Who we are?
Headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Zafree transforms banana fiber and agricultural waste into high-quality, tree-free pulp, paper, and packaging solutions. In our mission to disrupt the paper industry, we have established our pilot factory, where we are actively producing and scaling our operations. Today, we have a growing team of around 40 employees, 90% of whom are women, reinforcing our commitment to empowering communities and fostering economic inclusion.
Established since 2018
Founded by Bethelhem Dejene Abebe, Zafree was born out of a vision to create a sustainable alternative to deforestation-driven paper production. Witnessing the environmental degradation caused by the traditional paper industry, Bethelhem was driven to find an innovative, waste-based solution that could protect forests while also creating economic opportunities.
Empowering Farmers, Protecting Forests, Innovating Paper
To become an internationally competitive manufacturer of high quality eco-friendly pulp & paper that are 100% free of trees for domestic and export markets supporting small farmers boost their income.
3M
Trees Saved
Trees saved from deforestation so far
72M
CO2 Emissions Reduced
Tons of CO2 emissions have been avoided so far
50K
Organic Fertilizer Distributed
Tons of organic fertilizer returned to farmers
100K
Gig Workers Empowered
Gig workers employed & empowered
40K
Farmers Engaged
Farmers supported through banana pseudo stem collection
Transforming Waste into High-Quality Paper
We use agricultural waste raw materials such as banana farm waste and employ modern technology, qualified human resources, efficient management systems, and accredited production processes to produce high quality pulp & paper.
We aim to achieve these stats by 2030
Guiding Principles
Our values serve as the guiding principles that underpin everything we do at Zafree.
Integrity
We operate transparently and responsibly, upholding high ethical standards in every decision and action.
Innovation
We embrace new ideas and technologies to continuously improve our processes and deliver sustainable, tree-free products.
Excellence
We strive for excellence in product quality and customer service, ensuring our solutions exceed expectations
Empowerment
We empower communities, especially women, by providing the tools and opportunities to start and grow their own businesses
Sustainability
We lead with a commitment to the planet, creating eco-friendly paper solutions that reduce deforestation and promote a circular economy.
Collaboration
We empower communities, especially women, by providing the tools and opportunities to start and grow their own businesses
Resilience
We remain adaptable and committed to overcoming challenges, constantly finding innovative solutions to move forward.
Social Impact
We aim to create lasting social change, from job creation to community development, by making sustainability a key driver of our business.
Meet Our Management
Meet the dedicated and talented team of Zafree Papers.
Degefech
Supervisor
