RDM Group company Eska has teamed up with materials engineering company Releaf to introduce Eska Leaf, a recycled solid board produced using fallen leaves.
The leaves are gathered from streets in large cities, including Paris, and processed for use in board intended for packaging applications.
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Eska Leaf combines recycled solid board from Eska with a leaf-paper lamination developed by Releaf, with the aim of retaining the natural look and feel of the source material.
RDM Group chief sustainability and innovation officer Krzysztof Krajewski said: “Eska Leaf shows what’s possible when we combine our fibre expertise with a partner like Releaf: a material that reduces pressure on forests, tells a story about where it comes from and still meets the standards our customers expect from solid board.”
The material allows brands to reflect seasonality and origin through the packaging itself.
The project also draws on Eska’s in-house lamination work, product customisation options and its ability to develop tailored packaging materials.
Under the partnership, Releaf’s materials engineering will be combined with the manufacturing capacity and solid board lamination expertise of RDM Group.
Releaf co-founder Valentyn Frechka said: “Every autumn, cities collect and discard millions of tonnes of leaves as waste.
“Our work is about showing that this waste can become a valuable material resource. Partnering with RDM Group and Eska allows us to combine Releaf’s material technology with Eska’s industrial expertise and bring a new class of leaf-based materials into premium packaging.”
