London: We all know how environmentally contentious the plastic bags we use to bring our shopping home have become, particularly emphasised by recent announcements that Marks and Spencer are to charge for their use. But clothes hangers are also numerous and can have an effect on the environment.
According to Alexander Beattie, Head of marketing at Wannabeco, “There are 530 million unwanted coat hangers stashed away in UK homes, and almost 100 million of them go straight to landfill every year”.
However dry-cleaners are trying to get their act together and are becoming more environmentally concious.
Johnson's cleaners, for example, are offering the option of a “ green” cleaning service by using a siloxane solvent rather than the traditional perchloroethlyene (perc). Perc is a chlorinated solvent which therefore has climate change implications.
From the viewpoint of the many clothes hangers that are issued, there are schemes that encourage the return of the hangers for re-use. For example Presstige Laundry Services offer a socially responsible ironing service with no packaging waste, as “reusable carriers and hangers are used throughout” and a donation is made to charity for each coat hanger returned to the company.
Clothes hangers
But metal clothes hanger disposal is still a major problem, which Wannabeco has targeted through the design of a new hanger made from biodegradable materials.
The company claims that the Becohanger is a 100% recyclable and biodegradable clothes hanger. It is aimed at replacing the conventional wire coat hanger found in every household across the UK distributed predominantly by dry-cleaners and commercial laundries.
"We have worked with British dry-cleaners to design a product that is environmentally sound and strong enough to do the job," said Toby Massey, Head of Design and Operations at Wannabeco.
“These dry-cleaners have been striving over the past few years to reduce their carbon footprints and become more ecologically friendly”.
This environmentally hanger also has an added advantage commercially, in that the Becohanger doubles up as an attractive media space, offering premium brands and services a highly audience selective, geographically flexible and ecologically friendly advertising platform, according to Wannabeco.
The way it works
In essence the Becohanger is distributed through Wannabeco’s large network of dry-cleaning companies and laundry services. Advertising is printed on each side of the hanger with eco-friendly ink made from water based solvents and natural ingredients.
Advertisers buy the media space thereby providing the finance which allows Wannabeco to manufacture and supply its networks.
The company says that the Becohanger breaks down naturally at no cost to the environment. In addition the material is also recyclable and can be reused.
Brands who have worked with Wannabeco to date include the O2 and a number of premium drinks brands and career break firms.
Further information
For further information visit the company website at www.wannabeco.com .