Online marketplaces offer an easy fix for a last-minute Halloween costume. But is there a more sustainable route to the perfect outfit?
Catherine Salvidge, of climate action charity WRAP, says about one in four people – particularly 18-30 year olds – will buy clothing around Halloween and Christmas knowing they will only be using them for a short amount of time.
“The biggest environmental impact of the product is in the manufacturing,” she said. “If you buy it new and only wear it once or twice, all the energy that goes into that garment is lost.”
A trend is going viral this year on TikTok aiming to help you find your Halloween costume online so you don’t have to.
Tags like #AmazonHalloweenCostume on Tiktok, that features videos encouraging users to buy items to copy creators’ Halloween looks, have been viewed 120 million times.
Ms Salvidge believes if influencers can become more educated in understanding fashion’s impact on the environment, it could have a “really great impact on younger consumers.”
The BBC asked sustainable fashion influencers bucking the trend this year for tips on sourcing creepy costumes that don’t cost the earth.
Influencers’ tips for a sustainable Halloween costume:
Mathilda and Liberty Mai are sisters from the UK who have become synonymous with a thrifty Halloween. Each year, a photo of them dressed as Scooby Doo characters Daphne and Velma emerges on social media feeds. They have attracted a following for their expertise on thrifting and creating spellbinding looks inspired by anything from fictional characters to the zodiac.
“Our outfits are obviously vintage,” Liberty said. “So it’s great to know we’re advocates for vintage fashion each year. It’s lightyears more fun than clicking a button and having something arrive at your door.
“You’ll never find the exact costume for a character, so you translate it through a colour palette,” Mathilda said.
“Look for statement accessories like hats or jewellery to embody the character.
“Your outfit should have a sense of humour about it. It is Halloween after all.”
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Outfits with a sense of humour are something influencer Janice Hampton, 23, and her mother Grace Hampton, 63 from New York City are known for.
“My mum and I are huge advocates for vintage fashion and using items that we already have in our closets for Halloween costumes,” she said.
“We really prefer that because we want to look different and we have unique vintage pieces that no one else has.”
This Halloween they’ve been making videos inspiring people to use what they have in their own wardrobes as costumes.
“The amount of pollution that comes as a direct product of fast-fashion trends, like the one on TikTok, is not only harmful for our environment and resources, but for our overall appreciation of fashion,” Janice said.
“We have got a few new things here and there, but reusing and repurposing everything we wear is the ultimate goal.”
Janice and Grace advise to look in your wardrobe for inspiration before choosing a character.
“It’s often our vintage clothing that inspire us to dress up in certain costumes,” Janice said.
“In my most recent TikTok my mum and I dress up as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. The looks are made entirely from second-hand pieces we already had in our closets.
“Be persistent and look out for unique pieces.”
Los Angeles-based British model turned TikTok sewing expert, Madeline White, is famous for creating unique pieces. She recreates designer outfits she couldn’t afford to purchase to look like pop culture icons.
“I started sewing my own clothes because I couldn’t afford to buy them,” she said. “I bought a $30 sewing machine and decided if I wanted new clothes to keep up with the trends, I was going to have to make them out of things I already had or could find at the thrift store.”
“The way the fashion climate is right now, trend turnover is higher than ever. I think we all owe it to our wallets and the environment, to look at what we already have.”
Madeline participated in the Amazon Halloween TikTok trend last year, but has decided to switch up her content.
“My intention was that the items I included in the videos were supposed to be a reference, the suggestion of a white shirt or a red tie that you probably already had at home, rather than encouraging people to buy it all brand new.”
Madeline is making her own costumes this year, and showing her followers how to make something new from old items.
“I am making four costumes, including one for the dog and cat and I haven’t purchased anything beyond a few cans of spray hair paint, clothing dye and some craft supplies.”
“Whenever I want to make a costume I start with a reference picture, then I go through my closet and see what matches,” Madeline said.
“You could be anything from SpongeBob to Freddy Krueger – chances are you already have the outfit in your wardrobe.
“A lot of characters’ signature looks centre around colour. You probably have a dress with a stain that could use a new lease of life. Clothing dye is cheap and the chances are you might even wear it again after.”