Do you want to dress originally this All Hallows Eve? Here is a collection of the spookiest sustainable & eco-friendly Halloween costumes made out of repurposed materials (and heaps of originality!)
We’re all somehow involved in Halloween. Whether you choose to dress black or wear a mask, who does not light a candle for All Hallows Eve? Best thing is that in this event you don’t need much. And we want to show how you can make yourself an eco-friendly Halloween costume that stands out.
As you have realised, Halloween accessories are all part of the celebration: masks, wigs, stockings, and other spooky props… Heaps of single-use plastic, yet this is not the only way you can get away from the horror of waste!
Halloween parties are, in fact, meant for fun! Sadly, this event celebrated all around the world comes with very wasteful behaviours. The truth is, that the scariest thing about Halloween today is… the plastic!
Following these trends, since there are more people participating in Halloween each year, this comes with a radical increase of costumes bought – often leading to packed landfills with single-use Halloween accessories!
20 Inspiring Ideas of DIY Sustainable Halloween Decoration Creations for Children & Adults
The problem: What is the environmental impact of Halloween costumes?
Cheap costumes are everywhere in the weeks leading up to Halloween. Children are the biggest consumer of Halloween costumes. Since kids outgrow their tiny outfits, parents often choose to throw them away. Here are some of the data of impact that will either terrify you, or blow your mind:
- A total of 7 million Halloween costumes are thrown out every year. This equals 83 million plastic bottles!
- A total of 12,500 tons of Halloween costumes are landfill each year worldwide.
- Just in the UK, around 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated from people throwing away their Halloween costumes.
- Around 83% of Halloween costumes are derived from plastic materials.
- The majority of Halloween costumes are made out of synthetic fabrics. Materials such as polyester release of harmful toxins into the environment once in landfills
The solutions: transitioning to DIY eco-friendly Halloween costumes
- Pass the Halloween costumes on; if you can’t give them away to family members or friends to use next year, consider donating them to your local charity shop.
- Make your own costumes by repurposing materials. Preferably use sustainable or natural textiles.
- There are even nonprofits like Halloween Helpers that specialise in reusing gently used costumes for children around the globe.
- Before purchasing anything, go raid your or your family’s closets to see what can be repurposed, upcycled or transformed into a new Halloween costume.
- Get crafty & upcycle what you already own. It’s fun and really – for Halloween you can’t make mistakes! The worse, sometimes the scarier! Whether you want to look like a princess, a disco queen, a crazy doctor, a mad scientist or a creepy grandma… going on a budget self-made costume is definitely the way!
- Wear a mask…. Even when nothing can be repurposed in your wardrobe, there’s always an option to wear a simple mask. Covering your face and becoming a superhero, an animal or a “loco” escaping from a “scary” movie, is the way to go!
- If you don’t want to put an outfit on for the day, yet want to dress up your home, you can also get very creative with some of these inspiring ideas of DIY sustainable Halloween decoration!
13 Sustainable Ideas of DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costumes
Like we promised, here we share some of the most amazing DIY eco-friendly Halloween costume ideas found by craft-makers and original people sharing their creative skills. We’ve added links to each project so that you can follow step by step what some of these amazing folks have created!
1. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Cardboard XRAY Skeleton Box
Let’s start with the classic skeleton. But instead of plastic bones, we make it truly original (and cheap!) with a repurposed cardboard box (double sustainable since the material is cardboard). Dress with black clothes underneath and pain your pretty osseous matter. This is a perfect activity to make with your little ones! There will be no other than them in the party! The cool thing about this custom is that it can be taken off at any time – we all know how the little crazy ones can get in the playground.
2. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Pumpkin Witch
As cute as scary, this eco-friendly pumpkin witch costume can be made by repurposing any princess dress available. You’ll need black, orange or striped black & orange tights or leggings & a DIY sustainable made witchy broom. Most importantly, what’s going to give the real personality to this amazing outfit is the pumpkin face paint. No masks involved, just heaps of fun and original creativity with what you already have available in your wardrobe. Remember: the most sustainable piece of clothing is what you already own!
3. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Walking Dead Zombie
Seriously scary, this walking dead zombie comes with all the character and spookyness!
This is truly a repurposed outfit. Pick whatever clothing in your wardrobe that it’s no longer wanted to dress in your day-to-day life, and add some red! An old tie of grandpa can always add the extra accessory, and the knife can be purchased in a second-hand shop, or can also be made with sustainable and repurposed materials and using a tiara as a base. Simple, quick, fun. For children and adults!
4. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Kitty Mask Accessory
Here’s the most simple and cute kitty cat mask. Black cats are a must in every Halloween party. And this little accessory is ideal for those who want to dress up pretty and still add a little personality to the party. It’s also a perfect craft for those who always run around trying to find a last-minute Halloween costume. For the tiniest ones to the elegant ladies, this is an incredibly simple eco-friendly DIY halloween adornment.
5. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Ninja Warriors
If you are a couple and want to enjoy this party remaining unrecognisable, seriously become the ninja warrior you always wanted to be! It’s not only simple but sustainably repurposed. The originality can come from your gym accessories and any other silly items that are in the bottom drawers of your cupboard.
6. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Dementor
Even in Harry Potter world, the scariest thing you’ll ever see are Dementors! And dark bottom covered by an old repurposed sheet will make this costume the most terrifying of them all! If you want sweets maybe it’s not the best idea, as we are sure more than one will want to run away instead!
7. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Autumn Snail
Cute as! Maybe not so scary but a little autumn character to this event. Perfect for a toddler and cutie kiddo & still can be a sustainable DIY costume. Dress with a pretty dress, and craft a snaily backpack with paper craft and cardboard. Use whatever it’s needed to get it to the shape. Same for the tiara with snail eyes. Beautiful, crafty and super-original!
Question to you: what other bug can you make with the same concept for this Halloween?
8. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Hairy Cousin Itt
Who’s this dude! Hairy and funny, also original and covered! The hair can be made out of sustainable materials, such as macrame cotton! Repurpose your old sunnies and a hut, you will be THE star of the party!
9. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Crazy Cat Lady
I mean… seriously unique and spectacularly original! We have no words for this crazy cat lady! Get your dressing gown out, and if you can consider popping around the second hand corner shop to sew in some kitties! Plus that hair, you can repurpose your curlers or even recycle toilet paper rolls. Serious fun, we want to get right into it!
10. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Monopoli Man
Losing all your money and properties can be scary! The Monopoli Man is a smart guy/girl and comes to take it all from you! For the little ones, you can cut a hole in your monopoly game (still useful to play with afterwards) and then get everything else as repurposed as possible to make it look like the little man below. We’d recommend you to keep some dollars before he takes it all!
11. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Stinky Skunk
Stinky yet adorable! The only scary one can be when this little baby-toddler gets the nappy full. But all part of the plan right? Get him/her dressed in black and sew all over a piece of white repurposed material. Simple more than smelly, a unique go to eco-friendly halloween costume for the tiny ones! (hihi!)
12. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: Mum & Daughter Scarecrow
The cutest scarecrows come on board, with pretty make up and matching clothes! Any plaid shirt and jeans outfit will do. It does not even have to be identical, the point is that you can grab it right from the wardrobe and place a hat on it. From an eco-friendly DIY halloween costume to the Hall of Fame!
13. DIY Eco-friendly Halloween Costume: ETSY inspirations
We always love to check ETSY Halloween costume creators to get some purposeful and original inspiration. This year you will definitely have no excuses to craft your sustainably unique and eco-friendly halloween costume (adults, children, families… get on board with art and crafts, make it spookily meaningful!)
