The Or Foundation

Last updated
The Or Foundation
Founded2011
FoundersLiz Ricketts
Branson Skinner
Type 501(c)(3) charitable organization
Location
Website https://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]

Contents

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] Starting in 2016, the non-profit started to focus its actions on used clothing in Ghana, a country that gathers 40% more used clothing waste than the United States or Europe. [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 accused The Or Foundation to publish false data aiming to tarnish the image of the used clothing sector in Ghana. [9]

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. [10] [11]

The foundation contributes to the Speak Volumes campaign which demands major clothing manufacturers to publicly disclose the real volume of their annual production. [12]

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. ↑ "Saviez-vous que vos vêtements "à donner" finissent dans des décharges au Ghana ?". Marie Claire (in French). Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  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. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  10. ↑ 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)
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ 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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