Zafree Papers is an award-winning start-up established in 2017 in Ethiopia by two female founders to address the growing challenge of deforestation. Zafree Papers focus on tree-free paper pulp as an alternative to the scarce supply of wood paper pulp, which is typically imported by the local paper mill industry as raw material for papers products.
In line with their name (“zaf” meaning “tree” in Amharic), Zafree Papers will produce tree-free paper pulp from agricultural waste sourced from surrounding small-holder farmers. The +8,000 farmers already enrolled would normally burn the wheat and barley straw after harvesting leading to air pollution.
By avoiding that, Zafree Papers’ pulp is a carbon neutral, recyclable, and non-toxic alternative to paper pulp made from wood. The tree-free paper pulp will have many use cases as raw material for different types of paper and paper products (incl. corrugated carton boxes, paper bags, paper cups and plates, sanitary products, and stationary products).
With an ambition to change the face of the paper industry with circular economy concepts, Zafree Papers’ impact is threefold by avoiding waste at the agricultural level, curbing deforestation at the production level, and securing local, eco-friendly alternatives at a commercial level.
Our engagement
BESTSELLER Foundation, alongside other investors, support the founders on their journey to create a world where 4 billion trees do not have to be cut down to make paper. Our investment will allow Zafree Papers to build a production facility to expand its supply capacity, which ultimately will provide more farmers with additional revenue streams from their agricultural waste in addition to the organic fertiliser they will receive as a residue product from the pulp making.
We believe in closing local recycling loops and Zafree is a brilliant example of that vision. Moreover, it proves how one (wo)man’s trash is another (wo)man’s treasure – and that sustainable solutions can be a win-win-win for all parties involved!
Read more about Zafree Paper here.