Halloween, the season of spookiness and fun, often comes with a flurry of plastic decorations, disposable costumes, and single-use candy containers.

However, there’s a growing movement towards making this beloved holiday more sustainable. By incorporating eco-friendly practices into your Halloween festivities, you can reduce waste, minimize your environmental impact, and still have a fantastic time.

In this article, we’ll explore various ways to have a more sustainable Halloween, from costume ideas to eco-conscious trick-or-treat options.

Costume Ideas

Reuse a Black Dress: Start with a simple black dress as the base for your costume. A black dress is versatile and can be transformed into various spooky characters. It can also be re–worn at other times throughout the year.

Add Spooky Accessories: Accessorize your black dress with spooky items like hats, capes, masks, or props to create a unique and sustainable costume.

Let Makeup Take Center Stage: Instead of relying on elaborate costumes, consider using eco-friendly makeup to transform your look. Opt for cruelty-free and natural makeup brands.

Shop in Thrift Stores and Second-Hand Shops: Thrift stores are treasure troves for Halloween costumes. Browse these shops for unique, affordable, and eco-friendly costume options.

Buy an Item You Can Wear Again or Already Own! Choose costume elements that you can incorporate into your regular wardrobe after Halloween, ensuring they won’t go to waste and take a closer look at your existing wardrobe. You might find items that can be repurposed into a unique costume.

Upcycle Old or Stained Outfits: Give new life to old or stained clothes by transforming them into creative Halloween costumes. This prevents these garments from ending up in landfills, is fun, interactive and easy to do.

Costume Recycling and Reuse: Don’t let past Halloween costumes gather dust. Reuse and revamp them for a fresh look or mix and match elements from different years. It is ok to rewear the same costume as last year. 

Have a Costume Exchange Party: Organize a costume exchange party with friends or neighbors to swap costumes, reducing the need for new ones.

Sustainable Trick-or-Treating

Make a Reusable Trick-or-Treat Bag: Instead of disposable plastic bags or candy baskets, create a reusable, themed trick-or-treat bag that can be used for years to come.

Ditch the Plastic Bags: When handing out candy, avoid using single-use plastic bags. Offer treats in reusable containers, like cloth bags or boxes.

This Halloween, let’s make a commitment to reduce our environmental footprint while still enjoying the festivities. By adopting sustainable practices such as reusing costumes, shopping second-hand, and using eco-friendly makeup, you can have a spooktacular celebration that’s kinder to the planet.

Together, we can make Halloween a holiday that’s not only filled with tricks and treats but also with a greener, more sustainable spirit.

See more articles from Green Living.

Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash. Header photo by Robert Linder on Unsplash.