The leaves are changing colors, the weather is getting colder, and as autumn rolls around, so does the spooky season and the buzz around Halloween costumes. Although not everyone goes trick or treating, 69% of people celebrating Halloween are planning to wear a costume this year.

However, out of the costumes worn during Halloween each year, more than 83% are made of plastic and will be thrown out by November. The amount of plastic thrown out yearly from store-bought costumes is roughly equivalent to 83 million plastic bottles. Because of how quickly these costumes get made and thrown out, most Halloween costumes found in stores are considered fast fashion.

Halloween shouldn’t be a single-use holiday, but does that mean Halloween should be costume-less? Are all costumes going to add to plastic waste in the environment? Thankfully, there are ways to celebrate Halloween sustainably by making your costumes or reusing fabric for outfits. Students can still express their creativity and have fun during Halloween while not harming the planet or supporting the fast fashion industry.

There are materials such as old pieces of clothing or past costumes students could exchange and swap with friends to make new costumes. On top of sustainable Halloween costumes being better for the planet, there’s also a sense of satisfaction from hand made costumes that simply purchasing a costume from the store can’t fulfill.

There are many ways to enjoy an eco-friendly Halloween, and this year, everyone should try to find their own way of doing so.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2023