We Make the World a Little Greener, One Mannequin at a Time

We need to know the quantity, photos of what is available, and the timeline when they will be ready for removal. We recycle mannequins, dress forms, mannequin heads, and some store fixtures and props. Depending upon the quantity and location we can pick up the mannequins at the store level, regional distribution center, or you can ship them to our location or one of our affiliates in other cities. Not only does this save you on waste disposal fees, but this is an environmentally friendly alternative to throwing them in the trash where they will end up in landfills.

Mannequin Madness is located in the SF Bay Area. However, we have affiliates in most major cities in the U.S. and Canada who assist us in recycling mannequins in other locations.

Mannequin styles change just like clothing styles. A mannequin in good condition can end up in the dumpster simply because it is out of style. The average lifespan of a mannequin in a retail chain is about 7 years. Mannequins are also thrown away because a retailer is closing underperforming locations, the retailer went bankrupt, the mannequin gets damaged and is not worth repairing, or a new management team wants to change the visual displays that a previous team installed.

We extend their life cycle by reselling them. We believe in the circular economy — "finding a new use for an old thing in its existing form." We resell the used mannequins at a deeply discounted price from their original cost, thus allowing artists, small retailers, and museums to stretch their visual merchandising budgets.

There are companies that recycle mannequins by stripping them of all fittings and materials that can be processed. The mannequins are then put in a grinder — this only works for mannequins, not dress forms. This process, which is NOT cheap, requires mass transportation to the plants, where they are granulated and used for fuel and in cement. We question the environmental impact of burning materials that are ground up and put into cement due to the toxic fumes created when incinerated.

We have a zero waste policy for the mannequins we recycle. If mannequins are damaged or have missing parts, they are resold for Halloween projects, Burning Man displays, or other DIY projects.