More than 60 percent of Americans recycle their paper products, and the paper industry has made strides forward in using recycled materials. However, paper still adds to our landfills more than any other material, making up an estimated 23 percent of America’s solid municipal waste. The Department of Energy estimates that the country’s paper waste represents $4 billion in lost economic value. Now, a startup is working on a paper that uses dead leaves as a biodegradable source material to reduce paper waste and improve sustainability within the industry.
Releaf Paper was founded to create paper and packaging from green waste. The company was launched in 2021 in Ukraine and now holds offices in Kyiv and Paris. To date, Releaf holds five patents for green paper, packaging, and fiber products. However, one of their most remarkable products is Releaf’s natural kraft liner paper.
The company is the first to use paper made from fallen leaves, explaining on their website: “The average city collects at least 8,000 tons of leaves annually, and the total potential of Europe exceeds 1 million tons only from urban areas. What if we found a way to turn this waste into paper?”
Releaf partners with waste management companies across Europe to obtain leaf litter, which would otherwise be burned. The company then takes the leaf litter, washes the leaves, mixes them with biological fillers, and lets them dry. When dry, Releaf uses the leaves as 40 percent of the makeup of their paper. The remaining 60 percent of the paper is produced using recycled materials. Releaf can currently produce 3,000 tons of materials per year. Produced in large rolls, the paper can be used in many ways, including corrugated boxes, package mailer bags, paper shopping bags, and more.
In addition to producing paper, Releaf serves small and industrial customers with other products. The company creates a filler material made of green waste, including wood pulp, which can be used as an ingredient in the paper-making process for other companies looking to create a more sustainable product. The brand is trusted by many high-profile names, including Chanel, Nyx, Weleda, LVMH, and Samsung, all of which have incorporated Releaf’s green packaging materials into their supply chains to reach corporate sustainability goals.
The current challenge for Releaf is becoming price-competitive. In an interview earlier this year, the company noted that Releaf products will be slightly more expensive than traditional alternatives. They attribute this to being relatively small and trying to break into the market. Time will determine whether they can lower their prices enough to compete with more prominent industry players.
Releaf is not the first company to try to solve the paper industry’s tree problem. GreenLine Paper Company, founded in 1922, has been working to solve this problem for more than 100 years. GreenLine sells only tree-free or recycled paper products to its customers. “Unlike conventional office product companies, GreenLine is owned and operated by environmentalists—that’s why ‘every purchase is a trustworthy investment in a better world,’” explains the company.
Releaf is also not the only new entrant to the alternative paper market. Eco:fibr was founded in Germany in 2022 and is working to create pulp from a genuinely unusual source: pineapple leaves. When pineapples are harvested, the plants they leave behind can be challenging to compost. Eco:fibr is partnering with Costa Rican pineapple farms to help combat plant waste from the pineapple industry.
Releaf is not alone in its efforts to develop a more sustainable paper industry, but it has carved out a niche solution in repurposing leaf litter. Innovation can help drive efficiencies and reduce waste, and Releaf could play a role in transforming the industry.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.
