We have a pretty dysfunctional relationship with clothes hangers. Whenever we really need one, we can't find one that isn't already in use -- and when we inevitably pack up and move to a new place, we have so many extra hangers we end up throwing/giving away a whole mess of them.

And we aren't the only ones. Hangers are causing some serious problems. According to a pretty interesting post a Sustainable Design Update, plastic clothes hangers are taking up more landfill space than ever before -- and, because they are made from so many different types of plastic and other materials, municipal recycling facilities won't take them.

Luckily, someone is working on a solution.

GreenHeart Global has developed Ditto Hangers, a line of 100% recyclable clothing hangers for retailers and non-toxic dry cleaners.

Consider this fact from the Ditto web site: Every year an estimated 8-10 billion unrecyclable plastic/wire hangers end up clogging our municipal landfills, requiring over 1,000 years to break down.

Sounds like a good time to ask your local dry cleaner and favorite clothing retailers to use Ditto.

image via massdestraction; flickr.com