There are many aspects to take into account to ensure that Halloween parties, carnival or children’s events are the most ecological , if you are one of those who like to decorate the house, as in costumes , we recommend that you use recycled materials , If you also use pumpkins, make sure they are not plastic, use real ones and then when the holiday is over you can consume them in exquisite dishes .

What you should know if you want to make costumes with recycled materials

Carnival and Halloween are two times where costumes become protagonists and children love to dress up. Every year there are different ideas, from the favorite characters, to the series of the moment. This, in turn, unfortunately, translates into the generation of waste from those products that are no longer used. To ensure fun and care for the environment, nothing better than using recycled materials.

How to make children’s costumes with recycled materials?

The first thing to keep in mind when making a Halloween, carnival or other party costume with recycled materials is that we have to use materials that are given a new life or a second chance, not others that are used for the first time as they would end up generating new waste.

A good example of original costumes for children with recycled materials is the use of old clothing , either to dress in a similar way to the characters we want, or to give free rein to sewing to generate new fabrics. Another idea is to take advantage of elements that we have at home such as shoe boxes, pages of already read newspapers, plastic light bulbs , and even CDs that are no longer useful.

Fortunately, we live in the age of information and on platforms like YouTube we will find numerous tutorials that will show us how we can take advantage of the materials that anyone could have at home. Just look for the costume you want and in front of you you will have all the information you need.

Suitable materials to make homemade recycled costumes

• Cardboard boxes : There are many orders that we make to marketplaces or other online stores. When these products arrive we have two options, either discard the boxes with which they have been sent directly to their corresponding container, or use them as a disguise.
• Plastic bags : Another example of how to give another use to a material that is used to wrap things. Plastic bags have many options when it comes to costumes, ranging from a top to a ballerina skirt.
• Newspapers and other papers : Once again, a product originating from cellulose can find a new life. Its ease of work and its high traceability allow costumes to be made with recycled materials of all kinds, from robots to animals . Only you have the limit.
• Old clothes : Whether to combine them in a similar way to the appearance of the character to be disguised, or use their fabric to create a new look, old clothes can be a good idea to make a recycled astronaut costume and even fruits.
• Plastics : in general. Old buttons, tubes, everything can be assembled around a very original costume with which to succeed at any time of the year. An excellent idea is to create costumes of robots, cars, superheroes, etc.

Care to be taken with recycled materials in costumes

Dressing up with recycled materials requires several measures in order to avoid problems.

The first step should be to be sure of the composition of the raw materials to which you want to give a new life . It is possible that they present some elements that cause allergies when they come into contact with the skin of the person who is going to wear them. It is also recommended to check if they have any toxic element that can be absorbed by the body.

In the case of parents who want to make their children’s costumes with recycled materials, and want to carry out this activity with them, they will have to take into account several security measures. To begin with, it will not be necessary to leave the smallest sharp elements such as scissors, or any toxic product that they may ingest, such as glue, in the hands of the smallest.

Be careful with glitter: If you have glitter from previous years, you should bear in mind that this material is made up of microplastics, which when discarded usually end up in the sea and therefore contaminating the seabed and its fauna. We know that it is usually a widely used element at this time, but we have good news, the eco glitter is already manufactured, made with cellulose and with an estimated decomposition time of about 90 days.