Author: Nadia Yaakoubi
October 24, 2024 — 4 min read
In the heart of Prague, two visionaries are reshaping STEAM education. Linette Manuel and Barbara Rakovská, co-founders of the Makeful platform, have combined fashion and 3D printing to create an innovative educational platform. Their mission? Inspire the next generation of innovators, especially girls, by breaking down the boundaries between different disciplines and encouraging a "lab mindset." This is the story of how Makeful is transforming classrooms, empowering educators, and sparking a passion for technology and creativity in students around the world.
"3D printing technology turns theoretical concepts into tangible experiences, allowing students to bring their ideas to life. It's not just about fashion; it's about empowering girls to explore technical fields, break barriers and love innovation."
– Linette Manuel, co-founder of Makeful
Makeful's journey began with a shared sense of frustration. Linette Manuel, former IBM Developer Advocate, and Barbara Rakovská, industrial designer, recognized a key problem in the education system: despite the growing importance of technology, children - especially girls - were not introduced to these skills early enough.
"I saw incredible technological possibilities at IBM," Lynette recalled. "But I kept asking myself: why don't we teach children that earlier?"
Barbara, with her perspective from the world of fashion, shared a similar attitude.
"I realized that education should embrace creativity, sustainability and modern technological trends, especially for young students," she explains.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a watershed moment. She encouraged both women to rethink their priorities and combine their passions. Thus, a shared vision was born: using fashion technology as a powerful tool to inspire students and revolutionize STEAM education.
Makeful was created as an innovative solution to the challenges Lynette and Barbara identified. They created an accelerator program for teachers, focused on integrating fashion technology into STEAM classes. At the heart of their methodology is 3D printing, which allows students to design and create their own fashion items.
"We don't just do 3D printed fashion," Lynette explains. "Our mission is to empower girls to explore technical fields, break barriers and love innovation."
This hands-on and creative approach has proven particularly effective in encouraging girls to get involved in STEM fields, where they have traditionally been underrepresented.
Barbara adds:
"We want to develop a 'laboratory mindset' in students and encourage them not to be afraid to cross the boundaries of different disciplines."
Sustainability is key at Makeful. They work with innovative filaments that contribute to ecological fashion, such as biodegradable and air-purifying materials. They also teach modular design to reduce waste in fashion production. Through these initiatives, Makeful inspires the next generation of innovators to create sustainable solutions, showing students how technology can solve environmental challenges.
The impact of Makeful's innovative approach was immediate and significant.
"Teachers who have joined our Accelerator are already seeing how 3D printed fashion can be a powerful tool to make STEAM education more engaging for girls," Lynette reports.
The program not only teaches technical skills, but also fosters creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
As Makeful's impact spreads, Lynette and Barbara offer practical advice:
"Start with small projects," advises Lynette. "Experiment with different materials and techniques, such as modular fashion or repurposing existing objects using 3D printing."
Barbara adds:
"When choosing a 3D printer for fashion technology education, focus on ease of use, affordability and the ability to print flexible materials."
For more information about Makeful's programs, visit their website at www.make-ful.com .
The future of STEAM education is here, where fashion and technology come together to create endless possibilities.
