From Security Guard to Global CEO: Lucas Olivetti’s Journey of Innovation with Papel Para Mechas

When Lucas Olivetti, founder and CEO of the Brazilian brand Papel Para Mechas, started his professional life, he never imagined becoming a global innovator in the haircare industry. Today, his company produces millions of eco-friendly paper strips for hair colouring, saving tons of aluminium waste and redefining sustainability in professional beauty.

His journey from a struggling entrepreneur to an international business leader is a story of persistence, ingenuity, and vision. In this exclusive interview, Lucas Olivetti shares how a simple conversation with a hairdresser changed his life and how attending the world’s largest beauty trade fair opened his eyes to global opportunities.

How did the idea for Papel Para Mechas come about?

Back in 2018, I was working as a security guard at a bus terminal in Brazil. I was 27 years old, and though I had always dreamed of being an entrepreneur, my first three businesses in the food packaging industry had failed. My family runs a printing business, so I’ve always been familiar with cellulose materials, but my attempts to use that knowledge didn’t work out initially.

One day, a hairdresser friend shared a frustrating problem he was facing: the aluminium foils used for highlights were reacting badly with the hair dyes, damaging the hair and making the colouring process unpredictable. There was nothing else available on the market—just aluminum, which was causing serious issues.

I thought, “Why not create something different?”. I realised that with my background in cellulose materials, I could develop a metal-free paper alternative designed specifically for hair colouring. That idea stuck with me, and soon after, I quit my job to dedicate myself fully to developing the product.

What challenges did you face when launching the company?

The journey was anything but smooth. It took two years of development and testing before we felt ready to launch in March 2020, during which I did not earn any money (and my wife almost left me!). We held a company event on the 9th March, just as we were about to start producing for our first major client, Salvatore Cosméticos. Ten days later, on the 19th March, the pandemic lockdown was announced and Salvatore Cosméticos put that large order on hold.

I had two options: give up or push forward. I chose the latter. With the down payment they had already made (50% of the total sum), I decided to travel across Brazil and promote the product directly to salons. We visited 12 states and secured 50 clients, all of whom paid 50% upfront—even though we hadn’t produced a single product yet!

During that time, I teamed up with my friend Adailton Alves Maciel Junior, whom I had met 2019, and who helped me write international legal contracts. We became very close and Adailton started giving me important inputs that helped me develop private label papers for Brazilian brands. After a while, he became my partner in this journey.

By October 2020, we had enough funds to finance our own factory. From that point on, we never looked back. In 2021, we automated much of our manufacturing process, which allowed us to increase production capacity and start expanding outside Brazil.

As I like to say: “While others were crying, we were selling them tissues.”

What makes Papel Para Mechas different from other hair colouring products?

Our paper strips are designed specifically for professional hair colouring. We developed two patented technologies that set us apart:

Airflow Technology: This allows gases produced during the hair colouring process to escape, preventing chemical buildup and ensuring even bleaching from root to tip. It’s healthier for the hair and makes the entire process more effective.
Grip System: This ensures the paper strips stay securely in place, eliminating slippage during the colouring process. It makes the hairdresser’s job much easier and improves the final result.

These features translate into better performance, faster application times, and less waste. Hairdressers can save up to 35% on hair dye, which reduces costs while delivering shinier, healthier hair for their clients.

Why is sustainability so important to your business?

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Aluminium foils are widely used in the hair industry, but they’re almost impossible to recycle after use. That’s where we make a difference.

Our paper strips are 90% sustainable, made from FSC-certified wood and other renewable materials. Even the adhesives and dyes we use are water-based and eco-friendly.

To date, we’ve saved an estimated three thousand tons of aluminium from being dumped into landfills. Just in São Paulo, 15 tons of aluminium foils are discarded every single day. We’re proud to be part of the solution.

When did you realise your brand could succeed internationally?

Attending Cosmoprof Bologna and Beauty World Dubai in 2023 was a real turning point for us. It’s the world’s largest beauty industry trade fair, and going there completely changed our perspective on our business.

For the first time, we truly understood the scale of the global professional hair industry and saw the growing international demand for sustainable beauty products. It was a revelation. We realised that we needed to expand globally if we wanted to maximise our impact.

In 2024, we returned to Cosmoprof Bologna and to trade fairs in Dubai, Barcelona, Madrid, and Warsaw, and the response was incredible. By the end of 2024, we were selling in 11 countries, including Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Poland, Italy, France, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and the US.

How important are trade fairs for your business?

Trade fairs are absolutely essential for us. That’s where we connect with distributors, educate salon professionals, and showcase our innovations. But they’re not just about sales—they’re about building relationships and sharing our story.

I always say that we’re not just selling paper – we’re promoting a cultural shift toward sustainability. At trade fairs, people can see and feel the difference our product makes. That’s something you can’t convey through marketing alone.

How do influencers play a role in promoting your brand?

We work with some of the world’s most talented hairdressers, especially in Brazil, where the hair industry is incredibly advanced. These professionals are our greatest ambassadors because they believe in the product and use it daily in their salons.

Some of our key influencers include:

Nell Carmo (1.1M followers)
Nill Vale (324K followers)
Bruno Cesar Lotufo (330K followers)
Warren Norton (159K followers)

Their endorsements have helped us reach thousands of salons worldwide and build credibility in new markets.

How Important Is education for the success of Papel Para Mechas?

Education is essential to our success. Since our product is truly innovative, hair professionals need to understand how it works and why it’s superior to traditional aluminum foils. We believe that once they experience the results firsthand, they’ll never go back.

That’s why we created ““Percepções” , an educational event where we share our company’s story, highlight our product’s benefits, and provide technical training. We want hairdressers and distributors to feel connected to our mission as partners in sustainability and innovation.

Our sales and education team of 30 professionals visits salons, attends trade shows, and offers hands-on training. They are our frontline ambassadors, ensuring that hairdressers understand the product’s features and see its impact in their daily work.

This educational approach has been key to our international expansion, helping us build lasting relationships through shared knowledge and mutual purpose.

How has Papel Para Mechas grown since its launch?

Papel Para Mechas has experienced exponential growth since its launch in March 2020. Initially, we had no production facility, distributors, or many clients, but through persistence and innovation, we quickly expanded to serve over 50,000 salons in 11 countries.

By 2022, we won our first major industry award, the Paraná Innovation Award, recognizing our technological advances, including our Airflow and Grip System technologies. In 2023, we earned the Sesitech Technology Prize and participated in major trade fairs like Cosmoprof Bologna and Dubai, securing distribution agreements in Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.¨

As a result, our revenue more than doubled between 2022 and 2023. We closed the year with over 200 million paper strips produced, saving tons of aluminium from ending up in landfills.

What are your goals for the future?

Looking ahead to 2025, our goal is to grow by +100% annually and have 60% of our revenue come from international markets. We also have new product innovations in development and a portfolio exclusive for the international markets that we plan to launch at Cosmoprof Bologna 2025, targeting global markets with products made from 100% Brazilian ingredients.

As I always say: “Paper is the bridge that connects people, enables beauty to emerge, and transforms itself into new opportunities.”

We’ve come a long way, but this is just the beginning.

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