What Happened to The Plastic Crocodile Type Clothes Pegs

AncientWisdom on 09/08/2025 - 23:13
Last edited 09/08/2025 - 23:13

I still have these pegs, which I must have bought almost 10 years ago. They have outlived all the other pegs in our household! I believe the materials used (very sturdy plastic), plus the design - a very simple one-piece mould that doesn't have any springs etc. - is why they are so robust.

However, I can't find them anywhere - does anyone know what happened to them / why they disappeared?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/182159556749

Images in case the above listing expires:
https://imgur.com/a/AygCZQ0

Home & Garden Clothes Pegs

Comments

  • AustriaBargain on 10/08/2025 - 00:10
    +1

    I only buy metal pegs because plastic ones get left out and turn white and then shatter. But with the metal ones I'm scared of them rusting so I bring them in with me.

    • jjjaar on 10/08/2025 - 08:01
      +1

      I’ve had the metal parts of the plastic ones rust too. Just failing all round.

    • AncientWisdom on 10/08/2025 - 11:48

      Our clothes lines are under cover so no problem with UV. Anyway these specific ones don't seem to have an issue with UV, sometimes I find ones that got blown out and been sitting outside for months and they're fine.
      YMMV of course.

  • jv on 10/08/2025 - 00:50
    -5

    does anyone know what happened to them / why they disappeared?

    Government bans on plastics.

  • theHMASfriendship on 10/08/2025 - 01:26
    +8

    To many people smiled at them…

  • AustriaBargain on 10/08/2025 - 02:17
    -1

    National consumers saw this product and said see ya later alligator. So they closed the factories in China and didn't bother with the expense of recasting the moulds. So you can't buy them anymore.

  • try2bhelpful on 10/08/2025 - 06:35

    Can’t help with these but have you thought about something like these as an alternative?
    https://www.bunnings.com.au/sabco-stainless-steel-marine-gra…?

    • Cheaplikethebird on 10/08/2025 - 07:49
      +1

      Yeah stainless steel pegs are the go, last forever. Just need to bend the tabs back every so often. Grab them off eBay though, they’re about half the price.

      • jjjaar on 10/08/2025 - 08:06
        +1

        Or alternatively, 34 pegs for $14 at Kmart and comes with the airer. The pegs can be removed from the airer easily. https://www.kmart.com.au/product/34-peg-stainless-steel-aire…

        • try2bhelpful on 10/08/2025 - 09:22
          +1

          We have these and have left them on the airer. Works well for socks and underwear.

          • jjjaar on 12/08/2025 - 11:01

            @try2bhelpful: Yeah we’ve left most on it too, except two that fell off, never put them back on so they’re just normal pegs.

            I find that some of the spots to hang them on the airer can be too close to the next and so these items dry slower, so removing a couple of these ones gives you more pegs for other purposes.

    • AncientWisdom on 10/08/2025 - 11:46

      Yeah we do have some stainless steel ones, they are ok but don't seem to grip as well (we live on top of a hill where it's very windy). I prefer the plastic crocodile ones.

        • AncientWisdom on 10/08/2025 - 11:54

          Thanks but I believe the springs won't last

      • tenpercent on 10/08/2025 - 11:56

        I use stainless steel ones and it gets fairly windy here too (good for drying times) but never had anything blow off the line - although clothes can end up wrapped around the line.

        You can always double up your pegs to spread the load and reduce the chance of clothing being blown off.

        • AncientWisdom on 10/08/2025 - 12:47

          Yeah might be the specific ones we got, what brand are yours? Do they rust at all? (We also live in a place with high salinity in the air)

          • tenpercent on 10/08/2025 - 14:30

            @AncientWisdom: They were from Amazon, it was a generic unbranded one, just the cheapest price per peg at the time. Something like this. We left ours out on the line initially for the first few months and then noticed a few of them started to shown a little sign of rusting (at the very ends of the wire). So now we bring them in each time. To be open, the smaller ones hanging on the wire frame (for socks and undies) have started showing some signs of rust too although we've never left that outdoors. Different seller so probably a different alloy. Some stainless steel is more rust resistant than others.

            • AncientWisdom on 11/08/2025 - 13:04

              @tenpercent: Yeah I think it needs to be marine grade SS to have any chance where I live, and even then they will rust eventually. The problem with the rust is that even when mild it can start discolouring the clothes.

  • skid on 10/08/2025 - 07:29
    +3

    Could 3d print them out of PETG. Here's a different design https://www.printables.com/model/904305-clothes-peg

    • AncientWisdom on 10/08/2025 - 11:44

      Yeah did think about 3d printing as an option, is that cost effective?

      • skid on 10/08/2025 - 12:30
        +1

        The one in the printables link above costs $0.14 per peg for the filament and power. If the all-plastic pegs are no longer sold, there aren't a lot of options.

      • tenpercent on 10/08/2025 - 12:35
        +1

        If you have a 3D printer already.

    • AncientWisdom on 10/08/2025 - 11:44

      Yeah saw these in my search, do you have personal experience with them?

      • snapper17 on 12/08/2025 - 03:30

        no but for $5 shipped its worth a try

        • AncientWisdom on 13/08/2025 - 23:33

          Took a punt, let's see how they go.

  • Jolakot on 10/08/2025 - 12:45

    Get yourself some Hegs Pegs, they've outlasted every other peg we have. Ours are exposed to UV and rain, still colourful and haven't had a single one break.

    The cheap stainless steel pegs just rusted to the point of leaving permanent rust stains on a fancy silk pillow case, never again. I'm sure the more premium ones are fine though, especially if not exposed to rain.

    • AncientWisdom on 10/08/2025 - 12:49

      I took a punt on these ones - https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/841195

      Will see how they go, not sure about that metal spring bit.

      • try2bhelpful on 10/08/2025 - 12:51
        +1

        Will be interested to see your impression. Best of luck.

    • lainey13 on 12/08/2025 - 11:41

      I have original Hegs and they're starting to break. They're never exposed to UV either. The orange plastic snaps off where it meets the metal bendy part.

      • Jolakot on 12/08/2025 - 20:29
        +1

        The original Hegs (pre-2019) had a design flaw in their hinge which created a weak spot in the middle that would eventually crack under stress: https://hegs.com/pages/broken-old-design-hegs

        Not counting the ones I've lost to the dog none of my old pegs have broken yet, wouldn't be surprised if they do over the next few years though.

        The new ones I bought around 2021 are less bendy and look as good as they did in the packet, seems like they fixed it.

  • n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 10/08/2025 - 20:27
    +1

    I have so many of these posts lined up. What happened to…

    to answer your question OP. because they always stop making the good stuff. they prefer to sell you crap stuff for cheaper instead, so you keep buying it ongoing like a subscription.

    • AncientWisdom on 11/08/2025 - 13:02

      Yeah that's my suspicion too. Basically product was too good…

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