If you've already started the hunt for those “Made in the USA” words on Halloween decorations and costumes in the big box stores, you might be feeling discouraged by now. No worries! There are ways to support American manufacturers and local business while looking out for the environment too. Here are our best tips.
Have an Eco Friendly Halloween With These Six Tips
Don't Miss: American Made Halloween Candy & Treats: Goodies for your Goblins and Monsters and Halloween Sugar Cookies Made With Love, and American Made Baking Supplies
1. Support the local economy and visit your local farmers' market for natural decoration inspiration.
Nature in fall is beautiful, so use this beauty in your decor. Visit your local farmers' market and pick up potted mums, gourds, and pumpkins. Gourds can be arranged in a bowl or basket for a table centerpiece. If there are farmers that sell corn, ask if they have corn stalks you can purchase to add to your Halloween yard decor. Many markets also have handmade artisan vendors. Look for locally made items like beeswax candles, and fall scented soaps to add to your interior fall decorations. These items can all be composted after use, so no lasting trash!
2. Instead of throwing away your Halloween decoration each year, go reusable.
Fabric tablecloths, like this Black Lace Spider Web Tablecloth by Heritage Lace, is a great alternative to paper throw away ones and can be used for years to come. For more reusable decorating ideas, visit our post American Made Halloween Decor and Party Must Haves.
3. Turn your trash into treasure and make your own decorations, like milk jug ghouls.
Milk jug ghouls are simple and easy to make. So easy even the kiddos can help! Carefully cut a hole in a rinsed out milk jug. With a made in America Sharpie marker, draw a spooky face on the front of the carton. Insert a battery operated tea light into the cut out hole. Start saving those empty milk jugs now and by Halloween you can have enough ghouls to line your walkway! At the end of the season, recycle the ghouls.
4. Before buying brand new costumes, check out local second hand stores or consignment shops.
Second hand stores are great places for costume inspiration! Consignment shops sell previously loved Halloween costumes in all sizes. Not only buying second hand a fabulous way to keep clothing out out landfills, but it also saves money and can help out local charities.
5. Like the homemade costume idea, but don't have the time or can't sew? Check out Etsy.
Avoid the chemicals in made in China costumes and support a home business. Etsy is the site to visit for all things handmade, including unique Halloween costumes for kids and adults. A great Etsy shop to check out is SuperKidsCapes. Here you can find great kid costumes and accessories handmade in Indiana.
6. Use non-toxic costume make-up and face paint on your little fairy or zombie.
Klee makeup is made in the USA, all natural, hypo-allergenic and non-toxic. Choose from several Klee Kids themed fairy and mermaid makeup. Don't miss our face painting ideas with made in USA face paint.
Have you visited our Made in USA Shopping District? It is the place to start your shopping when you want to find the best of American-made.
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I’ve always made our costumes. And, when the girls were involved in horseback riding, I made costumes for the horses, too, using old tablecloths and leftovers from craft projects!
These are wonderful ideas, and I never thought of Etsy for costumes, either. Wow!
Thanks for all the great tips. The Milk Jug Ghouls and the Black Lace Spider Web Table Cloth are great ones.
I really like that tablecloth!
Thank you for these great tips. We like to find unique costumes by making them using items from our local thrift store and the grandkids so enjoy making some of their own decorations.
We always reuse are Halloween décor, or when we buy new stuff we donate the old stuff first. And my mom loves making the kids costumes.
In our house the kids helped make their own costumes from old clothes and scrap fabric to boxes and paper.
We also make all our Holiday deco.
We have always made our own costumes — I think it is a great exercise in creativity for the kids. Of course, my girls seriously challenge me every year because we dress the horses up, too, for the annual Halloween Horse Show!
Love the Fall scene!