Releaf Paper and the EIC Accelerator: Paper Made From Fallen Leaves

Releaf Paper makes pulp and paper from fallen leaves collected in cities, where they would otherwise be treated as waste. Its EIC application said it was "the first and the only producer of cellulose from fallen leaves in the world", with a patented process that uses 15 times less water and 3 times less electricity than conventional papermaking and cuts CO₂ emissions by 78%, according to CORDIS. The EIC grant went to Releaf Paper France SAS, a company registered in May 2022.

The European Innovation Council granted €2,497,618 towards a €3.57 million project from May 2023 to April 2025. The final report says the key objective was "to put in place and start operating the first production line in the world to transform the biomass of fallen leaves" into paper and packaging materials, and that the team built and tested it from adapted off-the-shelf equipment. The line opened in Les Mureaux, Île-de-France, in November 2024, representing a €3.5 million investment co-funded by the EIC, Packaging Strategies reported.

Where Releaf Paper Stands Now

At the launch, Uber Eats France said "almost 100,000 Releaf bags" were being deployed to Paris restaurants on its platform. The report says Releaf was working with "a global food manufacturer giant, a global fast food company, and a global fashion brand", without naming them. The company planned to seek €8 million in a Series A in 2025 and to open more facilities in Europe within five years; no closing of that round has been announced. The French entity filed accounts in July 2026, but they are not published in summary form.

The Technology: Fibre From Leaf Litter

Leaves on streets and in parks cannot decompose naturally on asphalt, the report says. Releaf combines mechanical, thermal and chemical treatment without sulphate or sulphite reagents to extract fibre, which it turns into packaging paper and containerboard. It says the paper can be recycled up to five times without losing quality or decompose in 30 to 60 days.

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

The project's objective was to put the first leaf-processing production line in place and start operating it. The line was built, opened and is making material for customer pilots, and the report adds new patents and third-party product certification. The environmental figures are the company's own claims. CORDIS lists the project as closed.

1. Pilot production lineDeliveredOpened November 2024.
2. Customer trialsDeliveredUber Eats and others.
3. Certification and patentsDeliveredPer final report.
4. Series A and expansionUnverifiedNot announced.

The Money

Releaf Paper France is a single-shareholder company that reported "at least one employee" in 2026, according to Pappers, which shows no financial summary. Its revenue and any equity from the EIC Fund under the blended award have not been disclosed.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

The report argues that urban leaves, treated as waste, can replace tree-based raw materials for paper and packaging. The EIC paid for the first demonstration of that at pilot scale. The next step, more plants, depends on private money not yet announced.

The Verdict

Releaf Paper and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.