Leaf-Based Paperboard Is Here: 3 Questions Brands Should Ask Before Adopting It

Eska Leaf is a recycled solidboard with a layer of leaf paper made from fallen leaves laminated onto its surface. Eska, part of RDM Group, and materials engineering company Releaf unveiled the range at Luxe Pack Monaco, held from September 28 to 30, 2026

Leaf-fiber paper is made from leaves collected from city streets. It offers a fiber source that doesn't come from forests, helping reduce the packaging industry's pressure on them

The structure matters. The base is still Eska recycled paperboard, with leaf paper laminated onto the surface to retain the natural look and feel of the material. So it's a composite structure, not paperboard made entirely from leaves. Releaf co-founder Valentyn Frechka says cities collect and discard millions of tonnes of fallen leaves every autumn. That's where the raw material comes from

Eska also has a lab dedicated to developing custom paperboard, where brands and converters can work together on materials made for their needs

Because it turns sustainability from a number in a report into something consumers can feel in their hands

A 2026 survey by Perspectus Global, commissioned jointly with RDM Group and covered in ThePackagingPortal's report, found that more than half of European respondents associate packaging and recycling with sustainability. 80% said that visibly using recycled paperboard could make a brand look more responsible

There are two caveats with these figures: the survey was commissioned by a paperboard supplier, and its respondents were European consumers. I'd take them with a grain of salt as a guide to the Taiwan market

The complaint I hear most often from clients is that products look dull and gray after switching to recycled paper. If the material itself has a story, a texture, and an autumn feel, that drawback could become a selling point. Seasonal gift boxes and limited editions are the most natural place to start

Before adopting it, ask about the surface, finishing, and supply. I call these the "Mai Strategy Three Questions for New Fiber Materials." The original report also points out that a new fiber source means surface properties, strength, and printability all need to be checked again

・① Surface: The leaf layer keeps its natural texture. How well will brand colors, gradients, and fine text reproduce on it? You'll need to judge from a sample of the actual design. A color chart won't tell you

・② Finishing: Test whether foil stamping, embossing and debossing, spot varnish, and folding and gluing hold up on this composite structure. Will the folds crack? It needs to be tested

・③ Supply: Natural texture can mean variation from batch to batch. Brands need to confirm the specification range, minimum order quantity, and lead time

The original report gives no price or minimum order quantity, and doesn't say whether it's available in Taiwan. For now, the only way to answer the third question is to ask the supplier directly

Don't rush to sign

Test the waters with a limited-edition project. Don't bet your core product line on it from the start. Here's one way to proceed:

1. Ask the supplier for physical samples and specifications, including details on the paperboard structure and surface material

2. Use your toughest-to-print artwork, along with the finishing you expect to use, for a full round of sampling

3. If it passes, start with a seasonal product or limited-edition gift box. Watch how well it holds up in production and how the market responds

When I look at a new material, I have a habit: touch the sample first, then look at the slides. A presentation can't show you how the paper feels or how a fold springs back

Eska's custom lab is open to brands and converters. If there's an opportunity, smaller Taiwanese printers should ask about collaborating on samples. To run an initial round of local testing, brands can discuss sampling requirements with a high-end commercial printer that handles fully customized work, such as MINDS. Brands that want to turn these three questions into their own purchasing checklist can also work with the Mai Strategy Knowledge Academy consulting team

・The leaf layer is laminated onto recycled paperboard. Evaluate the whole composite structure before adopting it

・The European consumer survey was commissioned by the supplier. Validate the findings in Taiwan instead of assuming they apply

・Answer the three questions about color, finishing, and supply with physical samples. Don't rely on a presentation

・The original report says nothing about price, minimum order quantity, or where the material is available. Ask the supplier directly

・Seasonal gift boxes and limited editions are the lowest-risk ways to test a new fiber material

My advice: start before next autumn's selling season, instead of waiting until the material is fully proven. This month, brands can do two things: pick a project planned for next autumn as a pilot, and add the three questions about surface, finishing, and supply to their purchasing brief. Printers can prepare their toughest test file, with large areas of solid color, fine text, and the finishing they use most often. Then they'll be ready to run tests as soon as a supplier has samples. Designers should check with the print team early on which visual elements to avoid or enlarge on a naturally textured surface. Most of the risk with new fiber materials comes from nobody asking all the questions up front

・RDM Group and Releaf launch Eska Leaf packaging made from fallen leaves (ThePackagingPortal)