The Scary Reality of Halloween Costume Waste: Building More Sustainable Solutions through Rental

Halloween in the U.S. is a massive cultural phenomenon with millions of Americans enthusiastically celebrating with costumes, decorations and trick or treating. With little ones, this holiday often comes with school parades, parties and the perfect photo ops. However, this holiday also comes at a high environmental cost, as the production and disposal of Halloween costumes generate a staggering amount of waste. Over 35 million costumes are thrown away each year in the U.S. Particularly for kids who only wear these costumes for a few short hours, there is a massive opportunity to rethink this holiday. 

That is why at Rent a Romper, we have created a rental closet where families can rent Halloween costumes - in order to keep these costumes on kids and out of landfill.

The Haunting Reality of Halloween Costume Waste

Each year, countless Halloween costumes are mass-produced using a wide range of materials, including synthetic fabrics, plastics, and other non-biodegradable components. This rampant production contributes to resource depletion and amplifies the carbon footprint of the fashion industry. 

Apart from the production phase, the majority of Halloween costumes end up in landfills, where they contribute to the growing pile of non-recyclable items. Considering that the U.S. alone generates approximately 12.8 million tons of textile waste annually, it is clear that the culture of single-use Halloween costumes is a significant contributor to this problem.

Rent a Romper’s Costume Rentals 

At Rent a Romper, we believe the choice to rent baby Halloween costumes is not only a more environmentally responsible choice, but can also be a convenient and cost-effective alternative for parents. We have grown our costume closet through second hand stores and closet clean outs from our own community and are committed to keeping these costumes in use as long as possible.

Our online costume rentals are impacting our community and the planet in several ways: 

1. Reduced Environmental Impact: By renting costumes instead of buying them, we can reduce the demand for new costume production, reducing consumption of raw materials, energy, and water resources. Renting also extends the life cycle of costumes, ensuring that each piece is utilized to its fullest potential and reducing the water and carbon footprint of each item.

2. Convenience and Affordability: As with our Rental Memberships, renting costumes saves you a trip to crowded stores or time shopping for costumes online. Additionally, renting can be more budget-friendly than purchasing costumes, especially considering the high costs of quality costumes that are meant to last only a single night. Adding our costume closet in addition to everyday clothing, we hope to make your life a bit easier taking one thing off your plate.

3. Changing Consumer Behavior : Through rental, we hope to raise awareness around the consequences of fast fashion and build an alternative that encourages a culture of reuse and sustainability. We know that sustainability can be daunting and sometimes expensive, but at Rent a Romper we are building a model that doesn’t compromise on convenience or your wallet. 

By choosing to rent costumes instead of buying them, we can actively reduce the waste generated during Halloween celebrations. As we approach this year's holiday, let's take a moment to reflect on the choices we make as consumers and step into a more sustainable future, one costume rental at a time.

*Waste Managed - Halloween Waste Facts