With Halloween right around the corner, many people are looking at costumes to buy and who to dress up as at this year’s parties. With fast fashion on the rise, companies and consumers continue to produce more and more waste. As you develop your costume for this year, I encourage you to think of sustainability. I have laid out six pointers to help you make your Halloween costume sustainable.
Borrow from friends
The easiest way to be sustainable is to borrow pieces from your friends and family to use for your costume. This way, the pieces in your costume will not be used just one time. By borrowing items and avoiding single-use costumes, you won’t be contributing to more waste. This also saves you money because you won’t have to go out and buy something.
Shop SecondHand
If you must go out and buy something, check secondhand shops first. This is another sustainable method that is effective for your wallet. You can save money and keep waste out of landfills by purchasing a thrifted costume. You could also find some unique pieces for your costume to make it stand out!
Buy Something You Will use again
If you need an item that’s unavailable at a secondhand shop, you can always buy something that you would plan to use again. Invest in a high-quality piece that you could incorporate into your daily style. Instead of buying an overpriced, single-use, poor-quality piece from a Halloween or party store, acquire a piece that will last you more than one night.
support small and local BUSINESSes
Local businesses and small shops are great places to find quality items. You could go to small shops in your area, or you could go online and support your favorite local creators. This way, you can get a more original piece while helping a person instead of a large corporation.
Stay Away From Single-Use Plastics
When you are out shopping, opt for a garment that is either packaged without plastic or made out of plastics. This will help you cut down on your consumption while ensuring that your purchase is high-quality and will last. If more consumers cut down on buying single-use plastics, then corporations might feel compelled to change their ways to fit consumer demands. That way, we can all produce less waste.
Work with what you already have
If you have any old costumes, you can reuse elements from them to make something entirely new. This way, you are saving money and using the old costumes that are just sitting in the back of your closet. You can give your old clothes new life and be creative.
All in all, it is okay to buy new costume elements and work to stay within your budget. However, trying to be a more ethical consumer can cut down on your waste and it can help the zero-waste movement thrive, especially with the support of you and your friends.