At Earth Warrior, we’re always on the lookout for trailblazing innovations that align with our mission of circularity, waste reduction, and regenerative solutions. Our planet is facing urgent environmental challenges, climate change, pollution, deforestation, and mounting waste, but among these concerns are also shining examples of hope. One such story that deeply inspires us is the incredible journey of Releaf Paper, a company that proves nature can provide the answers if we learn to listen, observe, and innovate.
This pioneering business is doing something many of us would have never thought possible: turning fallen leaves, the kind we rake up and toss out each autumn, into fully functional, eco-friendly paper products. These include paper bags, packaging materials, and cardboard boxes. Releaf Paper is a shining example of how waste can be transformed into a resource, disrupting the traditional paper industry and opening doors to a more circular future.
At Earth Warrior, we believe deeply in highlighting game-changing ideas like these because they show us what’s possible when innovation meets environmental purpose.
The Roots of the Innovation
The origin story of Releaf Paper is as remarkable as the solution itself. It all began with a high school science project in Ukraine. At just 16 years old, Valentyn Frechka had a bold vision to develop a sustainable, tree-free alternative to traditional paper. Rather than accepting the destructive status quo of paper manufacturing, which is a major driver of deforestation, he asked a powerful question: What else could we use instead of trees?
His answer came from the ground, literally. Walking through his neighborhood in western Ukraine, Valentyn noticed just how many dead leaves blanketed the streets each fall. These leaves, although organic, were typically sent to landfills or burned, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Valentyn wondered: could those leaves, often dismissed as seasonal debris, hold the key to solving one of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges?
Through trial and error, he began experimenting with extracting cellulose fibers which are the essential building block of paper, from dry leaves. What started as a science fair project quickly captured international attention. By 2021, his idea had matured into a company. And by 2024, Releaf Paper opened its first pilot production facility in France, signaling that this wasn’t just a great idea, it was a viable, scalable solution.
Why Fallen Leaves?
Every autumn, municipalities across the globe face the same logistical nightmare: what to do with all those leaves. While leaves are organic and technically compostable, most cities don't have the infrastructure or budget to compost them at scale. Instead, many tons of fallen leaves are dumped in landfills, where they decompose anaerobically and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas more damaging than carbon dioxide.
What’s often overlooked is that leaves are naturally rich in cellulose, the fibrous material traditionally extracted from wood pulp to make paper. The average deciduous tree drops hundreds of leaves each season. Multiply that across thousands of trees in an urban setting, and you have an enormous supply of underutilized biomass.
Releaf Paper recognized the immense, untapped potential of this waste stream. Rather than seeing leaf litter as a problem, they saw it as a local, renewable, low-impact resource. Their approach reflects a mindset shift that we fully support at Earth Warrior, one that reframes waste as opportunity.
By collecting dry urban leaves from within a 20-kilometer radius, Releaf keeps their operations hyper-local, minimizing transportation emissions. This also strengthens the connection between the paper and the community it serves. The result? A high-quality, biodegradable, FSC-certified paper that performs just like conventional options but with a fraction of the environmental cost.
How It Works: From Leaf to Liner
Releaf Paper has developed a patented process that combines mechanical and chemical treatment to extract cellulose fibers from leaves. The procedure is elegant in its simplicity and genius in its impact. Here's how it works in a nutshell:
Step 1: Fallen leaves are collected, sorted, and cleaned.
Step 2: The leaves undergo mechanical processing to separate fibers.
Step 3: A proprietary chemical treatment extracts high-grade cellulose.
Step 4: The extracted cellulose is pressed, dried, and turned into paper.
But it’s not just about what they’re doing, it’s about how they’re doing it. Releaf’s process prioritizes low-impact manufacturing from start to finish:
No trees are cut down. In fact, one ton of Releaf paper saves approximately 17 trees.
Minimal water use. Releaf’s method uses just 0.002 liters of water per kilogram of paper. This is a stark contrast to traditional paper mills that guzzle thousands of liters per ton.
Significantly reduced carbon emissions. Releaf Kraft Paper emits just 303.77 kg of CO₂e per ton, compared to 1500 kg for virgin kraft paper and 1300 kg for recycled kraft, depending on production methods.
Rapid biodegradability. Releaf’s paper breaks down naturally in 45–55 days, leaving no toxic residue.
Methane prevention. By diverting leaf waste from landfills, they eliminate a key source of methane emissions.
This model is a powerful demonstration of closed-loop design, where waste is continuously repurposed instead of discarded.
What They’re Making
What started as a humble science project has turned into a full-fledged product line that is both practical and planet-positive. Releaf Paper now offers:
Paper bags for retail, groceries, and food service providers
Corrugated cardboard boxes for shipping and packaging
Paper sheets and kraft liners for industrial and commercial use
Check out there whole product line here.
And they’re not flying under the radar. Major global brands, including Samsung, Chanel, and L'Oréal, have already partnered with Releaf. These collaborations send a strong message to the market: sustainability and sophistication are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they often go hand in hand.
By embracing Releaf products, these brands are not only reducing their environmental impact, they’re leading by example and showing consumers that business can be done differently.
The Bigger Picture
At Earth Warrior, we believe in solutions that regenerate, not just sustain. Sustainability is a good start, but regeneration is where we need to go. Releaf Paper captures this beautifully. By transforming waste into a resource, they are actively healing broken systems, whether it's the overharvested paper industry or the issue of organic waste disposal.
But their work is about more than just paper. It’s about possibility. It’s a reminder that the materials we need to build a better world already exist. Sometimes they’re right under our feet..
Their innovation challenges us to rethink deeply ingrained systems.
What other industries could follow this model?
Could we replace traditional building materials with agricultural waste?
Could we reimagine fashion with textile scraps and natural dyes?
Could our food packaging come entirely from food waste?
These are the questions we should all be asking.
At Earth Warrior, our mission has always been to move from a linear "take-make-waste" economy to a circular and regenerative one. Releaf Paper fits perfectly into that vision, showing that nature’s cycles, if respected and understood, can teach us how to operate in harmony, not opposition.
What We Can Learn
Perhaps the most powerful lesson from Releaf’s story is this: sustainable change often starts with a simple question.
What if we looked at leaves not as mess, but as material?
What if we looked at worn-out clothes not as garbage, but as fabric with future purpose?
What if food waste was the beginning of compost, soil regeneration, and urban farming?
What if we stopped calling it “waste” and started calling it “resources”?
These questions aren’t just for big companies or inventors, they’re for all of us. Whether you’re a consumer, creator, entrepreneur, student, or policymaker, the opportunity to make change starts with curiosity and a willingness to question the norm.
At Earth Warrior, we remain committed to amplifying companies, individuals, and movements that are asking the hard questions and crafting visionary solutions. Because we know that when we shift our mindset from consuming to regenerating, the possibilities are endless.
Turning Over New Leaves
The next time you crunch through fallen leaves on a sidewalk or rake your backyard, pause and imagine what those leaves could become. Could they be part of your next journal? A packaging insert? A cardboard box? The story of Releaf Paper reminds us that the answers to our most complex environmental problems might be hiding in plain sight.
Innovation doesn’t always require high-tech gadgets or rare earth metals. Sometimes, it just requires paying attention to nature’s cycles and trusting that every ending is the beginning of something new.
Let’s keep turning over new leaves, both literally and figuratively, and creating a world where waste is no longer a burden, but a gift waiting to be reimagined.
Keep Turning Over New Leaves with Us
Join our community and Sign up for our email list to get weekly stories of circular solutions, practical low-waste tips, and inspiration to live lighter on the planet.
Keep reading
If you enjoyed this, you may also enjoy these other circular stories and guides we share.
Denim Rescue in Edmonton: Unbelts Sustainable Jean Repair & Alterations
Discover how Unbelts is keeping denim in use longer with repair and alteration services, giving jeans a second life and reducing fashion waste.
Embracing Eco-Friendly Shopping: Refilleries and Bulk Stores in Edmonton, Alberta
Step into the world of sustainable shopping with local refilleries and bulk stores that cut packaging waste and make low-waste living simple.
A Bag That Carries More Than Groceries: The Story of Earth Warrior's Upcycled Denim Totes
Learn how discarded denim is transformed into durable, stylish totes that spark conversations about sustainability and circular design.
Take Action at Home
Every small switch matters. Our Re:towels are made from upcycled textiles and Bamboo terry towel and replace disposable paper towels. Each one helps save trees and keeps valuable fabrics out of landfills.
Together, we can keep rewriting the story of waste, one choice, one product, and one inspired innovation at a time.