The Or Foundation

What The Or Foundation does

The Or Foundation is a 501(C)(3) public charity founded in 2011 and operating between the United States and Ghana, with its operational base in Accra. The organization works in solidarity with Kantamanto Market, the world's largest secondhand clothing market which handles 15-25 million garments weekly and supports over 30,000 workers including retailers, upcyclers, kayayei (female head carriers), and tailors. Its programmatic portfolio addresses three interconnected problems: (1) the human cost of fast fashion on frontline workers, via the Mabilgu Program that has supported over 290 women out of dangerous head-carrying through paid apprenticeships, scholarships, and wraparound support; (2) the environmental cost, via the Material R&D Lab (also called No More Fast Fashion Lab) that builds proprietary textile transformation machinery locally in Ghana and produces fiberboard panels, mops, and furniture, plus the Tide Turners cleanup program removing 18-30 tons of textile and plastic waste from Accra's beaches weekly; and (3) the policy and accountability gap, via the Stop Waste Colonialism campaign advocating for Globally Accountable Extended Producer Responsibility, which has garnered 10,000+ endorsements and prompted EU policy engagement.

The organization's revenue model is structured as a non-profit funding stack anchored by a $15 million, three-year Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Fund agreement with SHEIN ($5 million annually), supplemented by individual donations routed through the Secondhand Solidarity Fund (over $559,000 raised from 849 donors) and a $1 million emergency relief commitment in January 2025 following the Kantamanto Market fire. Ancillary revenue comes from product sales at the Accra Community Business Incubator store, including fiberboard furniture and upcycled mops. GTM motion is community-led (direct engagement with 30,000+ market workers via 100+ community meetings annually), event-driven (the Obroni Wawu October festival launched in 2022), and donor-funded (tax-deductible contributions via 501(C)(3) status with US Federal Tax ID 27-1488092). The team has expanded from 15 total pre-SHEIN to 37 full-time plus 5 part-time plus residents across Ghana and the US, operating from offices in Accra (headquarters, R&D lab, Mabilgu residence, store) and Tamale (regional Mabilgu office).

Name

The Or Foundation

Legal name

The Or Foundation

Website

https://theor.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Or Foundation is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit operating between the US and Ghana, working in solidarity with Kantamanto Market to address textile waste pollution, support kayayei women through apprenticeships, and advocate for Globally Accountable Extended Producer Responsibility policies on fashion's waste crisis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Justice Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO)

Keywords

• Environmental justice services
• Textile waste recycling
• Community development programs
• Sustainable fashion advocacy
• Circular economy initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Accra

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. SHEIN EPR Fund: SHEIN agreed to set up EPR fund of $50 Million over 5 years ($10 Million per year). The Or Foundation receives $5M per year for three years in two installments per year. First installment of $2.5M received June 30, 2022. Second installment received January 25, 2023.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Public donations through website, Donorbox platform, and major gift solicitations. Secondhand Solidarity Fund shows $559,496.92 raised from 849 donations against $250,000 goal. Tax-deductible contributions accepted via USA 501(C)(3) status.
3. Crisis Relief Redistribution: Redistributes funds to Kantamanto community in form of crisis relief, healthcare, debt relief, and market reconstruction. Disbursed over $500,000 in direct grants to more than 1,500 community members since 2020. Monthly disbursements for debt relief, healthcare costs, and business improvements.
4. Product Sales: Material Research and Development products including fiberboard, mops, and furniture sold commercially. Operates store in Accra for Community Business Incubator products. Yale architecture students designed flat pack furniture from fiberboard.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Or Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates programs at the intersection of environmental justice, education, and fashion development, working in solidarity with the Kantamanto Market community in Accra, Ghana. Its core offerings include community-based support programs for kayayei (female head carriers), textile waste recycling and beach cleanup operations, crisis relief and grant distribution to market workers, ecological research, and advocacy for Globally Accountable Extended Producer Responsibility policies. The organization delivers services through the Mabilgu Program, Tide Turners Cleanup Team, Kanta Keepers Market Collective, Secondhand Solidarity Fund, Material Research & Development Lab, and Community Business Incubator.

Product overview

The Or Foundation is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on catalyzing a Justice-Led Circular Economy in solidarity with Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana. Rather than a unified software product, the organization operates multiple programmatic offerings: the Mabilgu Programs providing apprenticeships for women; the Tide Turners and Kanta Keepers for environmental cleanup; the Secondhand Solidarity Fund for crisis relief; the Material Research & Development / No More Fast Fashion Lab for textile waste processing into products like fiberboard; the Ecological Research & Remediation Team for citizen science monitoring; the Community Business Incubator for entrepreneurship support; and Obroni Wawu October for community celebration. The advocacy campaigns Stop Waste Colonialism and Speak Volumes focus on policy change for Globally Accountable EPR. Together these programs address fashion's waste crisis through direct action, research, education, and policy advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mabilgu Programs Holistic paid apprenticeship program providing alternative pathways for young women (kayayei) working as head carriers in Kantamanto Market, offering wraparound support including apprenticeships, scholarships, and healthcare. The program has accompanied over 290 women out of dangerous head carrying.
• Tide Turners Cleanup Team Weekly beach cleanup initiative removing over 18 tons of textile and plastic waste from Accra's beaches in partnership with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, employing over 50 people.
• Kanta Keepers Market Collective Waste collection program employing over 30 individuals within Kantamanto Market to separate and collect textile waste, operating a municipal waste truck in partnership with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
• Secondhand Solidarity Fund Fund providing crisis relief, debt relief, healthcare support, and market reconstruction assistance to Kantamanto community members including retailers, upcyclers, and kayayei. Has distributed over $500,000 in direct grants to more than 1,500 community members since 2020.
• Material Research & Development / No More Fast Fashion Lab (MTTL) Laboratory developing methodologies and infrastructure to collect, sort, transport, and process textile waste, creating products such as fiberboard and mops through locally-built machinery. Capacity to process up to one ton of textile waste per day. Reached production capacity of 30 fiberboards (125 sq ft / 38 sq m, 45kg panels) per week with equipment built entirely in Ghana from scrap metal.
• Ecological Research & Remediation Team Citizen science program conducting weekly beach monitoring, water and air sampling analysis, and tracking textile pollution across Accra's coastal environment. Has analyzed 1,704+ water samples for microfiber pollution. Operates a hybrid-solar powered research vessel 'The Woman Who Does Not Fear' and air sampling monitors using Coriolis sampler from Bertin Instruments.
• Community Business Incubator Business development program providing support to upcycling and resale businesses within Kantamanto, offering curriculum on financial planning, marketing, and quality control with catalytic seed funding. Operates a retail store in Accra for selling remanufactured products.
• Obroni Wawu October Festival Annual October festival celebrating Kantamanto Market and building solidarity with secondhand markets across the Global South, led by Community Engagement and Community Business Incubator teams. Over 600 attendees at the inaugural event.
• Stop Waste Colonialism Campaign Policy campaign advocating for Globally Accountable Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles, calling for internalization of waste management costs and production volume disclosures. Position paper has gathered over 10,000 endorsements. Led delegation trips to EU and US for policy change.
• Speak Volumes Campaign Transparency initiative calling on fashion brands to disclose production volumes as an industry standard, organized as part of the Stop Waste Colonialism campaign.
• Collectofus 2.0 Peer-based exchange program engaging emerging designers through social media, offering micro-grants to create bespoke garments using garment co-construction as a vehicle for sustainable relationships.

Quantifiable outcome

• 163 women supported to leave headcarrying, 100 in active apprenticeships, 41 graduated from Mabilgu Program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ghana Used Clothes Dealers Association (GUCDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Kantamanto Market governance. Notified and invited to collaborate on 2025 fire relief efforts as vital stakeholder in community.
• Accra Metropolitan AssemblycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with waste management department for beach cleanups (removing 18+ tons weekly), Kanta Keepers waste collection program, and market upfitting. Operates municipal waste truck in partnership with The Or Foundation. Director of Waste Management Eng. Solomon Noi touring secondhand markets across African continent.
• Footprints AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner providing training insights for Incubator program development. Transitioned to Impact Footprints Africa in 2024 operating as fully local team in Accra.
• Bravehearts ExpeditionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpedition operator for Agbetsi Living Water Swim for Science Expedition, 450km down Volta River System.
• Vestiaire CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted delegation from Kantamanto Market and The Or Foundation in November 2022 to meet with French producer responsibility organization Refashion and French Ministry for Ecological Transition. Endorsed Stop Waste Colonialism position paper.
• Refashion (French EPR Program)minorOthersMet with during delegation trip to Paris. The Or Foundation calling for French EPR program to make €5.7million available in grant funds to leading recipients of secondhand clothing exported from France.
• Yale Architecture StudentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigned and built flat pack furniture from fiberboard as part of material R&D collaboration.
• Wee-NorthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create extended training program for 10 Mabilgu participants in Tamale, teaching bricklaying, tiling, plumbing, electrical installation, carpentry, and welding with housing included.
• Nova Wellness CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccra-based chiropractic partner for Kayayei Chiropractic Research and Treatment Program. Dr. Naa Asheley Dordor conducted extensive evaluations with 100 women including X-rays and health screenings.
• Won Bee Ga Ba!minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on beach cleanup operations and textile tentacle removal alongside Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
• Stop Waste Colonialism Campaign EndorsersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndorsed by Fashion Revolution, Circle Economy, Fibershed, Lagos Fashion Week, Vestiaire Collective, En Mode Climat, African Circular Economy Network, RoundAbout Community, Buzigahill, and European Environmental Bureau. Over 10,000 individual endorsements.
• Precious Plastic (Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaul DuFour worked with Precious Plastic in Netherlands before joining The Or Foundation, bringing material transformation expertise.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theorispresent
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrUw3BCtKjHV-SnD3_HymIg/featured
• Instagraminstagram.com/theorispresent
• Facebookfacebook.com/theorispresent
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theorispresent

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Or Foundation