And the impossible is possible! Especially on New Year's Eve. We assume that this is exactly what the creators of the Ukrainian startup Releaf Paper thought when they learned the decision of the European Commission (EC) EIC Accelerator 2022 that they became the winners of this year's program and received funding in the amount of 10 million euros for the development of their project.

Indeed, the Ukrainian company won the grant in a fierce competition with more than 6,500 other small and medium-sized companies from all over Europe. We already wrote about their innovation some time ago. In short, the company has developed a method for obtaining cellulose from ordinary leaf litter. Moreover, they have already launched the production of paper and cardboard at the facilities of large Ukrainian paper producers. Receiving the grant gives Releaf Paper the opportunity to launch its own production lines.

I would like to note that despite all the difficulties of working in Ukraine in modern realities, in the second half of 2022 the company entered the European market with its paper products. And among her first clients there were such giants as L’Oréal, Samsung, Weleda and Schneider Electric.

Leaf paper from Releaf Paper has several advantages, making it very attractive for packaging various goods, especially in Western Europe. First, leaf paper is fully recyclable and has a biodegradation period of only 60 days. Secondly, carbon dioxide emissions when using such raw materials are 78% lower. And finally, the company using such paper can safely talk about its direct participation in saving forests from deforestation.

The first grant part of the project will start in April 2023 and will last for two years. The founders are currently choosing a location for future production and are starting to expand the team. “We are closer than ever to the goal of starting a series of our own factories of the new generation, where the paper of the future, Releaf paper, will be created,” says Valentin Frechka, one of the company's founders.

Materials from the website packaginginsights.com were used.