A Halloween-themed Thrift-a-Roo pop-up event was hosted on Thursday, Oct. 30, outside the Student Union and provided students with the opportunity to purchase affordable costumes and winter clothes.
Clothing waste and fast fashion during the holiday season is an issue that Thrift-a-Roo, an Enactus project, aims to improve through this event.
“We want to encourage people to reuse clothes or Halloween costumes that people have already used but no longer want,” said project leader of Thrift-a-Roo Dariana Torres, a junior business administration major with an emphasis in marketing.
Options for costumes and accessories ranged from animal print dresses and ears to a Shaggy costume originally from Spirit Halloween.
“Costumes are fun and all, but I think that when it comes to last-minute shopping…that’s where it gets kind of wasteful. So our goal is to just kind of provide students a more affordable option,” said Emely Cruz, marketing coordinator of Thrift-a-Roo.
Prices for all items range from $1-$10, and profits from the sales go to Escuela Primaria Narciso Mendoza, an underdeveloped elementary school in Durango, Mexico. Students were drawn to the low-cost pieces and accessibility of the event.
“I love thrifting, always, and I know the clothes here are really well priced,” said Cole Turney, a freshman music education student.
Shopping sustainably is a priority for students like D’Maraee Barahona, and Thrift-a-Roo provides a convenient way to do so.
“I am someone who really cares about the environment,” said Barahona, a freshman psychology major. “I really like the element where all of the things that you kind of need already exist in the world, so this is a good place where it’s accessible and cheap for students, and you can find what you’re looking for here.”
Freshman studio art major Aaliyah Duckett took the eco-friendly route this Halloween and thrifted the majority of her Strawberry Shortcake outfit.
“I definitely wouldn’t go out and buy a whole costume that’s like, $40 to $50,” Duckett said.
“For my Halloween costume, I know I went to the thrift store and I actually got stuff that I know I was gonna wear again, just so it wouldn’t just go to waste.”
Buying clothing second-hand is also an easy way to save money and channel creativity when brainstorming a costume idea.
“You can find a lot of different stuff and different styles of clothes when you’re thrifting,” said Jana Bruce, a sophomore business administration student. “For example, you could be an 80’s person or something just by thrifting clothes, and it’s sustainable.”
Students shared the sentiment of thrifting as an important alternative to fast fashion.
“We make so much waste as Americans, and any chance we can get to reuse clothes is great, and it’s also just cheaper, so it’s a win-win,” said Turney.
Torres encourages students to give away clothes they no longer want to Thrift-a-Roo or thrift stores, providing others with the chance to score an inexpensive outfit, for both Halloween and everyday use.
