Dole Packaged Foods, LLC has recently joined hands with Southern California circular design brand, Rais Case and Ananas Anam, creator of Piñatex for the creation of a beautiful solution to organic waste, turning it into functional fashion.
Read: April Issue of Food Infotech Magazine.
On Earth Day, Dole and Rais Case had announced a limited-edition Vida Bag made with Piñatex, an innovative, vegan leather alternative created by Ananas Anam using pineapple leaf fibers from the Dole Philippines farms. These cutting-edge brands have come together to demonstrate how to make unique pieces that help reduce organic waste in our world.
“For every ton of pineapples harvested, three tons of pineapple leaves are discarded, making it our job to find ways to reduce and repurpose our waste as much as we can. In addition to using the discarded leaves as fertilizer, partners like Ananas Anam and Rais Case help us find beautiful solutions to reduce waste in a meaningful, unique way,” stated Orzse Hodi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Dole Packaged Foods, Americas. “In the last year, Dole has been able to achieve 83% reduction in organic waste in our global operations and this partnership is one way we are doing that.”
Rooted in values of circular design and responsible business practices, Rais Case creates timeless handbags and accessories that support the well-being of the planet. Made with the highest quality materials available, all bags are designed, manufactured and shipped from San Diego, CA and engineered to last.
“Circular design is always top of mind for Rais Case. We are constantly trying to find ways to create durable, timeless, repairable goods that generate zero waste and support a circular economy,” stated Julie Rais Ellis, Founder of Rais Case. “When we discovered Piñatex, we felt it really resonated with our values: taking organic waste and making it into a durable leather alternative. This is a bag to feel proud to carry because of the beginning-to-end intention that went into it: from sourcing the pineapple leaves, to the transformation to Piñatex, and the design that went into handcrafting these bags. Gold was selected to evoke sunshine, and the bright blue interior lining symbolizes the bright blue sky at the Dole pineapple farm in the Philippines.”
Piñatex is a vegan leather alternative to petroleum-based textiles that takes organic waste, such as the pineapple leaves sourced at the Dole Philippines farm, along with other farms around the world and turns it into a beautiful, strong, lightweight textile suitable for fashion accessories, furnishings and beyond. Made with natural pineapple leaf fibers, Piñatex is free of harmful chemicals or animal products.
“These types of collaborations like ours with Dole and Rais Case are so important on this journey to improving our planet and the lives of people,” stated Dr. Carmen Hijosa, Founder and Chief Creative & Innovation Officer of Ananas Anam. “Dole is a critical partner for us in sourcing fibers to begin the textile making process. When companies come together, we can create beautiful change to help support people and our planet.”