When you’re searching for green costume ideas for Halloween, there are a couple of different approaches you can take.  You can choose a green, or earth friendly theme.  Or you can choose organic or eco-friendly materials to make your costume from.  Here are a few ideas from each category.

Some of the most obvious green themes are the concepts of “recycling” and “natural materials”.  You can make a cheap and easy recycling-themed costume by buying (or finding) a length of fabric long enough to create a reusable shopping bag big enough to wear.  Shopping bags are basically boxy-shaped fabric rectangles with a rectangular bottom and handles at the top.  Glue cardboard or poster board to the back side of the largest fabric rectangles to give some body to the front and back of the shopping bag.  Staple, glue or sew a “seam” to attach each of the fabric “sides” to the shopping bag’s front and back.  Then cut two long strips of fabric for handles, and glue, staple or sew one handle to the back, and one to the front.  Use the handles as shoulder straps that support the shopping bag.

You can jazz up the bag by adding the logo of your favorite health food store.  Paint or stencil it onto the front and back with non-toxic fabric paint that you can get from any craft store.  “Fill” your bag with the empty product boxes from natural or organic crackers, pasta, cereal or other containers that display their eco-friendly branding on the package.

If you want to wear a traditional Halloween-themed costume (like a witch, devil, monster or fairy princess, choose materials for the costume and accessories that are eco-friendly.  At the very least, try to use props that you may already have around the house, and that can be returned to their original use after Halloween is over, instead of buying disposable plastic props that will end up in the trash.  With a little thought and creativity, it’s easy to make your Halloween festivities earth-friendly.