Скачать или смотреть This 16-Year-Old Made Paper From Leaves !! (Saved Millions of Trees)

A teenager turned fallen leaves into paper, building Releaf Paper—a circular economy startup powering Chanel, LVMH & Logitech while saving forests.

The story of Releaf Paper is a remarkable journey of a 16-year-old student’s curiosity turning into a global circular economy powerhouse. Founded by Valentyn Frechka, the company has successfully commercialized the world’s first technology to produce paper from fallen leaves, saving millions of trees and repurposing urban waste.

1. The "Eureka" Moment (2017)
The story began in the rural village of Sokyrnytsia, Ukraine. Valentyn, a high school student and nature lover, was hiking in the Carpathian Mountains when he noticed the vast amount of leaf litter on the forest floor. He questioned why trees had to be cut down for cellulose when leaves—which are part of the same plant—were abundant and discarded every autumn.

With the help of his chemistry teacher, he began experimenting in his mother’s kitchen and school lab. Using a blender and basic chemicals, he spent months trying to extract cellulose fibers from dry leaves that were strong enough to form a sheet of paper.

2. From School Project to Startup (2018–2020)
After four months of trial and error, Valentyn produced his first handmade sheet of "leaf paper." His project gained international recognition at science fairs, eventually leading him to the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

In 2020, he teamed up with experienced entrepreneur Alexander Sobolenko to turn the scientific breakthrough into a business. They officially founded Releaf Paper in 2021, launching test production by partnering with local Ukrainian paper mills.


3. Resilience Through War (2022)
Just as the brand was gaining traction with clients like L’Oréal and Samsung, the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Production vendors suspended operations, and orders were frozen.

Refusing to let the idea die, the founders relocated their headquarters to Paris, France. The move allowed them to access EU funding and stay connected to global luxury brands. They successfully secured a €2.5 million grant (and later an additional €8 million in potential investment) from the European Innovation Council (EIC) to build their own industrial production line.

4. The Manufacturing Process
The "magic" of Releaf lies in its patented technology, which is significantly cleaner than traditional papermaking:

Collection: They source leaves from city parks and sidewalks (urban waste) rather than forests.

Cleaning & Granulation: Leaves are washed and turned into granules, allowing them to be stored year-round.

Extraction: Using a proprietary mechanical and thermo-chemical treatment (sulfate and sulfite-free), they extract cellulose.

Blending: The leaf pulp is often mixed with recycled paper fibers to create various grades of kraft paper.

5. Why It’s a "Crores" (Multi-Million) BrandToday, Releaf Paper is an international player valued in the millions. Its success is driven by three main factors:Environmental Impact: 1 ton of Releaf paper saves 17 trees, uses 15x less water, and emits 78% less $CO_2$ than wood-based paper.Luxury Partnerships: High-end brands like Chanel, LVMH, and Logitech use Releaf for sustainable packaging to meet their net-zero goals.Speed of Decomposition: While traditional paper can take months to degrade, Releaf products biodegrade in just 30–60 days.

The Result: What started as a teenager's curiosity is now a scaling industrial operation with a pilot plant in Les Mureaux, France, and plans to expand to North America and Asia.


MONEY / BUSINESS LESSON:
Waste is just unrecognized raw material.
Solve an environmental problem → unlock premium customers.

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