The Or Foundation

The Or Foundation
Founded2011
FoundersLiz Ricketts
Branson Skinner
Type501(c)(3) charitable organization
Location(s)
Websitehttps://theor.org/

The Or Foundation is a non-profit organization operating in the United States and Ghana that works at the intersection of environmental justice, education, and fashion development.[1][2]

History

The Or Foundation was co-founded in 2011 by Liz Ricketts and Branson Skinner with its primary mission to identify alternatives to the dominant linear model of the fashion industry.[3][4] In 2016 the non-profit shifted gears from educational programming to focus on supporting Kantamanto Market, which sees an estimated 15 million secondhand garments every week from countries like the USA and UK with 40% of these garments leaving the market as waste.[5]

In 2024, the foundation launched a collection of upcycled clothing by independent Ghana artists on Vestiaire Collective.[6] In January 2025, after the fire of the Kantamanto Market in Accra, the foundation committed $1 million in support of emergency fire relief efforts,[7] and committed to finance the electrification and installation of a security system throughout the new market.[8] The Ghana Used Clothing Dealers’ Association (GUCDA), which represents importers of secondhand clothing, accused The Or Foundation of publishing false data aiming to tarnish the image of the used clothing sector in Ghana.[9] However, the market traders responded in support of the non-profit.[10]

Activities

The foundation is known for its on-the-ground research and direct-action programs centered on the Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana, the world's largest market for secondhand clothing.[11][12]

The foundation contributes to the Speak Volumes campaign which demands major clothing manufacturers to publicly disclose the real volume of their annual production.[13]

References

  1. ^ "The Or Foundation, Accra Metropolitan Assembly call for systemic change, not a total ban on second-hand clothing imports in Ghana". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  2. ^ "OR Foundation's textile waste claim angers Ghana Used Clothing Dealers Association - MyJoyOnline". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  3. ^ "We have no plans of buying Katamanto market - OR Foundation clears air". 2025-04-15. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  4. ^ Ricketts, Liz (2024-09-12). "It's Time Brands Got Honest About Overproduction Ruining Creativity". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  5. ^ "'Dead white man's clothes': The dirty secret behind the world's fashion addiction". ABC News. 2021-08-11. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  6. ^ Richford, Rhonda (2024-11-29). "EXCLUSIVE: The Or Foundation Launches Upcycled Collection From Ghanian Designers on Vestiaire Collective". WWD. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  7. ^ "Or Foundation commits $1 million for Kantamanto Market fire relief". Philanthropy News Digest (PND). 8 January 2025. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  8. ^ "OR Foundation announces electrification plan for Kantamanto market". 2025-04-16. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  9. ^ Times, Ghanaian (2025-04-11). "Katamanto traders protest OR Foundation research findings". Ghanaian Times. Accra, Ghana. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  10. ^ Kudah, Caleb (2025-04-12). "Kantamanto Market distances itself from GUCDA strike, affirm ties with OR Foundation". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  11. ^ Marc, Jenny; CNN (2023-08-10). "Kantamanto market: At one of the world's largest clothing dumps, textiles are getting a new lease of life". CNN. Retrieved 2025-07-23. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  12. ^ Britten, Fleur (2022-06-08). "Fast-fashion giant Shein pledges $15m for textile waste workers in Ghana". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  13. ^ Roussel, Claire (2024-10-15). "Interview de Liz Ricketts, the OR Foundation". The Good Goods (in French). Retrieved 2025-07-30.
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