Releaf Paper, an innovative Ukrainian company, has made a name for itself by proposing an ecological and original alternative to traditional paper production: the transformation of dead leaves into paper.
Traditional paper production causes many environmental problems, such as deforestation, high water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Alternative solutions, such as recycled paper, have gained in popularity, but they still have their limitations. Against this backdrop, Releaf Paper offers an innovative approach to addressing these challenges.
The Ukrainian company has developed a unique process to transform dead leaves collected from public parks and gardens into paper. This method not only reduces the consumption of natural resources, but also recycles green waste from green areas.
The transformation process begins with the collection of dead leaves, which are then dried to remove all traces of moisture. The dry leaves are crushed and mixed with water to form a pulp, which is then pressed into paper sheets. After drying, the resulting paper can be used for a variety of applications, such as printing, packaging or making paper products.
This company established in 2021 in Kiev, managed to produce more than 100 tons of paper per month during the year 2022.
Their goal is to replace the use of wood cellulose with foil fibers in most paper mills in the world.
The paper produced by Releaf Paper helps to preserve forests by reducing the demand for wood needed for paper production. Without chemical treatments such as sulphur and chlorine and without the need to cut down trees, this paper has a greatly reduced carbon footprint.
According to Releaf Paper, this results in:
- 78% less CO2 emissions compared to traditional manufacturing methods,
- 94% less water consumed compared to traditional wood pulp paper production,
- 17 trees are saved per ton of cellulose made from dead leaves.
Releaf Paper does not use dead leaves from forests, which could disturb biodiversity. Instead, the company focuses on organic waste collected in urban areas.
The company therefore encourages local communities to maintain and preserve green spaces, while creating jobs related to leaf collection and paper manufacturing.
In addition, paper made from leaves breaks down in just 30 days, while conventional paper can take up to 270 days to degrade.
Its customers already include brands such as L'Oréal, Schneider Electric, Samsung, Weleda and Ariston Thermo.
This initiative illustrates the importance of research and development of sustainable solutions to protect our environment and preserve our planet for future generations.