MEET THE TEAM
Two Founders, One Pineapple-Powered Mission
How Sydney and Erika are reimagining the humble hair tie, and why the planet is the better for it.
Hi, hello, and welcome to the corner of the internet where engineering nerds, marketing strategists, and pineapple scraps somehow all hang out together. We are Piña Designs, a women-led, sustainability-obsessed brand on a mission to make the world a little less wasteful, one hair tie at a time.
Before we get into the lookbook-worthy details (founders! coffee orders! college capstone stories!), here is the stat that started it all: every single day, 15 million hair ties are lost or tossed in the United States. That is 25,000 pounds of waste, about five elephants' worth, vanishing into landfills and oceans every 24 hours. And because synthetic hair ties take 500 years to break down, every one ever made is, somewhere, still very much around. Cute (not!).
We refused to keep contributing to that pile. So we built a better one. (Hair tie, that is. Not pile.)
How the Whole Thing Started
Piña Designs was born during a business capstone at the University of Colorado Boulder, where a group of driven women started asking the same question: why are hair accessories, something we use every single day, so behind on sustainability? One whiteboard session turned into late-night research, which turned into prototypes, which turned into something that felt undeniably real.
In 2023, we threw our scrunchies in the ring at CU Boulder's New Venture Challenge. Out of more than 100 teams, we landed in the top five. A tiny milestone, a giant exhale, and proof that this idea was worth fighting for. Today, our hair ties are crafted from pineapple scraps (yes, really), 100% biodegradable, and a portion of every purchase goes back into the communities that inspire us.
Meet Sydney, Co-Founder & Chief Design Officer
Sydney is the brain behind the build. With a Bachelor's in Integrated Design Engineering and a Master's in Sports Engineering, she is the rare human who can talk material science and color palettes in the same breath. As CDO, Sydney leads creative and product development at Piña, shepherding The Piña Everyday Hair Tie® from "what if?" napkin sketch through prototyping, testing, and production.
Her design philosophy in one sentence: products should be high-performing AND planet-friendly. No compromise, no asterisk. Every stretch, every snap-back, every shade has been engineered to earn its place on your wrist.
Off the clock, Sydney is outside biking, hot girl walking, or reading her books. She is always trying new things, from sports to restaurants. Ask her about what she is currently reading and clear your schedule.
Meet Erika, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer
Erika is the engine that keeps Piña humming. With a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and a background in integrated marketing, brand communications, and operations, she is fluent in both spreadsheet and storytelling. As COO, she owns vendor relationships, operational systems, and the behind-the-scenes choreography that turns a great idea into a great delivery.
She is the friend you want planning a trip, a launch, or a Tuesday: she sees the big picture, sweats the small details, and somehow makes both look effortless. If a partnership lands, a product ships, or a process actually… processes, there is a very good chance Erika built the runway.
When she's not deep in logistics, you'll find her chasing a sunny patch with a good book or stress-testing whatever recipe TikTok served up that week. Ask her about her next trip or music festival and odds are high you'll leave with a spot on the invite list.
Why We Do This
Piña Designs is not just a hair tie company. It is a wager that sustainable living can be the default, not the splurge. We make our products with fair, ethical labor. We work to minimize carbon emissions and waste at every step. And because we believe community is the secret ingredient in any climate fight, a portion of our profits are reinvested into initiatives focused on environmental preservation and social progress.
Our hope is simple: that Piña Designs becomes the kind of brand you reach for not because it is convenient, but because it lines up with how you want to live. The kind of small daily choice that, multiplied across millions of wrists and ponytails, actually moves the needle.
Thanks for being here. Thanks for caring. And thanks, sincerely, for choosing the hair tie that won't outlive your great-great-great-grandchildren.
Sydney & Erika