A Ukrainian company is reimagining urban waste by transforming fallen leaves into eco-friendly pulp and packaging paper, thereby cutting carbon, saving water, and leaving forests untouched.
Growing Without Cutting Down Trees
Releaf Paper, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, is exploring an alternative approach to sustainable packaging by turning urban leaf litter into recyclable paper products.
Launched only a few years ago, the startup has gained attention across Europe for its circular economy model, which centres on using fallen leaves (typically seen as municipal waste) as a raw material. A pilot production line is already operating near Paris, and further expansion plans are in progress.
The concept is relatively straightforward, i.e. leaves gathered from streets and parks are cleaned, dried, and processed into pulp. That pulp is then used to produce kraft-style paper, which has been adopted by several major brands, including Chanel, Samsung, and Uber Eats.
Why?
Traditional paper manufacturing is resource-intensive. For example, virgin kraft paper (paper made from freshly harvested wood pulp) typically has a carbon footprint of around 1,500 kg CO₂e per tonne. Even recycled paper clocks in at 1,300 kg CO₂e per tonne, depending on the energy mix used.
By contrast, Releaf Paper says its product emits just 303.77 kg CO₂e per tonne, which is four to five times less than its conventional competitors. It should be noted that this figure has been independently verified by ClimatePartner.
It seems also that the savings in Releaf’s manufacturing process don’t stop at emissions. For example:
– Water usage. Just 0.002 litres per kilogram of paper, compared to thousands of litres in traditional processes.
– Transport emissions. Leaves are collected from within 20km of production sites.
– Decomposition rate. Releaf paper biodegrades in 30–55 days—much faster than standard paper, which can take up to 270 days.
“By transforming fallen leaves into pulp, we’re proving that sustainable materials can be locally sourced, high-quality, and scalable,” says CEO Alexander Sobolenko. “This isn’t just a packaging solution—it’s a shift in mindset.”
How It Works
The process begins with green waste that would normally be burned or landfilled. Leaves are collected from urban areas by public utility services, then cleaned and dried. Releaf then uses its proprietary combination of mechanical and thermo-chemical methods to convert this biomass into paper-grade pulp.
This pulp is then blended with recycled fibres (usually around a 40:60 mix) to create the final product, which is ‘Releaf Natural Kraft’. This is a durable, recyclable paper used in everything from retail bags and ecommerce mailers to wrapping paper and corrugated boxes.
Expansion On The Cards
The current production facility in Zmiiiv, Ukraine, can handle up to 3,000 tonnes per year, but it looks as though expansion is firmly on the cards. A €3.5 million EU-backed pilot line in Les Mureaux, just outside Paris, opened in late 2024, and Releaf also plans to raise €8 million in Series A funding this year to expand its footprint across Europe and into North America and Asia.
Why It’s Proving Popular
According to Releaf, it’s not just the environmental numbers that are getting attention. In an era where consumers increasingly demand sustainability (and are willing to pay for it), Releaf Paper is able to help brands make good on their green promises. For example, according to data from the company:
– 82 per cent of consumers are now willing to pay more for sustainable packaging.
– Among Gen-Z, that figure rises to 90 per cent.
– 71 per cent of all consumers say they’ve chosen a product based on its sustainability credentials in the last six months.
It seems that from luxury retailers like Chanel to tech brands like Logitech, companies are turning to Releaf to help meet both regulatory and reputational pressures.
In France, for example, Uber Eats recently partnered with Releaf to deploy nearly 100,000 biodegradable bags across select restaurants in Paris, helping to reduce single-use plastic waste in food delivery.
“For us, this is more than just sustainable packaging—it’s about helping businesses shift their entire mindset towards the circular economy,” explains Valentyn Frechka, Releaf’s 23-year-old Head of Technology and the inventor behind the leaf-to-paper process.
The Changing Paper Industry
Releaf’s rise also shines a light on a sector undergoing major transformation. For example, the global green packaging market is projected to grow at 6.1 per cent CAGR from 2020 to 2028, fuelled by both consumer pressure and legislative crackdowns on plastics and unsustainable materials.
Other Companies Making Similar Products
It should be noted here that other companies are also starting to explore similar bio-based materials. For example, in India, Craste is making packaging from agricultural waste like wheat and rice straw. In the US, Sway has created seaweed-based plastic alternatives, and Notpla is producing biodegradable packaging from seaweed and plants. Also, Green Banana Paper in the Pacific Islands is turning discarded banana stems into paper products.
However, Releaf appears to be the only player working at scale with urban foliage. It seems that their approach has the advantage of being able to uniquely intersect municipal waste management, carbon reduction, and packaging innovation, all while tapping into a free, abundant, and renewable feedstock.
Still Some Challenges
Despite its success to date, Releaf’s business model is not without potential limitations. For example, some of its key challenges include:
– Supply chain variability. Fallen leaves are seasonal, and their availability varies by climate and geography. To ensure consistent production, Releaf must build a robust storage and logistics infrastructure, something that can be expensive and operationally complex.
– Scaling up. While the company’s innovation centre in France is promising, widespread adoption will require building multiple decentralised facilities close to raw material sources. That means further investment, local partnerships, and navigating regulatory frameworks in different markets.
– Public perception. While the idea of paper made from leaves sounds appealing, some buyers may question its durability or suitability for certain applications compared to traditional materials.
However, Releaf’s early customer list, which includes Chanel, Schneider Electric, BNP Paribas and LVMH, suggests those concerns can be overcome, especially with clear data and product performance guarantees.
What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?
Releaf Paper’s approach may not yet be mainstream, but it appears to offer a compelling glimpse into what the future of packaging could look like. By turning a common urban waste product into a viable raw material, the company is challenging assumptions about where value can be found, and how sustainable innovation can be embedded into everyday supply chains. For a sector long associated with high resource use and deforestation, it introduces a practical alternative that doesn’t rely on virgin materials, heavy water usage, or long transport routes.
For UK businesses, particularly those in retail, ecommerce, or food delivery, the model could offer a timely opportunity. With mounting pressure from customers, investors, and regulators to reduce environmental impact, adopting packaging solutions like Releaf’s could help demonstrate real progress toward net-zero goals. The fact that the paper can be used across multiple formats, from retail bags to corrugated boxes, also makes it commercially adaptable. If UK import partners or local versions of this technology emerge, the shorter supply chain distances could amplify its appeal.
That said, this is still an emerging solution. The long-term scalability of leaf-based pulp remains to be proven, particularly in regions with less consistent leaf collection systems or more limited municipal infrastructure. Also, while early adopters are finding success with the material, broader uptake may depend on further evidence of performance, durability, and cost competitiveness over time.
Even so, it seems that Releaf Paper has changed the conversation to one that invites competitors, cities, and entire industries to reconsider what we throw away and what we could be putting to better use. If paper doesn’t have to come from trees, and if waste can become a resource, then the packaging industry may be on the cusp of something genuinely transformative. Whether Releaf leads that charge, or whether others follow with similar ideas, the direction of travel is becoming clearer. Urban waste may no longer be seen simply as a problem to manage, but as part of the solution.