Have a sustainable Halloween with home-made costumes

For Halloween fans in Japan, the Shibuya Crossing has recently received much attention for its vast Halloween gathering. Maybe too much attention that we’d even go so far to ask if it is sustainable. But perhaps the Tokyo organization, TieUps Co. Ltd., can offer us a hint of a sustainable Halloween.

As a collaboration event with new social network WeClip, TieUps’ “Sustainable Halloween” competition will ask WeClip users to submit their Halloween costume photos. The twist is that the participants must only use items available in their homes to make their costumes. Buying new items to complement the outfit is not allowed.

Shibuya Crossing faced a big garbage issue, irresponsibly left behind by the participants. Furthermore, overcrowding is a big problem for the social distancing required during this period of pandemic. It is the hope of the organizers to address these two issues while allowing Halloween fans.

The event will be held for the period between 20 October and 31 October. A winner will be selected to receive a gift certification from Ethical Connections, an online select shop. There will be extra points for costumes that are unique and sustainable.

This may be a simple idea, but it is an idea that does question, what do you do with a costume you only wear once a month? It’s a similar line to wedding dresses that most wear only once, that some companies have implemented a “sharing service” (for example Nadell). Now TieUps is asking us to look at our current wardrobe, and be creative with them, especially with clothes we no longer wear.