Abstract: An accurate and high-speed garment counter for use in the garment and associated industries includes a hook-shaped wand terminating in a hanger-rail engaging slide and including adjacent the slide a light source directed upwardly and in optical conjunction with a light-sensing element, such as a photo-resistor or photo diode which shows a change in output, or pulse, each time the light beam is interrupted by the interposition, between the light source and the sensor, of the tip of a garment hanger, as the wand is slid along the bottom of the hanger rail. Digital counter means respond to the pulses from the light sensor to give a readout corresponding to the number of hangers, and, hence, the number of garments on the rail.