Inventors Who Influence DIY Costumes

Looking for a one-of-a-kind Halloween costume? DIY costumes are neighborhood favorites for good reason! Not only will your child shine with a unique ensemble during trick-or-treating, the process of making their costume is a perfect opportunity to apply creative problem-solving skills. Read on to discover National Inventors Hall of Fame^® Inductees behind go-to DIY materials often used for epic Halloween costume creation.

Ruth Benerito – Wrinkle-Free Cotton

Cotton costumes are a great way for trick-or-treaters to stay cozy on Halloween night. Inductee Ruth Benerito used cellulose chemistry to solve practical problems in the textile, wood and paper industries. Her research showed that when specific reagents were bonded to cellulose, the cellulose fibers would not form creases, resulting in cotton fabric with wrinkle resistance!

Whether your family opts for a wrinkle-free ghost or an FBI agent, Benerito’s invention is a perfect base for your DIY costume.

George de Mestral - VELCRO^® Fasteners

If your family has ever enjoyed a game of throw and stick with hook-and-loop mitts, you can thank Inductee George de Mestral. He invented VELCRO^® fasteners, which use small hooks and loops to grab and secure items together. As your child customizes their DIY Halloween costume, VELCRO fasteners can help their best ideas stick. While hook-and-loop fasteners are commonly used in many different clothing items, they’re also used for leisure, office, sporting and even aircraft equipment. To manufacture his patented invention, de Mestral started his own company. Impressive!

Take a peek at this DIY skeleton costume that uses VELCRO fasteners!

Elias Howe – Sewing Machine

Behind many DIY costumes is a versatile machine used for embroidery, stitching and quilting. That’s right – the sewing machine! Inductee Elias Howe invented the first practical sewing machine in the mid-19th century, making clothing production five times faster. His remarkable invention story teaches young entrepreneurs important lessons about intellectual property and their legal rights as inventors.

Sewing machines allow children to mix and match materials, and there are plenty of free patterns you can incorporate into your own DIY costume. Don’t have a sewing machine? Check with your local library. You will be pleasantly surprised by what resources are available.

Shuji Nakamura – Blue LED

Help your child’s bright ideas shine with the help of Inductee Shuji Nakamura. His invention of the blue LED allowed for the full spectrum of colors in LEDs for the very first time. Among his many accomplishments, he was awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics.

To achieve a glow-in-the-dark DIY costume, there are many ways to incorporate Nakamura’s LED invention. One option is to install adhesive LED strips in your garment of choice for the perfect light-up moment. Your child can illuminate anything from superhero capes to butterfly wings – the possibilities are endless! LEDs also increase your trick-or-treater’s visibility, making the night equally magical and safe.

Spark Your Imagination This Halloween

Halloween is so much more than free candy; it’s a special, once-a-year opportunity to spark your imagination and use materials to bring your ideas to life. For even more inspiration, explore the stories of other National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees who influence the world around us.