Rozenn Le Roux ’25
Staff Writer
At the time of writing, Halloween is just days away, and orange and black costumes and decorations have taken over social media, Target, and dorms. Many of us are scrolling through TikTok for inspiration, filling online carts, and waiting for our next Shein or Temu delivery in hopes of being the best-dressed or feeling cute for the Halloween parties.
At the time of writing, Halloween is just days away, and orange and black costumes and decorations have taken over social media, Target, and dorms. Many of us are scrolling through TikTok for inspiration, filling online carts, and waiting for our next Shein or Temu delivery in hopes of being the best-dressed or feeling cute for the Halloween parties.
Costumes are undoubtedly fun, often serving as reminders of childhood, evoking the carefree excitement of trick-or-treating or the blurry photos in our parents’ albums that resurface every Christmas. Yet, beyond this carefree enjoyment, Halloween has become just another reminder of how consumerism dictates even our most playful traditions.
Samhain, a Celtic festival dating back to the early centuries, inspired the modern concept of dressing up at Halloween. At the time, people used costumes to ward off spirits, and Oct. 31 marked the beginning of winter. However, what was once a ritual of transformation and celebration has now become a festival of overconsumption and last-minute orders on Amazon.
Indeed, the holiday evolved over centuries, but in our current, fast-paced capitalist society, it has transformed into an excuse for mass production, one-time use, and underpaid labor. We now live surrounded by the normalization of “buy, use, discard,” where the goal is to sell an experience that lasts only one night.
While not passing judgment on the desire to have a fun night and a cool costume with your friends, this industrial cycle of fast, cheap, and efficient costumes and decorations comes at a cost. This style of consumption lowers prices for consumers more and more, but simultaneously reduces the incomes and protections of those who make these products. The exploitation behind our $20 Shein costumes isn’t abstract: reports have shown factory workers sewing for 18-hour days for as little as two cents per garment, a number far from the minimum wage in any country. Moreover, fast fashion’s efficiency depends on invisibility. It depends on us not seeing the human or environmental costs behind a satin dress that will last one Halloween party and then die in a landfill, and thrives in Western countries like the United States.
However, overconsumption does not just affect workers. It worsens climate change and degrades the environment at the expense of future generations. In the United States alone, approximately 35 million Halloween costumes are purchased every year, and many are worn only once before being discarded. With data indicating that approximately 83% of these costumes are made from non-recyclable, petroleum-based materials, a singular item can take up to centuries to decompose or be incinerated, releasing toxins into the air. Now, what took weeks to design, make, and ship to us becomes trash within hours, one night of fun creating consequences that outlive us, placing a perspective on the decision to order that sexy bunny costume.
Social media plays a significant role in this too, with platforms like TikTok and Instagram encouraging comparison and novelty. With that, comes the pressure to have a new costume every year, to outdo last year’s creativity, and fit a viral aesthetic that benefits big brands, not us. They benefit from our insecurities and spontaneity, using algorithms to push targeted ads promising “cheap and fast” delivery. Indeed, when we think we are choosing freely, we are often being guided towards the next impulse purchase that profits a big, wealthy white man and harms everyone else.
Halloween fun does not have to come at this cost, and many people are now reclaiming the holiday’s creativity and aligning with sustainability by making or reusing their costumes. Thrift stores are treasure troves for last-minute ideas, and many clothes at Goodwill can be used to create fabulous outfits, with two stores only minutes away from campus. Additionally, repurposing old clothes can be even more rewarding than buying something new, as it means one less item in a landfill and one more reason to go all out and be creative with your costume this year.
On campus, it is especially easy to be creative and resourceful, as most costumes can be made with what we already have in our closets or borrowed from friends who might have the missing bandana, shirt, or accessory we need. The Hive and the Makerspace are also excellent resources, offering a variety of materials, including beads, fabric, and sewing machines, as well as mentors ready to assist.
Making your costume can even become a community activity, with students exchanging materials, helping one another, and sharing ideas. Many on-campus clubs also support this initiative, with Threads and the Makerspace offering sewing workshops or Halloween-specific decoration and art-making activities.
Not only is Halloween a sweet moment to take a break from the academic pressure, but it is also a moment to make your costume an experience and use local resources to your advantage. At the 5Cs, we are fortunate to have access to numerous free tools and resources, as well as clothes and accessories, available at Scripps, Pomona, and even Pitzer, which have rooms full of free items. Walking to Pomona’s free closet, Goodwill, or even to your friend’s closet might be more enjoyable, cheaper, and more fun than waiting desperately for this Amazon package to arrive on time. These small actions remind us that sustainability is not about losing but instead gaining: gaining care for people, the planet, and the traditions we love.
Halloween does not need to be eliminated because it involves overconsumption; otherwise, we would simply have to stay away from all traditions and parties altogether. However, it does not have to be dictated by Shein hauls and cheap polyester capes.
It can still be a space that welcomes imagination, playfulness, and nostalgia, just without the waste. This year, I want to encourage people to question whether we can achieve the desired look without relying on fast fashion and online orders before clicking “buy now.” Halloween should bring out our creativity, not our credit cards, and maybe the best costume this year will be the one that didn’t cost the planet!
