DOLE PACKAGED FOODS, RAIS CASE AND ANANAS ANAM TEAM UP TO TURN ORGANIC WASTE INTO CIRCULAR FASHION

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., April 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Dole Packaged Foods, LLC, teams up with Rais Case, a Southern California circular design brand, and Ananas Anam, creator of Piñatex^®, to create a beautiful solution to organic waste, turning it into functional fashion. Today on Earth Day, Dole and Rais Case announce 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,” said 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,” said 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,” said 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.”

Beyond this collaboration, Piñatex^® has been used by global lifestyle brands including Nike, Hugo Boss, H&M, Paul Smith and the Hilton Hotel London Bankside for the world’s first vegan suite.

To learn more about the collaboration, check out this video and visit https://www.raiscase.com/collections/dole-collab. 

About Dole Packaged Foods, LLC
Dole Packaged Foods, LLC, is a world leader in growing, sourcing, distributing, and marketing fruit and healthy snacks in four core categories: Beverage, Snacks, Frozen, and Pantry. The company sells a full line of packaged shelf stable fruit, frozen fruit, dried fruit and juices and focuses on supporting four pillars of sustainability: water management, carbon footprint, soil conservation and waste reduction. For more information, please visit dolesunshine.com

About Rais Case
Rais Case, LLC is a California based brand dedicated to making timeless bags that create community and support the well-being of people and planet. Committed to quality over quantity, sustainability, and USA based artisanal production, Rais Case promotes social responsibility in durable goods rather than chasing trends. The company is on a journey of blending tradition with innovation, and believes business can make a positive impact in the world.

About Ananas Anam 
Ananas Anam is a B-Corp^™ certified company responsible for developing innovative plant-based textiles disrupting the world of fashion materials and leading the way in sustainability. Their pioneering approach and progressive business model are driven by creative thinking, seeking out new ingenious technologies, and showing that ethics and business can be combined successfully. Ananas Anam’s instinctive and heartfelt desire is to protect and nurture; thereby building a better future for people and planet.

SOURCE Dole Packaged Foods, LLC