Eco-Fashion Designer

Maya Penn has always loved to create. As a young girl, she learned from her mother how to sew. “When I was 8, I started taking old clothes and fabric and turning them into new designs,” she says. “People wanted to know where to buy them, and I got the idea to make my own business.”

Two years later, Penn launched her own online store to sell her fashion brand. She named it Maya’s Ideas. Her business uses unwanted clothes and other recycled materials. And the company donates 10 percent of its profits to environmental and social causes.

That’s important because making clothing has many harmful effects on the environment (see Clothing Waste by the Numbers). It uses enormous amounts of resources and causes a lot of pollution. Penn, who’s now 23 and lives in Atlanta, Georgia, hopes her company sets an example for the rest of the fashion industry.

Maya Penn has always loved to create. She learned to sew as a young girl. Her mother taught her. “When I was 8, I started taking old clothes and fabric and turning them into new designs,” she says. “People wanted to know where to buy them. And I got the idea to make my own business.”

Penn made her own online store two years later. She sells her fashion brand. It’s named Maya’s Ideas. Her business uses unwanted clothes. It also uses recycled materials. And the company gives away some of its profits. Ten percent goes to environmental and social causes. 

That’s important. The usual way of making clothing harms the environment (see Clothing Waste by the Numbers). It uses large amounts of resources. It also causes a lot of pollution. Penn is now 23. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She hopes her company sets an example. Then the rest of the fashion industry might follow it.

Fashion trends change all the time. To keep up, many companies rapidly produce cheap clothes. This is called fast fashion. Customers fill their closets with outfits that may get worn only a few times—and tossed when styles change or the clothes fall apart.

Clothing producers use about 53 million tons of fabric each year. Of that, more than 6 million tons is wasted while clothes are being designed and produced, says Jessica Schreiber. She’s the founder of FABSCRAP, a business in New York City. FABSCRAP recycles unused fabric from clothing brands to sell to eco-friendly designers.

Most fast fashion ends up in landfills. A lot of the clothing is made of polyester and other materials that are not biodegradable. “These items break down into smaller pieces,” which pollute the environment, explains Schreiber.

Fashion trends change all the time. Many companies rapidly make cheap clothes to keep up. This is called “fast fashion.” People fill their closets with outfits. These clothes may get worn only a few times. They get tossed when styles change or the clothes fall apart. 

Clothing makers use about 53 million tons of fabric each year. More than 6 million tons of that is wasted as clothes are being designed and made, says Jessica Schreiber. She founded FABSCRAP. It’s a business in New York City. FABSCRAP recycles unused fabric from clothing brands. It’s sold to eco-friendly designers. 

Most fast fashion goes to landfills. A lot of the clothing is made of fabric that isn’t biodegradable. “These items break down into smaller pieces,” explains Schreiber. That pollutes the environment.

Making clothes requires a lot of resources too. It takes about 2,700 liters (713 gallons) of water to produce the cotton needed to make one new T-shirt. That’s enough drinking water to last a person twoand- a-half years!

The fashion industry has also been linked to climate change. The industry creates as much as 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Factories that make clothes produce these gases. So do vehicles that ship products and materials around the world.

Making clothes requires a lot of resources too. It takes about 2,700 liters (713 gallons) of water to grow cotton to make one T-shirt. That’s enough drinking water to last a person two-and-a-half years! 

The fashion industry has also been linked to climate change. The industry creates as much as 10 percent of global greenhouse gases. Factories that make clothes produce these gases. So do vehicles that ship products and materials around the world.

Penn wanted to create a company that set a better example. She had a simple idea: Reduce the need to make new clothes by giving old ones a second life.

First, Penn gets old clothing or unused fabric. She finds them from a variety of sources, like thrift stores and designers. “I really try to work with what I have,” Penn says.

Penn uses a pencil and paper to draw her patterns—guides that help her cut shapes from fabric for her clothes. She tries to use as much of the fabric as possible. Once she cuts out the pattern, she’s ready to start sewing.

Penn uses only natural dyes made of fruits, vegetables, herbs, or tea to add color to her fabrics. “I often use the spice turmeric for a really bright yellow,” she says. “Boiling avocado seeds creates a pink dye.”

Penn wanted her company to set a better example. She had a simple idea. She’d give old clothes a second life. That would reduce the need to make new clothes. 

First Penn gets old clothing or unused fabric. They come from many places. They include thrift stores and designers. “I really try to work with what I have,” Penn says.

Penn uses a pencil and paper. She draws patterns. These guides help her cut shapes from fabric for her clothes. She tries to use as much of the fabric as possible. She cuts out the pattern. Then she’s ready to sew. 

Penn uses only natural dyes to color her fabrics. The dyes are made of fruits, vegetables, herbs, or tea. “I often use the spice turmeric for a really bright yellow,” she says. “Boiling avocado seeds creates a pink dye.” 

Fashion waste is the result of the desire to be trendy, says Schreiber. “Instead of one pair of shoes, people have a pair they’ll only wear with one outfit.” That’s very wasteful, she says.

There are things everyone can do to reduce this waste. “Focus on wearing what’s already in your wardrobe,” says Penn. And if you grow out of clothing, give it away to someone else who could still wear it.

It’s also important to learn how to care for clothing, she says. “Learn how to mend and sew from internet tutorials,” suggests Penn. And try cleaning a stained item by hand before immediately putting it alone in a washing machine, which uses more water.

You can shop at thrift stores or try making your own ecofriendly fashion. Use fabric from clothing you don’t wear anymore. Or buy recycled fabric from businesses like FABSCRAP. “Embrace your own style and have fun,” says Penn. “Be a trendsetter!”

Fashion waste is the result of the desire to be trendy, says Schreiber. “Instead of one pair of shoes, people have a pair they’ll only wear with one outfit.” That’s very wasteful, she says.  

There are things everyone can do to reduce this waste. “Focus on wearing what’s already in your wardrobe,” says Penn. You might grow out of clothing. Give it away to someone who could still wear it. 

It’s also good to learn how to care for clothing, she says. “Learn how to mend and sew from internet tutorials,” suggests Penn. And try cleaning a stained item by hand before tossing it in a washing machine by itself. That way you’ll use less water.   

You can shop at thrift stores. Or try making your own eco-friendly fashion. Use fabric from clothing you don’t wear anymore. Or buy recycled fabric from businesses like FABSCRAP. “Embrace your own style and have fun,” says Penn. “Be a trendsetter!”