufacturing

Plastic coat hangers are typically made from a range of plastics including polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer, and polyvinyl chloride. They can also be made from recycled plastic gathered from the ocean or intercepted before entering the ocean.

Plastic coat hangers are often made from polypropylene

Polypropylene is a popular choice for coat hangers as it is strong and durable. Its strength prevents the hangers from sagging or breaking under the weight of heavier garments such as sweaters, jackets, and coats. This ensures that clothes remain securely on the hangers and helps to prevent wrinkles and creases from forming.

In addition to their strength, polypropylene hangers also offer the advantage of being space-efficient. Their sturdy construction allows them to hold heavier garments without taking up excessive space in closets or wardrobes. This makes them a practical choice for those looking to maximise their storage space.

Another benefit of polypropylene hangers is their smooth surface. The smooth finish of polypropylene hangers helps to prevent clothing from catching or snagging, reducing the risk of damage to delicate fabrics. This feature also enhances the overall appearance of the hangers, giving them a sleek and modern look.

While polypropylene hangers offer many advantages, it is worth noting that they are not always recyclable. Some polypropylene hangers may be made from a mix of different plastics, which can make them difficult to recycle. As a result, it is important to properly dispose of or recycle these hangers to reduce their environmental impact.

They can also be made from polystyrene

Plastic coat hangers can also be made from polystyrene, a synthetic polymer. Polystyrene is a popular choice for manufacturing plastic coat hangers due to its ease of processing and forming. It possesses good stability and is resistant to deformation, making it ideal for various hanger types, including suit hangers, jacket hangers, coat hangers, inner hangers, and pants rack parts.

Polystyrene hangers offer several advantages. Firstly, they are known for their durability and ability to withstand everyday use without easily bending or breaking. This feature makes them a reliable option for hanging heavy garments. Additionally, polystyrene hangers are often designed with specific functions in mind, such as non-slip properties, making them suitable for hanging delicate items that require extra grip.

The manufacturing process of polystyrene hangers involves several steps, including molding preparation, feeding, plasticizing, mold filling, pressure holding, backflow, cooling, and demoulding. This process allows for the creation of hangers with consistent quality and the desired characteristics.

Polystyrene hangers are widely available in the market, offered by various retailers and manufacturers. They are commonly used in clothing stores and households due to their functionality and affordability. However, it is important to note that polystyrene, like other plastics, has environmental implications if not properly recycled.

Overall, polystyrene is a practical choice for manufacturing plastic coat hangers due to its ease of processing, stability, and versatility. These hangers are durable, functional, and widely available, making them a common choice for hanging clothes in various settings.

Or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a common thermoplastic polymer. It is a terpolymer, meaning it is made by polymerising styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of polybutadiene. The final product is a complex mixture consisting of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN), a graft polymer of styrene-acrylonitrile and polybutadiene, and some free polybutadiene rubber.

The proportions of each component can vary, but typically range from 15-35% acrylonitrile, 5-30% butadiene, and 40-60% styrene. The nitrile groups from neighbouring chains attract each other and bind the chains together, making ABS stronger than pure polystyrene. The styrene gives the plastic a shiny, impervious surface, while the butadiene, a rubbery substance, provides toughness and ductility at low temperatures.

ABS is a good engineering plastic, often used as a substitute for metals in structural parts. It is tough, hard, and rigid, with good chemical, electrical, and weathering characteristics, and low water absorption. It is also easily moulded, making it useful in manufacturing products such as pipe fittings, automotive interior parts, and protective headgear.

The properties of ABS can be fine-tuned by varying the ratio of its monomer units. For example, acrylonitrile offers good chemical resistance, aging resistance, hardness, gloss, and rigidity, while butadiene provides ductility at low temperatures, flexibility, and good melt strength. Styrene gives good processability, gloss, and hardness.

ABS is regarded as a good engineering plastic and is used in a wide range of applications, including safety helmets, automotive parts, pipe fittings, and electrical components. It is also used in 3D printing due to its low cost, strength, and high stability.

They are difficult to recycle

Plastic coat hangers are difficult to recycle for several reasons. Firstly, they are often made from multiple types of plastic resins, including polypropylene (#5), polystyrene (#6), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer, which can be challenging to recycle together. The presence of other contaminants, such as metal hooks, decorative materials, or other non-recyclable plastic resins, can further complicate the process and risk ruining an entire batch of recyclable material.

The shape of coat hangers also poses a problem for recycling machines. Their sharp and pointy edges can cause them to get stuck in machinery, requiring manual intervention and potentially disrupting the recycling process. This issue is significant enough to deter many recycling facilities from processing plastic coat hangers.

Additionally, plastic coat hangers are often already byproducts of recycling. As plastic cannot be infinitely recycled, its polymer structure degrades with each cycle, leading to downcycling. Over time, this results in hangers that are more brittle and prone to breaking, eventually reaching a point where they can no longer be recycled.

The difficulties in recycling plastic coat hangers have significant environmental implications. It is estimated that more than 30 million hangers are thrown into landfills by clothing and department stores daily, contributing to plastic waste and leaching toxic chemicals such as benzene and BPA into the environment.

To address this issue, it is recommended to avoid acquiring plastic coat hangers whenever possible. Instead, consumers can opt for wooden hangers, which tend to last longer, or hangers made from recycled materials. Some retailers, such as Target, also offer recycling programs where they accept, repurpose, and recycle unwanted hangers.

They can be made from recycled plastic

Plastic coat hangers are typically made from polypropylene (#5) or polystyrene (#6) plastic. However, they can also be made from recycled plastic, reducing the amount of plastic waste in landfills and the number of microplastics in the ecosystem.

Some companies are leading the way in creating coat hangers from recycled materials. For example, Arch and Hook produce hangers from upcycled ocean-bound plastics and other recycled plastics. Similarly, EcoHanger has developed a recycled fibreboard and polypropylene hanger, with the option to remove the plastic and recycle it in general recycling programs if the hanger breaks.

Retailers can also play a role in reducing plastic waste by implementing a system to collect hangers at the point of purchase, so customers do not take hangers home with them. This gives the retailer control over the lifecycle of their products and encourages a closed-loop recycling scheme.

In addition to purchasing recycled hangers, consumers can also repurpose old coat hangers or donate them to thrift stores or charity shops if they are still in good condition.

By choosing recycled plastic hangers over those made from new plastic, individuals and businesses can help reduce energy consumption and divert plastic from landfills, incineration, and ocean waste.

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