Use my cedar coathanger for my leather jacket?

[midnightcafe]

I got a leather jacket from Schott and currently use the plastic coathanger that came with it. I have some cedar wood hangers and was wondering would it be better to use them instead? I wasn't sure if something like plastic could cause a problem like transferring odors from it onto the jacket. I wouldn't think it would, but I'm not as knowledgeable about that sort of thing and figured someone more experienced would know if there's any issues using a plastic coat hanger with a leather jacket. I know cedar helps keep insects away, so that's a benefit. Should I just use the cedar hanger for this jacket or continue using the plastic one? Thanks.

 

[Bfd70]

This has been covered several times.

Readers digest version: There is no consensus

 

[photo2u]

I got a leather jacket from Schott and currently use the plastic coathanger that came with it. I have some cedar wood hangers and was wondering would it be better to use them instead? I wasn't sure if something like plastic could cause a problem like transferring odors from it onto the jacket. I wouldn't think it would, but I'm not as knowledgeable about that sort of thing and figured someone more experienced would know if there's any issues using a plastic coat hanger with a leather jacket. I know cedar helps keep insects away, so that's a benefit. Should I just use the cedar hanger for this jacket or continue using the plastic one? Thanks.

Welcome to the forum. You have a good question. It has been cover before, but I will share what I liked based on more than 40 years of jacket collecting. I like wood over plastic. However, there are some nice suit plastic hangers as well. They sometimes come with motorcycle jackets with their labels, such as Dainese and others. In the last 20 years, I have been using swimming pool noodles or pipe insulation. They are basically they are the same, but they come in different colors. Before the noodles, I used fabric rags or older socks around the end of the wooden hangers to give the hanger's end more body to protect the shoulder areas. Lately, the noodles have become scares due to people using them for some decoration purposes. The current price for the noodles are 1.99 You can get 5 sets of hangers from two noodles. By the way, I use the noodles in both big wide plastic and wood hangers.

 

[handymike]

Yep!

 

[Trouser Bark]

3/4" foam pipe insulation. I bought more as recently as today. Different people need different sizes of course but for me I cut a 24" long section and put a small slit in the middle.

I tape 6 steel hangers together and then put the foam over the hangers similar to the green example above. I tape the hangers together, tape the foam to the hanger, and I zip the jacket up once I've put it on the hanger.

I have my shirts laundered and keep the plastic bags they come in such that each jacket gets a plastic dust cover and is less likely to be damaged if it falls out of rotation for a month or two, etc. I don't have moth problems where I live. If you do you may want to consider your jacket's lining, etc. If that's an issue the fix might be as simple as using a cedar hanger w/ a pipe insulation and a plastic cover over the jacket. Hit the cedar w/ a piece of sandpaper once in a while to keep the scent alive.

I also keep a one ounce block of bee's wax (the clear stuff, not the yellow stuff) in the closet and if I know my jacket's going to be out of rotation for a bit I'll hit the main and sleeve zippers before I hang it up.

 

[Peacoat]

The question isn't plastic vs. wood, but rather thin vs. thick. When phrased that way, there is no real question. A thick hanger is the only way to go.

 

[Canuck Panda]

The cedar suit hangers with the wider width and bigger ends are hard to come by and quite expensive for what they are. I think the noodles is the best alternative.

 

[vilkin]

The cedar suit hangers with the wider width and bigger ends are hard to come by and quite expensive for what they are. I think the noodles is the best alternative.

They came with both my Y2 jackets when I bought them new. They're really quite pricey for what they are when you try to buy them separately.

 

[vilkin]

3/4" foam pipe insulation. I bought more as recently as today. Different people need different sizes of course but for me I cut a 24" long section and put a small slit in the middle.

I tape 6 steel hangers together and then put the foam over the hangers similar to the green example above. I tape the hangers together, tape the foam to the hanger, and I zip the jacket up once I've put it on the hanger.

I have my shirts laundered and keep the plastic bags they come in such that each jacket gets a plastic dust cover and is less likely to be damaged if it falls out of rotation for a month or two, etc. I don't have moth problems where I live. If you do you may want to consider your jacket's lining, etc. If that's an issue the fix might be as simple as using a cedar hanger w/ a pipe insulation and a plastic cover over the jacket. Hit the cedar w/ a piece of sandpaper once in a while to keep the scent alive.

I also keep a one ounce block of bee's wax (the clear stuff, not the yellow stuff) in the closet and if I know my jacket's going to be out of rotation for a bit I'll hit the main and sleeve zippers before I hang it up.

What are your measurements roughly? I am looking to add some more hangers with the foam pipe insulation method and am about 6'1 175lbs with big shoulders.

 

[Trouser Bark]

I am 5'10" 210#, 33" waist and broad at the shoulder.

For me a 24" wide section of pipe insulation is about perfect for most of my jackets. There are two grades of pipe insulation readily available at places like Home Depot. One has a soft rubbery texture and compresses easily. The other is an aerated closed(?) cell foam that doesn't compress as easily and is about 1/4 the cost. The cheaper option works far better.

 

[vilkin]

I am 5'10" 210#, 33" waist and broad at the shoulder.

For me a 24" wide section of pipe insulation is about perfect for most of my jackets. There are two grades of pipe insulation readily available at places like Home Depot. One has a soft rubbery texture and compresses easily. The other is an aerated closed(?) cell foam that doesn't compress as easily and is about 1/4 the cost. The cheaper option works far better.

Thank you - picking this up at the Home Depot right now!!

 

[Trouser Bark]

I also much prefer steel hangers to the more flexible plastic version. It's not a common occurrence but I have seen the plastic ones break and I don't want that jagged edge poking into any of my jackets. It's far less likely that anything might go wrong w/ a bundle of steel hangers (wrapped w/ pipe insulation).

 

[rogueclimber]

are hard to come by and quite expensive for what they are.

They came with both my Y2 jackets when I bought them new. They're really quite pricey for what they are when you try to buy them separately.

I am 5'10" 210#, 33" waist and broad at the shoulder.

For me a 24" wide section of pipe insulation is about perfect for most of my jackets. There are two grades of pipe insulation readily available at places like Home Depot. One has a soft rubbery texture and compresses easily. The other is an aerated closed(?) cell foam that doesn't compress as easily and is about 1/4 the cost. The cheaper option works far better.

w/ a bundle of steel hangers (wrapped w/ pipe insulation).

Every once in awhile I just have to laugh at TFL

You spend $500 to $2000+ on a leather jacket and the $7 for a quality cedar hanger is too much???

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9TBZ4V...amp=&crid=1E0ZGISTPQ28H&sprefix=cedar+ha&th=1

 

[Trouser Bark]

Every once in awhile I just have to laugh at TFL

You spend $500 to $2000+ on a leather jacket and the $7 for a quality cedar hanger is too much???

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9TBZ4V2?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-reorder_k0_1_8&amp=&crid=1E0ZGISTPQ28H&sprefix=cedar+ha&th=1

A cedar hanger is an option but it's not a better solution. As an example, if you have jacket shoulders that need 24" of support and use your suggested cedar at 17.5" width, which choice is more likely to leave a crease where trap meets deltoid?

 

[Monitor]

It's far less likely that anything might go wrong w/ a bundle of steel hangers (wrapped w/ pipe insulation). View attachment 654756

That's what I thought but then the iron hook made a deep cut into the leather and proved me wrong. I know how it sounds but it can happen so easily it's not worth the risk.

 

[Trouser Bark]

That's what I thought but then the iron hook made a deep cut into the leather and proved me wrong. I know how it sounds but it can happen so easily it's not worth the risk.

What do you use now?

 

[Monitor]

What do you use now?

This.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Every once in awhile I just have to laugh at TFL

You spend $500 to $2000+ on a leather jacket and the $7 for a quality cedar hanger is too much???

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9TBZ4V2?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-reorder_k0_1_8&amp=&crid=1E0ZGISTPQ28H&sprefix=cedar+ha&th=1

It was more than 25 dollars last time I bought them, directly from China with minimum qty, not available in singles, from store fixture seller, very complicated deal to import them. They're 20" wide though,

The ones from Amazon are narrower, 17.5". Most medium sized leather jackets could benefit from wider than this width.

This is why I also vote for the noodle method. 20" wooden hangers is not as readily available as the 17.5" ones. And to custom order them with their minimum quantity means it's a big bill unless I can join in on a group buy somehow.

 

[vilkin]

It was more than 25 dollars last time I bought them, directly from China with minimum qty, not available in singles, from store fixture seller, very complicated deal to import them. They're 20" wide though,
View attachment 654762

The ones from Amazon are narrower, 17.5". Most medium sized leather jackets could benefit from wider than this width.

This is why I also vote for the noodle method. 20" wooden hangers is not as readily available as the 17.5" ones. And to custom order them with their minimum quantity means it's a big bill unless I can join in on a group buy somehow.

I looked into this as well. Maybe that's the next step for me - but I would also have to join in on a group buy. Hard to find stuff like this in Canada.

 

[navetsea]

I use both plastic and wooden, both works, as long as it has thick shoulder support

The wooden is not expensive here last time I bought them from acehardware, but plastic is cheaper, i dont know where to buy those foam thing because in my country private swimmingpool is not very common, so swimmingpool related stuff not easy to get

Around $3 a piece, but the pastic is less than $1