The Ukrainian start-up Releaf Paper started building the first factory for the production of eco-packaging from fallen leaves in France.
The company already has a number of powerful customers and plans to launch at least three more factories in Europe within the next five years, reports NEWFOOD.
It is noted that in 2020, Releaf Paper was founded by a schoolboy from Transcarpathia, Valentin Frechka, who developed the very technology of creating pulp from leaves.
The material said that in 2022 the startup won the EIC Accelerator 2022 program from the European Commission and received a €2.5 million grant for the construction of a production line. An additional €1 million was raised in one of the French banks.
"Currently, our only investor is the European Commission, but later this year we will attract more leading investors," said CEO and co-founder of the company Oleksandr Sobolenko.
He explained that Releaf Paper processes leaves and other green waste collected by municipal officials in cities into pulp and paper for the packaging industry. This allows you to save trees from being cut down for the production of primary paper. In addition, it enables cities to dispose of seasonal green waste.
It is noted that the startup additionally received recommendations for further investments from the European Commission for two more factories with a total amount of at least €8 million. They must be approved separately.
The material said that the packaging made of fallen leaves fully meets the standards of the food industry, it can be used to pack food and drinks. The startup already has powerful customers, in particular:
- Loreal
- channel
- Eleda
- Kiehl's;
- Schneider Electric;
- Samsung
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that Ukrainian eco-startup Releaf Paper, which produces paper from fallen leaves, received a €2.5 million grant from the European Commission for construction of the first factory.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, in 2021 Ukrainian start-up company Re-leaf began selling its paper products, which it makes from fallen leaves.
