DeLaney Aarhaus with The Pinya Project and Special Co-Host Sherri Barry
The Pinya Project is the beginning of a revolution in the fashion industry. Shopping for a handbag is now environmentally-friendly. They have developed luxury-style handbags from a leather-alternative, Pinatex. This innovative material is made from pineapple plants! 
Pineapples in the Philippines are farmed for their fruit, and the fibers from the leaves that usually get burned away or left to rot are felted into a material similar to leather. Pinatex is water-resistant, durable, and most importantly, it doesn’t harm the environment!
The Pinya Bag is the first of their designs to launch and will be available on Kickstarter this June. Follow Melior Handbags on Facebook and on Instagram to find out more about getting your very own Pinya Bag and bringing this brand to life!
DeLaney Aarhaus has traveled to over 50 countries and is only 22 years old. It is because of her opportunities to see so many different places that she has fallen in love with planet, and is determined to improve its condition. She also loves fashion, and had a hard time finding an eco-friendly handbag that fit her style. She wanted a design that was sleek and professional, and when she found out other women felt the same way, she took action.
She is part of the Blacksmith Entrepreneurial Community. This has given her the opportunity to work with three different business mentors. She is learning from experienced entrepreneurs to ensure that The Pinya Project grows into the company to pioneer an Earth-friendly fashion industry.
Sherri Barry is a fashion design entrepreneur. She started her career at Brown Shoe Company, where she quickly moved up the ranks to become Vice President of Operations, opening over 300 retail locations across the country. Sherri left the corporate world in pursuit of becoming an entrepreneur. She then earned a Master of Business Administration from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
Shortly after getting her Masters Degree, Sherri started an apparel company. The struggles of manufacturing in California ignited her passion for creating a reliable local resource for emerging designers. In 2016, Sherri founded “Arizona Fashion Source,” a small-batch apparel manufacturer, and “Events at F.A.B.R.I.C,” a fashion venue hosting a wide variety of corporate and private events. She also co-founded F.A.B.R.I.C, a full-service fashion incubator, and Arizona Apparel Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit supporting emerging designers.
Follow F.A.B.R.I.C on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
UPDATE from DeLaney on May 20 2019
Hello Phoenix Business Radio X listeners!
During the show, we were all so engulfed in the topics we we’re discussing that I didn’t have time to talk about the name of the brand. I had had my heart set on the name “EcoLuxe,” but the day before this live interview, I found out that EcoLuxe handbags already existed.
I truly thought that I had done my due diligence, but I’m a newbie at business, so mistakes are bound to be made. I was devastated! I referred to the Kickstarter campaign and the brand as “The Pinya Project.”
But I have good news everyone! I have found a name that is even better… Introducing MELIOR Handbags!
Melior and variations of this word in many languages means “better.” It is a Latin word originally. And in 1868, leading author of the Victorian era, George Eliot (who was really a woman named Mary Ann Evans), coined the term “Meliorism”. It is a philosophy defined as “the belief that the world can be made better through human effort.” It perfectly describes the brand, and I couldn’t be happier with the change.
Follow Melior Handbags on Facebook and on Instagram to find out more about getting your very own Pinya Bag and bringing this brand to life!
Thank you for listening!
DeLaney Aarhaus
