Maya Penn turned $200 into a sustainable fashion business and gave 10% to charity

At an age when most children were still figuring out what they wanted to do after school, Maya Penn was already making and selling her own accessories. The Atlanta youngster began with handmade headbands created from materials available at home, then gradually turned that small experiment into ‘Maya’s Ideas’, a business centred on clothing and accessories made with recycled and organic materials. By the time she was 12, Penn had attracted coverage from several major publications and television outlets, while her company was projected to generate about $55,000 in sales for the year., Penn planned to donate 10% of her profits to organisations in the Atlanta area.How Maya Penn started her sustainable fashion business at age eightPenn's first steps into business were fairly modest. At eight, she began making ribbon headbands for family friends, using fabric her mother already had around the house as well as pieces from recycled vintage clothing.In an interview with Entrepreneur in 2013, she shared that when she needed materials that were not available at home, her mother provided a budget of $200. Penn used that initial support to buy supplies, then put money from early sales back into...