Every autumn, city streets are covered with millions of fallen leaves, creating a seasonal waste management challenge for municipalities. Ukrainian founded, Paris based materials company Releaf sees something different in this familiar urban waste: an alternative industrial raw material that could reduce the paper industry’s dependence on conventional wood fibres. By transforming collected leaves into usable fibres and paper components, the company is working to bring circular economy principles into mainstream packaging production.
Founded by Valentyn Frechka, Releaf has developed technologies that convert fallen leaves into materials for paper, packaging and other industrial applications. Rather than building its own paper mills, the company works with established manufacturers, allowing its materials to enter existing production processes.
Turning Urban Waste Into Industrial Fibres
Releaf’s technology uses two main processing approaches. The first is a dry mechanical process that produces leaf based material that can be incorporated into existing paper manufacturing as a filler. The second uses chemical and thermal treatment, followed by refining, to extract short fibres that can be used in paper production.
The company’s official website describes its material platform as a way to transform seasonal urban biomass into fibres, semi fibres and other components for industrial applications.
These materials can be used in different paper grades, including kraft paper, testliner, packaging sheets and customised paper products. The objective is to offer manufacturers an additional source of raw material without requiring them to completely redesign their production infrastructure.
Solving the Seasonal Supply Challenge
Collecting leaves is relatively straightforward because municipalities already gather them during regular street cleaning operations. The challenge is processing and preserving large volumes of biomass within a short autumn collection period.
Releaf has developed a preparation process that removes contaminants, compacts the leaves and preserves them against degradation. According to Frechka, the company can store approximately 400 kilograms of prepared leaves in one cubic metre.
During the previous year, Releaf processed around 1,000 tonnes of material through its pilot line and is preparing to handle approximately twice that volume in the next season.
The company believes its approach could also create economic benefits for municipalities by giving collected leaves an industrial use instead of sending them for composting or incineration. Frechka estimates that working with Releaf could reduce municipal disposal costs by at least half in suitable locations.
Working With Existing Paper Manufacturers
One of Releaf’s important strategic decisions has been to avoid building its own paper mills. Establishing manufacturing facilities requires significant capital investment, specialised equipment and technical expertise.
Instead, Releaf concentrates on materials engineering and fibre extraction while established paper producers handle industrial manufacturing. This approach allows the company to use existing production capacity and demonstrate that its alternative materials can work within conventional industrial systems.
The company works with partners across France, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. Its materials have also been tested by international brands including Uber Eats, Chanel, L’Oréal, Samsung and Rituals.
A Partnership Opens the Luxury Packaging Market
In September 2026, Releaf partnered with RDM Group and its subsidiary Eska to develop Eska Leaf, a premium packaging material combining recycled solid board with Releaf’s leaf based paper laminate.
The product retains the natural appearance and texture of fallen leaves while using Eska’s existing expertise in board manufacturing and lamination. It demonstrates how alternative fibres can enter higher value packaging applications without requiring an entirely new manufacturing ecosystem.
The collaboration was introduced at Luxe Pack Monaco, with potential applications including luxury boxes, book covers and customised packaging.
Beyond Paper: A Wider Materials Platform
Paper remains Releaf’s first commercial priority, but its longer term ambitions extend into moulded packaging, water resistant coatings, biocomposites and polymers.
The company is developing its technology as a broader materials platform, using different components extracted from fallen leaves for different industrial purposes.
For Frechka, the ambition is to move beyond proving that paper can be made from leaves and establish a commercially viable materials business. By connecting urban waste collection with existing industrial manufacturing, Releaf is working to give discarded leaves a second life in products used by businesses and consumers.
