Arch & Hook Launches Clothes Hanger Made From Marine Plastics® At London Fashion Week
The creators of sustainable clothes hangers Arch & Hook revealed BLUE® today at London Fashion Week with the support of world-renowned French designer Roland Mouret and the British Fashion Council.
Today, Arch & Hook launched BLUE® at London Fashion Week’s Positive Fashion Exhibition. The first clothes hanger in the world to be made entirely from Marine Plastics®, the hanger has been created for use in the fashion industry and presents a 100% recycled, closed loop alternative to sourcing plastic for hangers.
BLUE® hangers are intended for the ‘garment on hanger’ stage of fashion retail distribution, when the garments are transported from the manufacturing factories to brand stores. Typically, hangers are discarded when the garments are then transferred to branded hangers for display in store.
Although there are no numbers available about current levels of hanger production, locally or globally, most of the hangers used in the initial stage of garment distribution are used just once, and 85% will end up in landfill, according to Arch & Hook.
By comparison, BLUE® hangers are made from plastic derived from ocean sources. Made from a plastic “soup”, the material is a combination of plastic and waste harvested from polluting rivers that would otherwise end up in the ocean. The materials are separated, shredded and prepared as a raw material before being made into the hangers. The modular design of BLUE® means the hangers can be used for any garment and once used, they can be collected and recycled to be used again and again.
BLUE®’s launch is supported by the British Fashion Council and designer Roland Mouret, who says: “Single-use plastic has too much presence in luxury life; we designers have a responsibility to change that. By coming together and using our creative talents, I really believe we can make a difference.”
Mouret and the British Fashion Council have issued a letter of intent inviting apparel companies in the UK to ‘Switch to Blue’ and join Arch & Hook’s circular hanger programme to help reduce the use of single-use plastic across the fashion industry.
The film ‘Fashion’s Dirty Little Secret’ was also previewed at today’s event to raise awareness about the level of hanger pollution in the fashion industry. The film, created by Arch & Hook with Ridley Scott Creative Group features Model Mafia activist Nimue Smit who also attended today’s launch.
The brands taking part in the Positive Fashion Exhibition during London Fashion Week showcase one of the Positive Fashion pillars which include sustainability, craftmanship and community, and equality and diversity.
Find out more about the Model Mafia and how it is changing the fashion industry.
Check out our sustainable guide to fashion week.
Read these five simple changes your business can take to go plastic-free.