It’s that time of year—spooky season! Apple picking, pumpkin spice, cobweb decorations, and, of course, costumes. Dressing up is one of the all-time great traditions of All Hallows’ Eve, whether it’s a classic vampire, a character from your favorite movie, or a niche cultural reference. Unfortunately, so many pre-made costumes are made and packaged with plastic and other toxic materials like synthetic fibers made from petro-chemicals (a product of fossil fuels). It’s time for that to change, and time for sustainable Halloween costumes to become the norm.
Now, you can become movie icon M3gan or tennis star Coco Gauff without worrying about wearing something that’s bad for you and the planet.
Every item recommended in this article comes from our thousands of certified Green Business Network members, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility.
The White Lotus
If Halloween costumes mean dressing up as someone you’re not, why not dress as the wealthy and vacationing drama queens of our dreams? AKA the colorful cast of characters from HBO’s The White Lotus Season 2!
Dressing up as Jennifer Coolidge’s iconic Tonya (warning: an impression is mandatory), you will feel even better when you’re doing it ethically (unlike all the characters in The White Lotus).
Mimci Tonya’s gauzy, effortlessly chic scarf with the Pink Flower Petals Scarf from Sympatico Clothing or Natural Clothing Company’s Organic Cotton Scarf in coral.
On the romantic shores of Italy, there are a few clothing staples our leads—and your costume—must have.
Wooden Element has a vast and beautiful collection of sunglasses, from classic aviators to sleek black looks, to channel your inner Aubrey Plaza or Theo James.
Plus, don’t forget about your easy, breezy linen pants. The hemp clothing at Dash Hemp Santa Cruz is a perfect selection of the comfortable, drawstring pants many characters on The White Lotus wear.
Finally, don’t forget about accessorizing with upscale jewelry to look rich and dramatic while sipping wine in Sicily.
Shanti Boutique boasts lots of beautiful pieces, including golden suns similar to Meghann Fahy’s. WorldFinds is another place where you can find an array of both colorful, statement jewelry pieces or more delicate necklaces and earrings.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Ski Trial Style
It probably seems like years ago now, but it was just in May 2023 that, for a few, blissful days, we were all connected—watching Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow dress her best during her skiing incident court battle.
Just look how put-together Ms. Goop herself is!
Natural Clothing Company has a cozy, cream-colored turtleneck sweater which is perfect for the brisk springtime of Park City, Utah, where the court proceedings took place. Then head over to Texture Clothing for their Posh Pants in espresso.
To complete the look, Paltrow wore a lot of gold jewelry during the days-long trial. Consider these simple gold arch studs from Altiplano or go back to WorldFinds.
M3gan
Brush off those dance moves and channel one of the year’s earliest pop culture icons—the AI doll M3gan herself.
With sustainable clothing to dress as the camp robot, you’ll definitely be titanium.
To start, you’ll want a striped shirt and both Blue Canoe and Yala have you covered there. Blue Canoe also has the perfect white tights made of organic cotton and bamboo.
Then, check out Fair Indigo’s Women's 100% Organic Cotton Polo Dress in olive (close enough!) or Faerie’s Dance’s Baby Doll Dress.
US Open Champ Coco Gauff
You can also go with a more recent cultural moment for your sustainable Halloween costume and dress as US Open women’s champion, Coco Gauff.
To go for her all-red look, try Faerie’s Dance’s Lattice Back Cami in paprika paired with Natural Clothing Company’s Organic Cotton Wrap Skirt in cabernet.
If you’re feeling a bit bolder, try out Texture Clothing’s Comfy Skirt Gathered Mini in lime to pull off Gauff’s brighter US Open look.
Whichever one you go for, definitely don’t forget Gauff’s dark red headband to show you mean business. Soul Flower's Recycled Boho Headband in plum is perfect.
All the Rest for Your Sustainable Halloween Costumes
Even if you can’t find everything for your costume from a sustainable green business, you can still piece together parts of it with eco-friendly products.
If you’re going for a Barbie look this year, Plain Jane Beauty’s Diamond Pink highlighter from SMB Essentials is perfect.
Or if you’re more of a Ken, make sure to get an organic t-shirt to pull off the look. The Good Tee has all the best options for you.
If budget is a concern, don’t worry. Despite the myths, being a sustainable consumer doesn’t have to break the bank. Go thrifting to put together your costume or if a friend has a piece in their closet that would be perfect, suggest a clothes swap or borrowing it!
Or maybe you’re a craft person with the skills and time to make your own costume—there are so many ethically-sourced fabric businesses to avoid the big box stores.
When Halloween is over, don’t forget to take care of your skin—especially if you commit to that fabulous and scary makeup! One Love Organics and MuLondon have tons of ethical options for cleansers, moisturizers, and beyond to keep your face clean and healthy without any toxic chemicals or animal testing.
Happy (sustainable) haunting!
The Green Business Network is a program of Green America; our certified members adopt principles, policies and practices that improve the quality of life for their customers, employees, communities, and the planet. Comprised of thousands of businesses that meet or exceed our standards for social and environmental responsibility, the Green Business Network is key for the work Green America does: harnessing economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.
