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Fiona McHugh: During the first few days of November, landfills swell with Halloween costumes that were only worn one time. Americans throw away about 35 million costumes every single year.
McHugh: Syracuse University sophomore Becca Fierro is a fashion design major and says it doesn’t have to be this way. She says consumers can buy more sustainably to make future costumes or just to add to their daily wardrobes.
Fierro: “I recommend buying separate pieces, so I bought this top for one of my tiger costumes, and I’m definitely gonna wear it after Halloween.”
McHugh: Fierro also suggests donating costumes to thrift stores, and looking there again next fall. Tess Humphreys works at thrift store 3fifteen and says they encourage people to thrift costumes by dressing up their mannequins with potential ideas for shoppers. Humphreys says donating your old costumes to thrift stores is both financially responsible and a way to look beyond the holiday.
Humphreys: “If there’s a cup, or a shirt that you don’t want anymore, you bring it here and you know that it’s gonna go to something really great. It’s gonna go to helping someone, and I feel like that’s the most important thing for knowing where your clothes are gonna go.”
McHugh: Humphreys also encourages people to consider donating right now for the holiday season if they’re looking to get rid of their costumes. Reporting for NCC News, I’m Fiona McHugh.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — Following Halloween festivities, it’s estimated that Americans throw away about 35 million costumes every year.
Syracuse University sophomore and fashion design major Becca Fierro said there are more sustainable ways to source Halloween costumes to avoid swelling landfills.
Fierro recommends buying costumes that you can either wear again, pass down to younger siblings or friends or can use to “DIY” a future costume.
“I recommend buying separate pieces,” Fierro said, explaining that she bought a top and shorts for a tiger costume this year that she’ll wear again after Halloween.
She also suggested that consumers should donate costumes to thrift stores and look there first next fall to find their costumes.
Some thrift stores, like 3fifteen on Marshall Street, advertise clothes and other Halloween accessories to encourage people to buy thrifted. 3fifteen employee Tess Humphreys said they decorate mannequins in the windows with potential costume ideas for shoppers.
Humphreys also said that donating old costumes to thrift stores is both financially responsible and a way for consumers to look beyond the holiday.
“If there’s a cup or a shirt that you don’t want anymore, you bring it here, and you know it’s going to go to something really great,” Humphreys said. “It’s going to go to helping someone, and I feel like that’s the most important thing for knowing where your clothes are going to go.”
Humphreys encouraged consumers to consider donating. She said 3fifteen usually gets a lot of donations after Halloween, but 3fifteen encourages decorations year-round.