Every year October rolls around and the big question, “What are you going to be for Halloween,” arises. When it comes to Halloween costumes, fast fashion plays a big role. People want different clothes or accessories cheaply for their costumes, and normally they throw them away after one wear or never wear them again. It is estimated that American customers spend more than $10 billion on costumes, candy and decorations.

Spirit Halloween opened in 1993 with 10 Bay Area locations. It has since expanded to more than 1,500 stores nationwide and reopens its stores every year as the Halloween season approaches.

The thought process behind the company is simple. They open for about two months and provide a place for people to purchase all the extra costumes and props they need. The National Retail Federation estimated that the company had $528 million in sales in 2021.

With such high demand, the company produces an extreme amount of product every year. The plan for a company like this is temporary sales. The entrepreneur knows that it is not necessary and does not have to be open all year round.

The term ‘fast fashion’ is increasingly used in conversations about fashion, sustainability and environmental awareness. Fast fashion is cheaply produced and priced clothing that usually copies trends. Like products from online stores like Shein, they are cheap items that are likely to be used only once or twice and then thrown away or donated. The lifespan of these items is short, but making them still causes environmental problems.

Spirit Halloween follows this fast fashion trend. The company wants to produce costumes and accessories in large quantities. The pieces people buy are made quickly, with little to no lifespan. Fast fashion companies like Spirit Halloween are part of the 10% of total global CO2 emissions. This dries up water sources and pollutes rivers, while according to Earth.org, 85% of all textiles go to landfills every year.

There are many other ways to get a nice costume without purchasing anything from fast fashion websites or Spirit Halloween. First, take a look at what’s already in the cupboard. Some fairly simple costumes can be put together with items you already have. Ask a friend if you can borrow something from him or her. If you’re handy, maybe try making a few items yourself.

Then, if you need another piece of clothing for your outfit, go shopping at a thrift store. Reusing items for different purposes is a great way to help the environment and create your dream costume at the same time. If you can’t find what you need at either, try buying something, but try to make it something you’ll wear multiple times.