This research explores the role of clothing hangers within the framework of animism, materiality, and sustainable object-centered design. This test run utilizes a literature and data study approach to understand the relationship between hanger materials, user behavior, and ecological impact. By examining historical, theoretical, and empirical data, this research aims to answer the question:

How does the materiality of clothing hangers influence our relationship with garments and the planet?
This test run incorporates six key areas of inquiry:

1.  Animism in Design & Material Agency – Understanding the role of materials in fostering emotional connection and care-based interactions.
2.  Historical Study of Hanger Evolution – Analyzing the transition of materials and its implications on garment care and sustainability.
3.  Material Sustainability & Environmental Impact – Assessing biodegradability, lifecycle impact, and production emissions of plastic, wood, and metal hangers.
4.  Object-Centered & Nature-Centered Design – Investigating how hangers, as objects, influence human behavior, sustainability practices, and their relationship to nature.
5.  Understanding Nature as a Research Methodology – Reflecting on biodegradability, impermanence, and ecological integration as design values.
6.  Indigenous Philosophies in Object-Centered Design – Reframing design through the perspective of placing environmental needs first, challenging extractive material economies.
 
2. Methods & Methodologies Used

This study primarily employs qualitative research methodologies, integrating historical analysis, sustainability assessment, and object-centered design approaches. The following methods were used:

•  Definition: Examines how objects shape and reflect human behavior, values, and sustainability choices.
•  Application in this research:
o  Analyzed how different hanger materials (plastic, wood, metal, biodegradable composites) influence consumer perceptions, attachment, and use habits.
o  Investigated how tactile and aesthetic qualities of materials affect sustainability behaviors.
o  Applied insights from design anthropology to understand how material agency influences the life cycle of objects.

•  Definition: Uses historical records, patent documentation, and archival sources to understand material transformations and design evolution.
•  Application in this research:
o  Conducted a historical study of hanger evolution, tracing its material and functional transformation over different time periods.
o  Used archival sources, museum collections, and patent records to analyze early hanger designs and their sustainability implications.
o  Examined how consumer perceptions of durability and disposability shifted with industrialization and mass production.

•  Definition: Analyzes environmental data, such as carbon footprints, biodegradability, and material life cycles, to assess sustainability.
•  Application in this research:
o  Conducted lifecycle assessments to evaluate the environmental impact of hanger materials.
o  Used industry reports and academic research to compare material sustainability factors (e.g., production emissions, recyclability, waste management).
o  Analyzed data from circular economy studies, examining how hangers contribute to broader discussions on waste reduction and material reuse.

•  Definition: Object-centered and nature-centered design approaches consider the relationship between humans, objects, and their impact on nature, rather than viewing objects as passive tools.
•  Application in this research:
o  Explored animism in design, analyzing how materials shape user interaction and long-term sustainability.
o  Investigated how biodegradable hangers might reflect nature’s cycles, reinforcing sustainability through decomposition and renewal.
o  Examined nature’s efficiency in material use, drawing inspiration from biomimicry and ecological design principles.

•  Definition: Uses natural systems, impermanence, and biodegradability as guiding principles for sustainable design.
•  Application in this research:
o  Challenges the assumption that longevity is the ultimate goal in sustainability.
o  Explores whether impermanence and dissolvability might be a more ecological approach.
o  Examines materials that naturally return to the earth, rather than existing indefinitely.
o  Asks: Should we design for endurance, or should we design objects gentle enough to dissolve back into nature?

•  Definition: Indigenous epistemologies prioritize relationally, sustainability, and non-extractive material use.
•  Application in this research:
o  Integrated Indigenous perspectives that emphasize ecological responsibility and reciprocal engagement with materials.
o  Analyzed circular design principles and alternative material use, inspired by Indigenous frameworks of long-term sustainability.
o  Critiqued the consumerist and disposable culture associated with hanger production and waste.

These methods provide a strong foundation for answering the research question but also reveal areas for improvement: Material culture analysis effectively links materials with behavioral attachment, but lacks empirical behavioral tracking. 
Historical research provides valuable context for material evolution, but does not capture present-day consumer attitudes in real-time.

Sustainability data analysis strengthens the ecological argument, but could benefit from quantitative comparisons with emerging materials. 

Object-centered and nature-centered design approaches deepen our understanding of material-human-environment relationships, but need validation through observational research. 
Understanding nature as a research methodology questions assumptions about longevity and permanence, opening a new dimension of design exploration.

One of the most profound reflections from this research has been questioning whether longevity should always be the goal in sustainability. Traditionally, design focuses on making objects last longer, but this research has led me to consider:

•  What if we designed objects that return to the earth gracefully instead of trying to extend their lifespan indefinitely?
•  Could impermanence be a form of sustainability if materials are chosen to harmonize with nature rather than persist?
•  Should biodegradability be prioritized over durability, depending on context?

By integrating object-centered and nature-centered design, alongside ongoing archival research, material testing, and Indigenous perspectives, this study gains a holistic perspective on sustainable hanger design. It allows for a deeper inquiry into how hangers function as objects within human-environment relationships, influencing behavior and sustainability choices.

This research explores the role of clothing hangers within the framework of sustainability, consumer behavior, and participatory research methods. The participatory research component aimed to understand how individuals make decisions about hanger use, garment care, and sustainability in real-world settings. Through structured engagement, this research sought to answer:
How do consumer perceptions and behaviours around hanger materiality influence garment longevity and sustainability adoption?

1.  Hanger Selection & Decision-Making – Understanding how people choose hangers based on garment type, material, and brand perception.
2.  Sustainability Awareness & Reflection – Engaging participants in discussions on hanger waste, recyclability, and sustainable alternatives.
3.  Behavioural & Habitual Patterns – Examining whether people’s stated sustainability values align with their real-world choices.
4.  Documenting Personal Spaces for Honest Insights – Proposing future research that examines hanger use in personal closet spaces to uncover subconscious behaviors.
 
2. Methods & Methodologies Used

This study primarily employs qualitative participatory research methodologies, integrating behavioral observation, decision-making analysis, and sustainability discussions. The following methods were used:

•  Definition: Designed an interactive session where participants matched clothing tags to different hanger typesbased on garment care needs.
•  Application in this research:
o  Participants were provided with tags that included garment type, material, and care needs.
o  They were asked to choose the hanger they believed was most appropriate and explain their reasoning.
o  Facilitated discussions on whether their choices aligned with sustainability considerations.

•  Definition: Encouraged reflection through visual prompts of discarded hangers in landfills.
•  Application in this research:
o  A large-format board displayed images of plastic hanger waste and sustainability prompts.
o    Participants wrote responses to key sustainability questions, such as:
  What happens to hangers when they are thrown away?
  Would you participate in a hanger reuse/exchange system?
  If you could redesign a hanger, what would it look like?
o  This documented real-time engagement with sustainability issues related to hangers.

•  Definition: Observed how participants’ real-world behaviors differed from their expressed sustainability values.
•  Application in this research:
o  Some participants stated that they prefer sustainable hangers, but during selection, they chose plastic due to familiarity or aesthetics.
o  Analyzed how brand perception influenced hanger choice, with luxury garments often paired with wooden or velvet hangers.
o  Noted how some participants were unaware of hanger waste, despite expressing general sustainability concerns.

•  Definition: Acknowledged that people’s public behaviours do not always align with their private habits, suggesting future research that captures real-life closet organization.
•  Application in this research:
o  Proposed documenting hanger use in personal closet spaces across diverse age groups.
o  Explored whether stated values about sustainability are reflected in real-life hanger choices.
o  Suggested photo documentation of closets to reveal subconscious behaviours around hanger use.

These methods provided valuable insights into decision-making, sustainability awareness, and behavioural contradictions but also revealed areas for improvement: The structured activity effectively captured consumer logic, but real-world influences (e.g., convenience, cost) were harder to simulate. 

The sustainability discussion revealed new perspectives, but responses were sometimes influenced by groupthink.
Observational behavioural analysis highlighted decision-making patterns, but lacked long-term engagement with participants. Proposing real-life closet documentation could strengthen the research by uncovering honest, subconscious behaviors.
 
3. Areas for Improvement in Participatory Research

While the participatory research provided meaningful insights, several enhancements could refine the findings:

• Why? A single-session study captures immediate reactions, but a longer study tracking participant behavior over time would provide a deeper understanding.
•  How? Future research could involve tracking hanger use for weeks/months to see if sustainability discussions influence long-term behavior.

•  Why? Instead of theoretical discussions, giving participants real sustainable hanger prototypes would yield direct feedback on usability, aesthetics, and feasibility.
• How? Participants could compare different hanger materials in real-life settings and report on their functionality, durability, and perception.

•  Why? People often behave differently in private vs. public spaces. What they say about sustainability may not align with their real-life habits.
•  How? Future research could:
o  Document personal closet spaces across diverse age groups to analyze real-world hanger usage.
o  Identify whether people keep old plastic hangers despite supporting sustainability.
o  Understand whether hanger organization correlates with perceived garment value (e.g., do people hang luxury items on better hangers?).
 
4. Reflection: What This Research Reveals About Sustainability

A key insight from this study is that sustainability is not just about material choice—it’s about behavioural change. While many participants expressed awareness of sustainable options, their actual decisions were often influenced by:

•  Convenience & Habit – Choosing plastic hangers out of familiarity.
•  Perceived Aesthetic & Brand Status – Associating wooden or velvet hangers with luxury garments.
•  Unawareness of Waste Impact – Not knowing how discarded hangers contribute to landfill accumulation.

Should we focus on designing long-lasting, reusable hangers, or should we shift toward impermanent, biodegradable hangers that dissolve back into nature?

•  If sustainability is about harmony with nature, should we design objects that last forever or those that disappear when no longer needed?
•  How can object-centered and nature-centered design principles guide biodegradable hanger innovation?
•  Should the focus be on consumer education about sustainability, or is it more effective to change the design of everyday objects so sustainability is effortless?
 
5. Conclusion: Moving Toward a Holistic Understanding of Hanger Sustainability

By combining decision-making analysis, sustainability reflection, and subconscious behaviour tracking, participatory research provides a human-centered perspective on hanger choices. However, integrating long-term engagement, real-world prototype testing, and personal space documentation would enhance the honesty and depth of these findings.
Rather than just focusing on what people say about sustainability, future research must explore what they actually do, and whether the solution lies in redesigning objects for impermanence rather than longevity.