5 Ways to Recycle Halloween Costumes

Each year, kids of all ages (and even plenty of adults) look forward to picking out Halloween costumes for door-to-door candy begging, masquerade events, Halloween parties and other seasonal events.

What happens to all of those Halloween costumes after October 31^st?

Why not recycle those Halloween costumes? Here's a helpful handful of post-Halloween how-to's for recycling trick-or-treat outfits. The autumn-appropriate key is "CIDER" - Craft, Imagine, Donate, Exchange and Resell.

Grab a cup of sweet, hot November cider, and consider these five ways to recycle Halloween costumes.

Craft: Recreate Halloween Costumes for New Uses

Many Halloween costumes may be transformed into brand-new disguises with a few simple alterations. For example, a Raggedy Ann dress might be changed slightly to create an outfit for Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. A ghost's white sheet might be reused as a Roman toga. A black-and-white striped convict suit might become a zebra costume with the addition of a tail and some creative face painting.

Sometimes a few creative accessories can make a costume metamorphosis possible.

Imagine: Use Halloween Costumes for Creative Play

Children love to play dress-up. From princess gowns and tiaras to wild and furry animal suits, Halloween costumes are super for imaginative playtime fun. A big trunk of capes, masks, pop star wigs, jumpsuits, lab coats, old prom or bridesmaid dresses, graduation gowns, and props is the stuff of creative role playing and marvelous make believe for kids.

Donate: Offer Halloween Costumes to Charities

Thrift and resale shops collect Halloween costumes for seasonal displays and sales. School theater departments and local dramatic troupes may also welcome used costumes. Folks donating trick-or-treat disguises may receive charitable gift receipts for tax purposes.

Exchange: Swap Halloween Costumes with Others

Many families choose to hold costume swap events, usually in early fall. Neighborhood play groups, church and temple fellowship groups, sports clubs and other gatherings may offer opportunities to exchange used Halloween costumes.

Resell: Market Halloween Costumes Online or in Shops

Quality Halloween costumes are popular resale items in consignment shops and online sales communities (such as BuySell, CraigsList, eBay and similar sites). A simple description and clear digital photograph may lead to the quick sale of a Halloween costume.

CIDER Is the Answer for Recycling Halloween Costumes.

After October 31^st, Halloween costumes may be stored or passed along for additional use. CIDER is the key to costume recycling: Craft, Imagine, Donate, Exchange or Resell those used costumes.