The Or Foundation: Transforming Textile Waste into Cassaboard and Tarnty

The Or Foundation, a non-profit founded in Accra, Ghana, in 2011, is tackling the fast fashion crisis by transforming textile waste into new materials. Operating at the intersection of environmental justice, education, and fashion development, the Foundation focuses on Kantamanto market, which receives approximately 15 million second-hand garments weekly from the UK, Europe, and North America. Through its Material Technology and Transformation Lab (MTTL), the Foundation has developed two innovative materials: Cassaboard, a biocomposite made from post-consumer clothing waste and cassava-based binders, and Tarnty, a circular yarn made from discarded T-shirts. Both materials will debut at Material Matters in London during London Design Week 2026 (September 12-20). The Foundation also conducts on-the-ground waste collection with Accra's waste management department, removing over 18 tonnes of textile and plastic waste from beaches weekly with a team of over 50 paid workers. Additionally, the Secondhand Solidarity Fund provides emergency financial support to market traders affected by fires and floods, distributing hundreds of thousands of dollars and fire extinguishers. The Foundation's work is guided by principles of Reckoning, Recovery, and Reparations, aiming for systemic change towards a circular economy.