6 ways to upcycle your way to a unique Halloween costume!

Halloween is a time for spooky fun, and nothing adds to the excitement like dressing up in a unique halloween costume. But rather than spending money on a one-time outfit, try reusing materials from around your home to craft an original, eco-friendly look! It’s budget-friendly, sustainable, and a great way to show off your creativity.

Below you’ll find a few ideas for reusing materials to create unforgettable Halloween costumes that the kids (and your neighbors) will remember for years to come.

For more ideas check out our past post 20 Easy DIY Costumes!

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1. Cardboard Creations: Armor, Robots, and More!

I know from experience that cardboard boxes can be transformed into almost anything, including a unique halloween costume! From a knight’s armor to a robot suit, cardboard is sturdy enough to hold shape and light enough to wear. Simply cut, fold, and tape the boxes into your desired shape, and add paint or aluminum foil for a finishing touch.

Ideas:

• Robot: Use rectangular boxes for the body and limbs, decorate with silver paint or foil, and add colorful buttons or dials with old bottle caps or jar lids.
• Knight Armor: Shape cardboard into chest plates, arm guards, and a helmet. Cover with gray or metallic paint, and voila!
• Dresser: One year I turned a cardboard box into a dresser with drawers that held my candy!
• Wash machine: the best costume I’ve seen in my years of handing out candy – complete with empty detergent bottle on top!

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2. Old Clothes into New Costumes

Look through your closet for clothes you no longer wear and give them a new life. An oversized shirt can become the base of a scarecrow costume, or a torn pair of jeans could help you create a convincing zombie look. Old scarves, hats, or gloves can be transformed into accessories for almost any costume.

Ideas:

• Zombie: Rip some old clothes, rub dirt or dark makeup on them for a distressed look, and use face paint to complete the undead effect.
• Scarecrow: Stuff some old, worn clothes with straw or crumpled paper and top it off with a floppy hat.
• Lots of other great ideas here, including using fabric paint or bleach to turn a black t-shirt into something spooky!

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3. Plastic Bottles for Props and Accessories

Plastic bottles can be easily repurposed into costume accessories. They can be painted and cut to make armor, helmets, or fun props. Smaller bottles can also be fashioned into futuristic gadgets or jetpacks for a sci-fi look.

Ideas:

• Jetpack: Paint or decoupage two soda bottles silver, attach them to a backpack or belt, and add tissue paper flames for a cool jetpack effect.
• Cyborg Accessories: Use smaller bottles or their caps as “robot parts” on your outfit to create a sci-fi or mechanical look.
• Decorations or costume accessories: See instructions here for creating a spooky bottle display or a prop for a costume!

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4. Bedsheets and Fabric Scraps: Classic Ghost or Beyond

The timeless ghost costume is an easy option, but old bedsheets can also be repurposed into togas, capes, or even skirts for other characters. If you have any fabric scraps from previous projects, you can patch them together to make a whimsical, bohemian-style outfit.

Ideas:

• Ghost: A classic—just cut out some eye holes from an old sheet, or if you’re feeling more creative, use fabric markers to add spooky designs or expressions.
• Toga or Greek God/Goddess: Drape a white sheet over your shoulder, cinch it with a belt, and accessorize with some DIY laurel leaves made from cardboard or paper.
• Mummy: Tear strips of fabric and sew (or hot glue) them to an old pair of pants and tshirt for a fabric-wrapped mummy look!

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5. Recycled Paper for Accessories and Masks

Got some old newspapers or magazines lying around? These can be used to craft masks, crowns, or even wings. Paper mâché can be used to create large and quite durable items in almost any shape. Once the structure is complete, it can then be decorated with paint, tissue paper, or any other craft items you may have around the house.

Ideas:

• Animal Masks: Use recycled paper to form simple animal masks—cut out shapes, paint them, and add elastic bands. Check out this post for some amazing examples!
• Crown or Wings: Fold or roll newspaper into wing or crown shapes, then decorate with paint, glitter, or other upcycled materials.

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6. Old CDs for a Futuristic Look

Old CDs are perfect for creating a futuristic, shiny costume. They can be cut into different shapes and glued onto a bodysuit, jacket, or helmet for an eye-catching, disco-ball-inspired outfit.

Ideas:a

• Disco Diva: Glue pieces of CDs onto a thrifted outfit to create a shimmering disco ball effect.
• Space Alien: Add reflective CD fragments to a helmet or chest piece to give your costume an extraterrestrial feel.

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Time to trick or treat!

With a little imagination and creativity, reusing materials to make your Halloween costume can be both fun and environmentally friendly. Plus, you’ll end up with a one-of-a-kind costume that won’t be found in any store. So this Halloween, look around your home, and get crafting!

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