Capturing the spirit of social entrepreneurship: ‘from a mother to another’

The dominant structure of the fashion industry focuses on lower pricing, encouraging increased consumption and disposal of garments. Given the lack of industry responsiveness to alternative, more sustainable routes of consumption, grassroots movements and social entrepreneurship offer alternative markets that make the most of scarce resources and support those living in poverty. This chapter examines social entrepreneurship as a means for creating a sustainable activity which involves redistributing used children’s clothing in informal and formal communities. The chapter is structured as follows. Firstly, theories of social entrepreneurship are outlined by exploring the conceptual thinking around how social entrepreneurship mobilises resources to produce value. This is followed by a description of the methodological approach used to explain how the study was implemented. Finally, findings are presented that provide examples of informal enterprise underpinned by sustainable values, which lead into a discussion that considers the potential for formal enterprise to emerge as a response.