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100% Traceability from Collection to Closet
Chicago, IL March, 5, 2022 —
(re)x, an eco-design company founded by Los Angeles-based designer Paulina Quintana, is showcasing a new hanger made from 100% recycled plastic that is gathered from the ocean or intercepted before entering it. Quintana’s mission is to create sustainable solutions for everyday products and turn them into an opportunity to remove plastic waste from the environment.
“We need to change people’s relationship to plastic.” said (re)x CEO Quintana. “The environmental impact of discarded plastics is one of the most vexing issues we face. There are over 8 billion plastic hangers discarded every year along with over 8 million metric tons of plastics entering our oceans annually. Our new hanger represents an advancement in reducing the damage plastic is inflicting on our planet. ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ no longer cuts it.”
An accomplished designer, Quintana's experience in the fashion industry fuels her passion for green innovation. The ( r e )x founder ran her own international children’s clothing brand for 13 years to much acclaim but was troubled by the sheer volume of waste created by plastic hangers that were discarded and bound for landfills. ( r e )x (pronounced re-to-the-x) was born from the desire to reduce consumers’ environmental footprint, with the goal of eliminating the need for products made from virgin plastic.
Traceability is where Quintana wants her company to lead the industry. Every 10-pack of hangers has a QR code ( see above) which allows customers to access information on the collection location, the composition of recycled plastic used, and highlights some of the owner/operators of the recycling sites. Raw materials result from: beach and estuary clean ups, ocean and ocean bound plastics, and post consumer recycling efforts in villages in South Africa. Each hanger features slight color variations reflecting the variety of plastics collected. All the company’s packaging is made from 100% recycled material and is 100% biodegradable.
10 pack of ( r e )x hangers to sell for $20
Marrying Design with Purpose
( r e )x has innovated a ubiquitous household item. “We have reengineered the hanger," said Quintana. "We increased the overall thickness by 50%, ensuring a significant improvement in durability and resistance to breakage.” ( r e )x also increased the vertical strength of the pant bar to hold heavy garments without bending and added an integrated “fishhook-style” garment hook. A unique ‘bridge’ at the apex of the hanger completes the design to provide maneuverability in tight spaces packed with clothing. “It is superior to traditional plastic hangers in every respect, so it is not going into a landfill and it is NOT made from virgin plastic.”
Quintana aims to demonstrate to retailers and consumers alike that when it comes time to reorder hangers, they can use their purchasing decisions to protect the environment with a better designed, more durable, and more sustainable option. “When you consider that most every home, apartment and retail store have plastic hangers, we have a big opportunity to change people’s future buying patterns. Let’s face it, everyone need hangers. When made from recycled plastic they are the right hanger for today, and honestly the right hanger for the future. This hanger has a purpose.”
To manufacture the product, Quintana is partnering with a South African manufacturing technology company whose sustainability principles extend well beyond recycled plastics. The production of ( r e )x hangers has removed 3.3 tons of ocean and ocean-bound plastic waste in its first 9 months of operation and is slated to remove another 12 tons by May 2022.
To date, ( r e )x has sold more than 14,000 hangers to stores, consumers, high schools, colleges, and universities across North America.
For more information about (re)x’s products or to place an order, customers can visit retothex.com.