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Halloween costume swaps are growing in popularity (AP)

Americans were expected to spend roughly $4.4 billion on Halloween attire this year but most single-use costumes end up in landfills shortly after the holiday.

Halloween costumes mirror fast fashion , as they are frequently manufactured cheaply from synthetic petroleum-derived plastics that generate significant carbon emissions, industrial wastewater, and persistent microplastics.

An estimated 80 percent of mass-produced Halloween costumes end up in landfills, contributing to the broader issue of textile waste that reached 11.3 million tons in the United States in 2018.

Community costume swaps and thrift initiatives, such as Lexy Silverstein's Ultimate Halloween Swap in Southern California and university pop-up markets, are expanding to keep pre-owned outfits in circulation.

Sustainability advocates urge consumers to reduce their environmental footprint by thrifting, borrowing from friends,…