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8th Grade  Project 6 weeks

Eco Chic: Fashion Forward Sustainability

Sarah F
Updated
MS-PS1-2
MS-PS1-5
MS-ESS3-4
MS-PS1-3
MS-PS1-1
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The Challenge

When you buy low-cost clothing made from synthetic or blended materials, you contribute to a system that uses large amounts of natural resources, creates chemical pollution and textile waste, and makes reuse or recycling difficult. As populations and clothing consumption increase, these material choices place greater strain on Earth’s systems through resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.

Challenge Question

How might we address fast fashion waste in NYC so that teens and young adults can access affordable, low-waste clothing?

Standards

  • [New York] MS-PS1-2 - Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
  • [New York] MS-PS1-5 - Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved.
  • [New York] MS-ESS3-4 - Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
  • [New York] MS-PS1-3 - Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
  • [New York] MS-PS1-1 - Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.

Learning Partners and Clients

Materials for the Arts in NYC can serve as a key partner by showing students how discarded textiles can be collected, sorted, and creatively reused for new fashion products. The New York Textile Lab can connect students with designers and material experts who work with sustainable fibers and circular fashion practices. NYC teens and young adults can act as the authentic audience and client group for student designs, feedback, and the final awareness-focused fashion show. These partners give students real examples of how material choices affect waste, consumption, and environmental impact in their own city.

Phase Overview

Phase Key Experiences
Discover
I can investigate a pile of real clothing tags, fabric samples, and discarded garments from NYC, then trace where the materials came from and where they go after use to uncover why fast fashion creates waste, pollution, and affordability problems for teens.
Examine
I can analyze clothing labels and fiber samples to identify which materials are natural or synthetic and explain how their source materials affect people and the environment. I can gather evidence from local waste data, short interviews, and partner examples from Materials for the Arts or the New York Textile Lab to describe how clothing consumption impacts Earth's systems in NYC. I can model simple molecules and fabric materials to show how atoms are arranged in common textiles and why synthetic materials come from natural resources. I can interpret data from dyeing, bleaching, or fabric treatment demonstrations to determine when a chemical reaction has occurred. I can use particle and mass models to explain that even when textile materials change in a reaction, the total number of atoms stays the same.
Engineer
I can develop a sustainable fashion accessory from repurposed textiles that meets a real need for NYC teens, using a labeled model to justify my material choices, show atom conservation in any material changes, and explain how the design can reduce waste and pollution.
Do
I can collect feedback and simple use-data from classmates or community members, track durability and material performance, and analyze results to determine how well my sustainable fashion item helps reduce waste and raise awareness about fast fashion.
Share
I can share my sustainable fashion item and learning journey through a community fashion show and display talk for peers, families, school staff, and local partners, explaining how my evidence supports the design's impact on textile waste and what I learned about myself as a problem-solver, collaborator, and advocate for more responsible fashion choices.