Conscious Halloween: Your Guide to Sustainable Spooking

Make this Halloween sweeter for the planet with eco-friendly treats, upcycled costume ideas, and low-waste party tips featuring Alter Eco.

A Scary Amount of Waste (and How to Change It)

The spookiest part of Halloween isn’t the haunted houses or scary movies—it’s the waste. Between single-use candy wrappers, fast-fashion costumes, and plastic decorations that last one night before hitting the trash, Halloween has a pretty big footprint.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. With a few swaps and some creativity, you can enjoy all the treats, costumes, and parties—without the eco-guilt. This guide is here to help you plan a Halloween that’s both fun and planet-friendly, featuring sustainable candy options from Alter Eco, easy low-waste party tips, and three eco-chic costumes you can create with things you already have.

1. Sweet but Sustainable: Ethical Halloween Treats

Halloween is a time to indulge, but not all treats are created equal. Many conventional candies use palm oil, artificial ingredients, or come wrapped in layers of plastic. Alter Eco offers a delicious alternative—made with organic, Fair Trade chocolate and wrapped in home-compostable packaging that won’t haunt landfills.

Here are a few ways to make your candy game more conscious this year:

Swap the minis. Instead of single-use plastic-wrapped chocolates, offer Alter Eco Truffles—they’re bite-sized, individually wrapped in compostable foil, and available in flavors like Sea Salt, Classic Dark, and Salted Caramel.

Create a “Trick-or-Treat Jar.” Fill glass jars or recycled paper bags with bulk candy or broken-up chocolate bars for guests to grab.

DIY dessert bar. Melt down your favorite Alter Eco bar for a spooky fondue or drizzle over popcorn for a movie night treat.

Planet tip: Save any leftover truffle wrappers—they can go straight into your home compost bin!

2. Three Eco-Chic Costumes You Can Build Sustainably

Every year, millions of costumes end up in landfills—most made from synthetic fabrics that take decades to break down. This year, skip the fast fashion and build your costume sustainably using thrifted pieces, items from your closet, and a little imagination.

Here are three Alter Eco–approved costume ideas that are fun, creative, and low-waste:

Costume #1: The Chocolate Lover For those who believe their favorite flavor deserves its own costume. Go all in on rich browns, golds, and foil details. Use a brown dress or jumpsuit, wrap a belt or sash with gold ribbon, and carry an Alter Eco chocolate bar as your prop (bonus points if you hand them out).

Costume #2: Mother Earth Represent sustainability itself with thrifted green and blue clothing, faux vines, and a basket of Alter Eco truffles as “planet-friendly treasures.” Add face paint or flower clips for a celestial vibe.

Costume #3: The Conscious Chef This one’s perfect if you already love cooking, hosting, or eating sustainably. Throw on an apron, tuck a wooden spoon in your pocket, and carry a reusable tote filled with eco-friendly snacks or chocolate.

Sustainable Costume Tips:

-Rent, borrow, or thrift instead of buying new.

-Rewear clothes you already own—monochrome outfits work great for themed looks.

-DIY your accessories using fabric scraps, paper, or natural materials.

-Donate or store costumes to reuse next year.

3. Low-Waste Party Planning: Sustainable Soirées Made Simple

Halloween parties don’t need to come with a trash bag full of plastic at the end of the night. With a little prep, you can throw a celebration that’s stylish, spooky, and sustainable.

Decor: Skip plastic pumpkins and fake spiderwebs. Use real pumpkins, dried flowers, and candles in glass jars. Once the party’s over, compost your pumpkins or roast the seeds for a snack.

Table setup: Serve snacks in reusable bowls or compostable trays. Make a simple dessert board with Alter Eco chocolate squares, popcorn, and dried fruit. If you’re hosting dinner, set out cloth napkins instead of paper towels and label glassware with guests’ names to reduce cup waste.

Drinks: Mix a signature cocktail or mocktail using seasonal ingredients—think blood orange juice or pomegranate. Rim glasses with melted dark chocolate or drizzle some over ice cream for dessert.

Ambience: Curate a playlist of moody, atmospheric tracks to replace the usual novelty songs. 

Cleanup: At the end of the night, compost what you can, recycle glass and paper, and store reusable decor for next year. Nothing’s scarier than unnecessary waste.

4. The Sweetest Kind of Scary

Celebrating consciously doesn’t mean missing out on the fun—it means finding joy in being resourceful, creative, and kind to the planet. Whether you’re swapping out candy, thrifting your costume, or planning a low-waste party, your choices add up to something bigger.

So grab your Alter Eco chocolates, turn on your favorite spooky playlist, and have yourself a sweet, sustainable Halloween. Because this year, the only thing you should be haunting is the candy aisle.