Introduction
Halloween is a time for spooky fun with friends and family, and costumes are a big part of the celebration. But buying a costume that you’ll only wear once is wasteful. That’s where the concept of ‘zero waste’ comes in, teaching us to be innovative and eco-friendly.
The key to being zero waste and eco-friendly for your costume is to avoid buying anything new. That means, using old materials, recycled materials, upcycled materials.
You can use old clothes you don’t wear or fabric scraps to create a costume. Another way is to use natural materials made of bamboo, hemp, or organic cotton. You can also find eco-friendly Halloween makeup made of fruit and vegetable dyes.
Eco-friendly costumes are a great way to be more sustainable this Halloween. Using recycled or natural materials will reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills. Another way to be eco about the costumes is to give it away to someone else for next year.
Eco-Friendly Halloween Costumes
As the eco-friendly movement continues to grow, more and more people are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment. One way to do this is to choose eco-friendly Halloween costumes for your kids.
There are several benefits to eco-friendly Halloween costumes. First, they tend to be made from natural materials that are better for the environment. Second, eco-friendly Halloween costumes are often designed to be reused or recycled, which further reduces their impact.
And finally, eco-friendly Halloween costumes can help teach kids about the importance of caring for the planet.
By choosing eco-friendly Halloween costumes for your kids, you can help them celebrate the holiday while teaching them the importance of being eco-friendly. Here are 7 eco-friendly costume ideas which are also scary, stylish, and sure to be a hit with your kids!
1. Mummy:
One eco-friendly Halloween costume that is sure to get some attention is the mummy. To create this look, start with an old white sheet. Tear the sheet into strips, and then wrap yourself up like a mummy, making sure to leave some holes for your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Secure the strips with eco-friendly fabric glue or safety pins. Add some fake blood around your eyes and mouth for an extra flair. This eco-friendly Halloween costume is easy to make and sure to be a hit at any party. Plus, you’ll do your part to reduce waste and help the environment.
We found great inspiration from this site DIY Thought about kids mummy costumes – check them out! One of the costumes is simply using old bandages to wrap up limbs, torso, the head.
To be strict about sustainability, the bandages should either be recycled or made from a material that has very low carbon intensity, for example farmed bamboo or wild bamboo. But this was too cute to not include and we suggest using regular bandages would still be quite low impact.
2. Zombie:
There are a few different ways that you can go about creating an eco-friendly Zombie costume. One option is to use recycled materials. You can create a costume out of old clothes you no longer wear or have found at a thrift store.
Another option is to use natural organic face paint instead of plastic masks. This will help reduce the amount of waste associated with Halloween costumes. You can also create eco-friendly Zombie props using recycled materials or making your own.
For example, use empty soda cans for zombies’ fingers or create a zombie head out of an old baseball. By being creative, you can easily create a sustainable Halloween costume that is both scary and fun.
Below, Kait Nichole shows us in her Youtube video a really incredibly simple, sustainable way to make a richly detailed zombie costume that requires very few materials. This is NOT a kid’s costume. But if you tone down the make up it might become kid friendly.
3. Witch:
Witches are a perennial favorite for Halloween. Kids love it because witches are usually associated with candy, and eco-conscious adults will appreciate that your costume didn’t require any new materials or contribute to needless waste.
You can find many eco-friendly witch costumes made from recycled materials like old clothes or sheets. If you feel crafty, you can make your eco-friendly witch costume using recycled materials. To complete your look, don’t forget to add an eco-friendly broom!
Whether you’re looking for an eco-friendly Halloween costume for yourself or your child, consider going as a witch. You’ll be sure to stand out from the crowd and have a fun, eco-friendly Halloween.
In this great example from HGTV, Marian Parsons lays out all the materials you need to make a great DIY, low impact witch costume for your kid. One of the best things we liked was using twigs to make your own broom.
Other materials like a piece of elastic, a black long-sleeved t-shirt, a piece of tulle fabric, are all simple items that let you avoid buying a costume which skips on transportation carbon emissions, manufacturing carbon emissions etc.
4. Skeleton:
Another popular eco-friendly Halloween costume is the skeleton costume. The costume is made of recycled materials and uses no battery power. It is also eco-friendly because it does not release harmful chemicals into the environment.
The manufacturing process of the skeleton costume is also eco-friendly. The skeleton costume is made from natural fibers harvested from sustainable forests. The dyes used to color the skeleton costume are also eco-friendly and non-toxic.
These environmental Halloween costumes are a great choice for those who want to celebrate Halloween without harming the environment. We found great instructions for making your own skeleton costume with nothing but duct tape – check out the instructions from Crafts by Amanda.
5. Scary Robot Costume
This is a fun and unique eco-friendly costume idea. This costume is made from recycled materials, such as cardboard boxes and tin cans, and is painted to look like a robot.
The Scary Robot Costume is a great choice for eco-conscious people who still want to have fun on Halloween. It is also a good choice for people looking for a unique and eye-catching costume.
The Scary Robot Costume will turn heads and get you noticed at any Halloween party. We found great instructions on a website called Little Hiccups.
Check out the instructions from a site called Little Hiccups that gives very detailed instructions on cutting out a boxy robot shape and covering it with silver duct tape.
6. Pirate
Kelsey at Poofy Cheeks teaches us how to make a pirate costume for your kid using old pair of sweat pants, scissors, a plain white tshirt, a yard of black jersey knit, 1/4 yard of white and red striped fabric.
The things that she didn’t make were an eye patch and compass necklace which you can get from a party favor or party costume store. Finally she tells us that she used Halloween themed face makeup for the bread and eyebrow facial hair.
7. Pumpkin Queen / Pumpkin King
The Pumpkin Queen is a great eco-friendly Halloween Costume. This costume is made from recycled materials such as an old pair of pants and a shirt. The Pumpkin Queen is also eco-friendly because it does not use harmful chemicals or dyes.
These are just some of the many eco-friendly Halloween costumes that are available. With so many options to choose from, there is sure to be an eco-friendly costume that is perfect for you.
8. New Costume Idea: Eco-Friendly Superhero
Here’s one idea from ShrinkThatFootprint – an eco-friendly superhero! Who says you can’t fight crime and climate change at the same time? Introducing the Eco-Friendly Superhero costume—a perfect blend of fun, creativity, and sustainability.
This costume not only allows you to transform into your favorite superhero but also champions the cause of eco-friendliness. Made from recycled materials and designed for minimal waste, this costume idea empowers you to be a hero in more ways than one.
Materials Needed:
- Old T-shirts (various colors)
- Fabric scraps for the cape
- Natural, non-toxic face paint
- Recycled cardboard for accessories (shield, sword, etc.)
Steps:
- Cut one of the old T-shirts to create the main part of the costume.
- Use fabric scraps to make a cape. Attach it to the shirt using safety pins or eco-friendly fabric glue.
- Paint your face with natural, non-toxic face paint to resemble your favorite superhero.
- Use recycled cardboard to create accessories like a shield or sword. Paint them with eco-friendly paint.
Eco-Friendly Tips:
- Opt for materials that are either recycled or can be recycled.
- If you’re using paint, make sure it’s non-toxic and eco-friendly.
Why It’s Eco-Friendly:
This costume idea promotes the use of recycled materials and avoids single-use items, aligning with the zero-waste philosophy.
Wrapping Up – Sustainable Halloween Costumes
Environmental Halloween costumes are a great way to be festive and save the environment simultaneously. There are many different costume ideas that you can choose from, and you can even create your own.
By being creative, you can easily find or create an eco-friendly Halloween costume that is unique and stylish. So, don’t be afraid to get creative this Halloween! Find or make an eco-friendly costume that you’ll be proud to wear.
