Abstract: A system and method utilizes a machine readable garment identification tag at a first station to enter information on the specific garment into a computer system. The garment data from the garment identification tag is assigned to a garment identifier which is printed or formed on a hanger neck sleeve member. The hanger neck sleeve member provides a consistent scan point through all the subsequent sorting stations in the system. This eliminates the need to search for the position of the garment tag to scan in sort stations subsequent to the initial station. Each hanger neck sleeve member has a machine readable code that is assigned to the associated garment and is placed on the neck of the hanger for that garment. The position of the hanger neck sleeve member on the neck of the hanger makes it readily accessible and readable, significantly more so than the garment tag in these regards.