Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31st, and if you still don’t have a costume, you don’t need to visit a party store or pay for rushed shipping to fix that. The scariest part of the holiday may be November 1st, when polyester costumes worn for just one night end up in the trash. However, you can avoid adding to that waste, even at the last minute. Here’s why costume waste matters and five last-minute ideas that help keep your costume out of the landfill.

Why Costume Waste Matters

Many costumes are made from cheap plastic and produced using unethical labor, then discarded after just one use. A 2019 study by the FairyLand Trust and Hubbub examined 324 Halloween clothing items from 19 major retailers in the UK and found that 83% were made from plastic, adding up to roughly 2,000 tons of plastic waste in the UK alone.

The U.S. has a similar textile problem, since the EPA reports that landfills received 11.3 million tons of textiles in 2018, accounting for 7.7% of all municipal solid waste landfilled. A Sustainable Duke coordinator also warns that plastic costumes may release microplastics and chemical additives into the environment and recommends making your own instead. Because of this, reusing what you already own is the simplest fix, and it costs almost nothing.

Five Last-Minute Costume Ideas

1. Classic Black Cat:

For a last minute costume, you can simply dress as a black cat! You can wear an all-black outfit from your closet such as black leggings and a black top. Cut out cat ears and whiskers from scrap paper, felt, or an old paper bag, then attach them to a reusable headband. You can also draw whiskers with non-toxic face paint! If you don’t want to get full on DIY cat ears, there are probably tons of them at the thrifts. Or, check out this Youtube search and make cat ears from your own hair!

2. A Witch:

If you don’t want to dress as a cat, you can take a similar black outfit route and be a witch! A black dress or a few black layers can become a witch costume with one standout piece: a witch's hat. You can make your own witch hat from cardboard and old black fabric. Roll a cone, cut a brim from a cereal box and cover the hat with fabric scraps from a worn-out T-shirt. For more detailed instructions, this YouTube search has plenty of hat tutorials.

3. A Scarecrow:

A scarecrow is another fall classic that comes straight from your closet! All you need is a flannel shirt, jeans or overalls, boots and a straw hat. Patch your clothes with fabric scraps and tuck in real straw or dried leaves instead of plastic decorations, since the natural materials can be composted afterward. Finish with orange circles on your cheeks and stitch lines drawn with eyeliner. Check out this YouTube search for more makeup and patching ideas.

4. Ghost:

You can’t go wrong with being a ghost. Take an old white sheet, ideally a worn one or a thrifted one, cut two eye holes and drape it over your head. Add sunglasses or a funny pair of shoes if you want to personalize the look. The best part is that nothing gets thrown away. You can wash the sheet afterward and repurpose it as a rag, ironing board cover, or fabric for another sewing project. This YouTube video also shows how to get clean cutouts.

5. A Vampire:

A vampire is yet another classic that comes mostly from your closet. Start with black pants and a dark button-up shirt, or a gothic dress if you have one. You can also make a cape from an old black sheet or tablecloth by tying it around your neck. You can also find plenty of vampire makeup tutorials in this YouTube search. There's also a Youtube video under three minutes long that shows you how to reuse press-on nails to make vampire fangs!

Don’t Forget the Rest of the Haul

Though this article focuses on costumes, they're not the only things that end up in the landfill pile. An estimated billion pounds of food waste comes from discarded jack-o'-lanterns each year, and a Duke clinic found that plastic film, including candy wrappers, was the largest category of litter found in samples collected on campus and in nearby creeks. So, roast your pumpkin seeds, cook the pumpkin after carving and bring a reusable bag trick-or-treating.

All in all, the most eco-friendly costume is the one you wear again. Individual choices cannot solve plastic pollution alone, but swapping costumes with roommates, renting one through your campus, or shopping at a local thrift store can make a difference when a whole community does it together. Halloween is about gathering with the people around us, so let the costumes stay in that circle long after October 31st. Happy Halloween!