sustainability
🎃 Sustainable Halloween Costumes
DIY Ideas To Save the Planet & Your Wallet
Temperatures are dropping, leaves are falling, and pumpkins are popping up on every corner! As we enter the “-ber” months a.k.a. the spookiest time of the year - it’s time to start thinking about costumes for you and/or the kids this Halloween season.The thought of planning can be the scariest part, due to rising costs, fast fashion, and the pressure to have the most EPIC outfits. But at EFM, we are here to help you navigate your costume crisis with ideas, tips, tricks, and treats 🍬 to make it better for your wallet and the environment!
In 2024, $4 billion dollars was spent on Halloween costumes, and with 83% of prepackaged costumes being made of single-use plastic, it’s estimated that 35 million costumes are thrown away each year… now that’s a scary statistic! 💀 To fight fast fashion and waste, here are some fun options this Halloween season: thrift, swap, reuse, or even create an outfit using common things around the house.
Now before you panic at the thought of DIY, stick with us! There are many inexpensive options out there that make a statement and embrace the idea of reusing, recycling, and refusing to succumb to the $60 commercial costume your kid will wear once and throw away– and not all options require master sewing skills!
🔄 REUSE:
Instead of tossing out costumes every year, keep a box in the basement or attic with past costumes. Add new accessories or change up your makeup to reinvent an old look. If you have multiple kids, set up a “Halloween store” in your living room so they can “go shopping” through past costumes.
Try mixing and matching concepts (think Star Wars Muppets ✨) or transforming objects, like turning an old princess dress into a fairy or witch or adding little skeleton makeup on an old animal costume to make it spooky! Reusing what you already own is a wonderful way to make sure traditionally single-use costumes get more life.
👕 SWAP
Too many old costumes? Consider swapping with friends or checking for organized Halloween costume swaps near you online. You can also post on social media, offering what you have and what you are looking for– someone may just have the Buzz Lightyear suit your toddler desperately wants 🚀. Hand-me-downs = instant savings!
🛒 BUY SECONDHAND:
Buying secondhand is not free, but it is remarkably budget-friendly. Local South Jersey thrift stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army, 2nd Ave Thrift Superstore, and Once Upon a Child often put out costumes as early as late August. You can also get creative with normal clothing items, accessories, and fabrics you find to fashion into your favorite characters and ideas!
💡 Thrifting Tip: Shop early for the best selection and contact your local thrift store to inquire about their costume drops, which sometimes occur as early as late August or Early September. You can also check Facebook Marketplace or other resale apps; many sellers will even ship.
✂️ DIY
DIY doesn’t have to be scary! 👻 Anyone can create something fun without sewing skills.
Use Old Clothing:
• Flannel + jeans = Scarecrow
• Striped shirt = Robber
• Hawaiian shirt + camera = Tourist
• Khakis + button-up = Jurassic Park explorer 🦖
• Beat-up clothes + fake blood = Zombie
Cutting Up Cardboard: Perfect for dinosaurs, pizza slices, butterfly wings, or anything your imagination dreams up.
Repurposing Random Things Around the House:
-Cereal boxes glued to a shirt = Cereal Killer
-Pool noodles = Spider or Rainbow 🌈
-Balloons = Jellybeans or Grapes 🍇
-Umbrella = Jellyfish
-Colored Cups = Candy Dots
💡 Crafting Tip: Sewing isn’t always a necessity for costume design - using tape, staplers, glue, and even tying fabric together can get the job done!
No matter how you celebrate this spooky season, remember that Halloween costumes don’t have to cost a fortune…or the planet 🌎. With a little creativity, swapping, or thrifting, you can put together something fun, unique, and sustainable that your family will love. After all, the best costumes aren’t store-bought, they’re the ones with a story. 🎃✨
COSTUME CREDIT: