Haunting Halloween Season

Halloween is the most exciting time of the year, because anyone can be anything. From festive trick-or-treaters in extravagant costumes to spooky decorations, the holiday is simply unique. However, beneath this extravagant season of fun and excitement is a significant environmental issue: fast fashion. Every year, millions of people all over the world purchase Halloween costumes, with about $4.1 billion spent in total. Not only does this contribute to overall clothing waste, but it also indicates a larger issue relating to excessive consumerism in society. Luckily, there are many ways we can decrease the amount of consumerism during Halloween.
Fast fashion has taken over the world by creating large amounts of clothes that tend to be poor quality, and selling them for cheap prices. During Halloween, students tend to purchase multiple costumes for different events, wear them only once, and eventually throw them away. In fact, Brooke Soderbery ‘26, says, “I buy a new costume every year.” This shows that students tend to buy new costumes every year without thinking about the impacts on the environment.
This has a significant impact on the environment. According to the National Retail Federation, “69% of those celebrating Halloween plan to buy costumes, up from 67% last year and the highest in the survey’s history. Total spending on costumes is expected to reach a record $4.1 billion, up from $3.6 billion in 2022.” Most people who celebrate Halloween buy new costumes every year and then throw them out, which creates an excessive amount of textile waste.
Luckily, there are many different ways we can combat this trend. A possible solution is promoting the donation of Halloween costumes. In addition, we can participate in costume swaps with friends, or buy items for costumes from thrift shops. Taking these actions will help us reduce the amount of overconsumption, and thus the negative effects this has on the environment.
In conclusion, it is important to consider the negative effects of constantly buying new costumes for Halloween. If we are aware of these effects, we can take action to help decrease the sales of the fast fashion industry, which negatively impacts the environment through prioritizing quantity over quality and sustainability. Together, we can change the fashion industry and help the environment one step at a time, starting with Halloween.