Circular Materials estimates that 90% of fashion brands today use virgin plastic hangers, with a large brand alone having 15-30 million hangers in circulation. In addition to the 92 million tonnes of textile waste annually going to landfill or incineration, the initiative is a great example of using the extensive amount of existing materials we already have for our future material needs. 

Not only do the hangers prevent new plastic production, they save waste textiles from going to landfill and incineration. The ratio of textiles to plastic in the composite consists of 30 and 70% respectively, with an option to include a company’s own textile waste in the composite. Circular Materials' recycled hangers completely avoid the need for virgin plastic use in hanger production. Compared with virgin plastics (PP, PS& ABS) the 100% recycled composite hangers significantly reduce the amount of CO2 emissions produced in usual hanger production; per kg of composite material, less than 0.5kg CO2 emissions are produced, as opposed to nearly 6kg carbon emissions with virgin plastic hangers.

The mechanical properties of the circular hangers are also stronger than virgin plastic hangers, which enables them to be injection moudled to a thinner specification, using less material per hanger than is needed in regular hangers. The fibres act as reinforcement in the composite material, offering 30-50% better mechanical properties. It is estimated that regular hangers are in circulation for approximately 3-5 years. By joining the ‘Loop’ programme, clients can return hangers to be made into new hangers at the end of their lifecycle. Already saving 100% of virgin materials and extending the life of the new composite material.