Food in Paris will be delivered in paper bags from the Ukrainian manufacturer Releaf Paper, which produces paper and packaging from fallen leaves.
Releaf Paper will collaborate with Uber Eats, using fallen leaf bags in restaurants throughout Paris. The products from the Ukrainian brand will also be available for order through the Green Packaging Marketplace on the Uber Eats platform.
According to Releaf Paper's CEO Oleksandr Sobolenko, the packaging will be made using leaves collected from the streets of Paris. This will help reduce deforestation and lower carbon emissions.
"This collaboration marks the beginning of a global initiative to transform the way packaging is used across Uber Eats. Our leaf-made paper bags, created from upcycled fallen leaves, will be rolled out to restaurants in Paris as part of Uber’s investment in sustainable packaging alternatives. This pilot will set the stage for worldwide adoption, helping to reduce plastic waste and provide eco-friendly solutions for businesses and consumers alike," writes Releaf Paper team.
The companies aim to reduce the amount of plastic waste in the world. As part of its global strategy, Uber plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. The project is also set to expand to other cities in the future.
Releaf Paper is a Ukrainian company that produces paper products from fallen leaves, founded in 2020 by Oleksandr Sobolenko and Valentyn Frechka. The paper was initially produced in Zhytomyr and later in Lutsk. Despite this, the company did not have its own production facilities. In May, Releaf Paper received grant funding from Ukrainian Google.
Valentyn Frechka developed the technology to convert fallen leaves into eco-paper and became the first Ukrainian finalist in the Young Inventors' Award. Currently, eco-paper is produced in Ukraine through outsourcing, and Releaf Paper sells eco-products in European countries.
