Today is a huge day for costume sales so many of us are out shopping for the perfect outfit for ourselves and/or for children. But before you make your final decision, know what lurks behind that store bought costume. Our friends at Green Halloween have some great tips to share;

Look for costumes made from 100% natural materials such as cotton. Hemp and burlap are child and Earth-healthy and make great costumes.
Wool is naturally flame retardant (as opposed to many costumes which are sprayed with chemicals to keep them “safe”) and is naturally water repellent, which comes in handy if you live in colder climates.
Dress infants in themed cotton onesies with matching hats instead of in polyester costume buntings.
If you do buy a costume off the rack or from thrift or consignment stores, be sure to …

The irony of a store bought hippie costume is that it’s brand new! Go to the source and you can create a stunning hippie costume with genuine vintage clothing. Thrift stores can usually supply everything you need but even if you want to shop online and don’t consider yourself a vintage buff, we’ll help you out.
Get inspired by some amazing vintage costumes ideas…

We’ve talked about October being Fair Trade month before, and this year we’ve unearthed a clever new way to integrate that into your Halloween celebrations: Reverse Trick-or-Treating! Showing that kids are capable of making immense change in our world, they will be handing adults a sample of Fair Trade chocolate. The tasty treats will be accompanied by a card that talks a bit about the child labor and poverty problems in the cocoa industry. The solution is deliciously simple: don’t cut cocoa out of your life, just swap the commercial stuff for Fair Trade chocolate. Thanks to some awesome Fair Trade companies, the chocolate and cards are FREE (you just pay for shipping). If you want to participate, just register by October 13, 2008. If your wee monsters will be out candy …

Here’s a green Halloween craft project that’s simple, creative, and kid friendly. “Treat tubes” make a fun and DIY alternative to store bought treat sacks and can be used at Halloween parties or given to trick-or-treaters. They’re just big enough to fit things like fruit strips, candies, little toys, and mini Fair Trade chocolates. Plus, it’s a great way to use up all those TP tubes!

Just start with an empty toilet paper tube, fill it with small treats, wrap it in paper, twist and tie up the ends with ribbon, and add any sort of decoration you want to the outside. You probably already have all of the supplies needed such as glue, scissors, and of course toilet paper tubes. For embellishments you can buy store bought decor such as …

With Halloween about a month away, seasonal chain stores are popping up everywhere. They’re definitely a fun experience, but feel a little sterile, a little canned. Don’t you wish a Mom and Pop Shop of Horrors would show up instead? That’s just how Los Angeles based The Mighty Squirm describe themselves and their online store of creepy t-shirts. Lovers of chilling design, Thea and Daniel create spooky detailed original illustrations and put them on high quality cotton shirts. Many of them glow in the dark and come on organic cotton, too! Their company is named in honor of their daughter and so there are plenty of creepy-cute kids shirts and placemates to choose from as well.

One aspect we really like is that all of their designs are free of text. As The Mighty …

Reusable bags are probably the most popular way that people are “going green” right now. Everybody has them! It’s no wonder because it’s a simple switch and it saves tons of resources, energy, and pollution. Trick or Treat Bags are generally reusable, but disposable plastic bags are also a popular choice.

This year you have another option for a reusable trick or treat sack from ChicoBag. 12 year old Estefania won an ChicoBag art contest and her design is on their limited edition Halloween bag. Even if you’re not going out to collect candy this year, the bag would make a good lunch tote for work or school or as a regular old reusable shopping bag.

Perhaps the sweetest part is that ChicoBag donates 10% if the proceeds. The money goes to Treeswing, …