Article
Courtesy of Maya Penn
Math,

Eco-friendly Fashion

Maya Penn created an Earth-friendly clothing brand as a kid

By Andrew Klein
From the December 2021 / January 2022 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will use rulers to determine the fractional lengths of different clothing materials and items.

 

 

 

Lexile: 760L; 540L
Focus Area: Fractions and Decimals, Measurement and Data,
Standards
  • CCSS: 3.MD.B.4 TEKS: 2.9A, 3.3A

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Lexile® measure

  • 840L
  • 640L

Courtesy of Maya Penn

Maya started designing at age 8!

Maya Penn is hard at work in her studio in Atlanta, Georgia. Fabric and jars of beads cover her desk. Racks of clothes line the walls.

Maya is an eco-fashion designer. She creates clothing in a way that does less harm to the environment than traditional clothing. “When I was 8, I started taking old clothes and turning them into new designs,” Maya says. “People wanted to know where to buy them. I got the idea to make my own business.”

Maya Penn is working hard. She sits in her studio in Atlanta, Georgia. Her desk is covered in fabric and jars of beads. Her walls are lined with racks of clothes.

Maya is an eco-fashion designer. She creates clothing. Her process causes less harm to the environment than the traditional way clothing is made. “When I was 8, I started taking old clothes and turning them into new designs,” Maya says. “People wanted to know where to buy them. I got the idea to make my own business.”

Courtesy of Maya Penn 

Maya marks how to cut the fabric for a new garment.

She created Maya’s Ideas, a sustainable fashion company. Now 21, Maya hopes to inspire others to start their own business.

She created a sustainable fashion company called Maya’s Ideas. Maya is now 21 years old. She hopes to inspire others to start their own business.

Clean Clothes

The fashion industry produces 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year. This greenhouse gas traps heat in Earth’s atmosphere and warms the planet. Fashion’s main polluter is “fast fashion.” In this part of the industry, brands produce large amounts of cheaply made clothing that isn’t made to last.

Maya’s Ideas uses the fabric from pre-owned clothes to make something new. This reduces the need to make materials from scratch.

The fashion industry produces 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. It traps heat in Earth’s atmosphere. That heat warms the planet. Most of the pollution in the fashion industry comes from “fast fashion.” Fast fashion is clothing that doesn’t cost much to make. Brands make large amounts of this cheap clothing. But it isn’t made to last.

Maya’s Ideas reuses fabric. Maya buys clothes that people have already worn. She uses the fabric from the old clothes to make something new. That means less new materials need to be created for her brand.

Courtesy of Maya Penn 

One of Maya's eco-friendly designs

“I had to be hands-on in all aspects of my company,” Maya says. She designed a logo, sewed the clothing, and even built her first website when she was 10!

After 13 years of running a business, Maya believes age is just a number. “I’ve learned that you’re never too young or too old to make an impact,” Maya says. “Many people will be excited to support your unique voice if you take that leap to start.”

“I had to be hands-on in all aspects of my company,” Maya says. She designed a logo. She sewed the clothing. She even built her first website when she was 10!

Maya has been running her business for 13 years. She believes that age is just a number. “I’ve learned that you’re never too young or too old to make an impact,” Maya says. “Many people will be excited to support your unique voice if you take that leap to start.”

Math Talk

What might happen if a fashion designer were to measure a piece of fabric incorrectly?

Math Talk

What might happen if a fashion designer were to measure a piece of fabric incorrectly?

Measuring Fractional Lengths

What to Do

A ruler is a tool you can use to find the length of an object. In the U.S., length is commonly measured in inches and feet. Most rulers are equal to 1 foot, or 12 inches. The whole inches are labeled with numbers. The marks in between each inch show the parts, or fractions, of an inch.

Example

Find the width of the button below.

NOTE: Objects and rulers are not to scale. They have been enlarged so theyʼre easier to read.

Shutterstock.com

  • First, place the button next to the ruler so one end of the button is aligned exactly with the 0 inch mark of the ruler.
  • Next, find the mark that is closest to the farthest end of the button. You can make a mark against the farthest end with a pencil to make it easier to measure.
  • Finally, determine what fraction of an inch the mark represents. You’ll notice the marks increase in length. They go in this order: sixteenths, eighths, fourths, halves, and whole inches.

The button is 5/8 inch wide.

Measuring Fractional Lengths

What to Do

A ruler is a tool you can use to find the length of an object. In the U.S., length is commonly measured in inches and feet. Most rulers are equal to 1 foot, or 12 inches. The whole inches are labeled with numbers. The marks in between each inch show the parts, or fractions, of an inch.

Example

Find the width of the button below.

NOTE: Objects and rulers are not to scale. They have been enlarged so theyʼre easier to read.

Shutterstock.com

  • First, place the button next to the ruler so one end of the button is aligned exactly with the 0 inch mark of the ruler.
  • Next, find the mark that is closest to the farthest end of the button. You can make a mark against the farthest end with a pencil to make it easier to measure.
  • Finally, determine what fraction of an inch the mark represents. You’ll notice the marks increase in length. They go in this order: sixteenths, eighths, fourths, halves, and whole inches.

The button is 5/8 inch wide.

Now You Try It

Use the rulers provided to answer the questions.

Use the rulers provided to answer the questions.

Shutterstock.com

Maya uses metal rivets for a denim project. What is the width of the rivet?

Maya uses metal rivets for a denim project. What is the width of the rivet?

Shutterstock.com

Maya wants to create a beaded scarf. How wide is this bead she plans to use?

Maya wants to create a beaded scarf. How wide is this bead she plans to use?

Shutterstock.com

Maya stitches a striped pattern onto a piece of fabric. How wide is each stripe?

Maya stitches a striped pattern onto a piece of fabric. How wide is each stripe?

Shutterstock.com

Maya snips off extra thread after stitching a seam. How long is the piece of leftover thread?

Maya snips off extra thread after stitching a seam. How long is the piece of leftover thread?

Continue Your Learning

  • Rewatch the video “Taking Care of Business: Maya Penn” (above). Then create your own fashion masterpiece! Draw and color a sketch of a piece of clothing you would like to design. Label each type of material you would use, such as fabric, buttons, and sequins. Include at least 3 fractional measurements in your labels.
  • Go on a measurement scavenger hunt! Find 10 items in your home that are less than 1 inch long, tall, or wide. Use a ruler to measure each item. Record each item and its length. Did any of the measurements surprise you? 

Continue Your Learning

  • Rewatch the video “Taking Care of Business: Maya Penn” (above). Then create your own fashion masterpiece! Draw and color a sketch of a piece of clothing you would like to design. Label each type of material you would use, such as fabric, buttons, and sequins. Include at least 3 fractional measurements in your labels.
  • Go on a measurement scavenger hunt! Find 10 items in your home that are less than 1 inch long, tall, or wide. Use a ruler to measure each item. Record each item and its length. Did any of the measurements surprise you? 
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