Each year, 39 million people in the UK dress up for Halloween, however 7 million of these costumes end up as waste (that's roughly equivalent to 83 million plastic bottles).
"Most people will only wear their Halloween costumes once, which means the environmental impact is detrimental to the planet," explains Eshita Kabra Davies the Founder and CEO of the award-winning app By Rotation, the world's first social fashion rental app. "It’s important that we all take responsibility for our carbon footprint and try to make small changes when we can."
MORE: The best homemade Halloween costumes for fashion obsessives in 2022
RELATED: 25 amazing celebrity Halloween costumes you probably forgot about
Eshita Kabra Davies shares her sustainable halloween tips
Have you ever considered renting your Halloween costume? Probably not... but this spooky season, Eshita Kabra is encouraging fashion lovers to do their bit for the planet (and save money) by renting instead of buying this year.
Hello! Fashion, spoke to Eshita to find out more:
What do people not realise about Halloween's environmental impact?
"In the UK alone, 7 million Halloween costumes go to waste each year. When considering the fact that 83% of the material used in Halloween costumes is made of plastic, this means the vast majority of these costumes will sit in landfills because they can’t be properly recycled."
MORE: The 15 most popular Halloween makeup looks for 2022 according to TikTok
RELATED: The most fashionable Halloween costumes for 2022
What can we do to make Halloween more sustainable this year?
"One way to make your Halloween wardrobe more sustainable is to reuse what you have and buy less. Consider swapping wardrobes with friends and not being afraid to get a little creative with your looks. Try wearing a few pieces from your boyfriend’s closet to dress up ‘Risky Business’ style, channel Wednesday Addams with an all black look and pigtails, or embrace Elle Woods with a pink dress and Y2K accessories. There are small adjustments we can all make to contribute less to the over-consumption and waste that is a result of buying new Halloween costumes each year. Either renting your outfit for a one off event, or finding creative ways to to wear what’s already in your wardrobe can significantly reduce our environmental impact."
Consider a homemade costume like Zoe Kravitz
Why do you think more people haven't considered renting their costumes?
"Although the platform hosts a growing community of over 300,000 'Rotators' on the app, there is still more awareness that rental fashion needs in the wider fashion community. As consumers, we are inundated with ads telling us to buy new, but when you’re looking for an outfit for one night, it makes sense to rent it. By Rotation was founded to stop people buying last-minute, often unsustainable, outfits to just wear for one night. Because our app is peer-to-peer, the only interaction is between you and the lender. Everything is on your own terms, and you can decide how you want to pick up the items, and for how long you would like to rent for - it really couldn’t be simpler. On the app, we try to make it as easy as possible for renters, such as creating curated edits like our Halloween edit - so we've done the hard work for you."
Kitri Dress, £43, By Rotation
RENT NOW
What costume will you be wearing this Halloween?
"This Halloween I'll be channelling Morticia Addams with this rented look from By Rotation. I'll be hosting a small dinner at home, dress code: 'Halloween… but make it rental.'"
Eshita is getting creative in a rented Halloween costume
Why is sustainability in the fashion industry so important?
"After travelling to my motherland Rajasthan, India, I saw the first-hand effects of fast fashion and textile waste. It compelled me to create a self-sustaining community of fashion lovers who can contribute to a circular economy by rotating what they already own in their closet. The core of the company's values centres around building a sustainable and sharing economy for everyone. As people are tackling some of the core issues of the fashion industry - fashion rental presents an opportunity to find solutions for prolonging the life of your clothes."
Discover By Rotation's Halloween edit, with prices starting as low as £8 per day.
Like this story? Sign up to our Hello! Fashion newsletter to get your weekly 'Fashion Fix' delivered straight to your inbox.
