A sustainable container solution

Yes, what’s compostable is also biodegradable. But what’s biodegradable is NOT always compostable. Read more here.

The longevity of our fiber containers depends a great deal on the cultural practices at your greenhouse or growing location. Are your fiber containers sitting on a concrete floor in pools of water with no drainage? What are your irrigation practices and how moist is the soil kept? Are the containers kept outside for long durations of time?

When our fiber containers are used under normal growing conditions, you can expect our EcoGrow containers to last one complete crop cycle, while our FiberGrow containers will last one complete season.

Generally speaking, it will take our EcoGrow containers about one season to fully biodegrade and crumble completely into the soil. The ultimate duration will vary depending on your environmental conditions.

Due to the process in which they’re created, our FiberGrow containers will not biodegrade into the soil the way our EcoGrow products will. However, you can break them up into smaller pieces and use them as additions in your general composting practices for use in gardens and planting beds. These containers can also be included with your municipalities paper recycling program.

White or pale brown fungi/mold is common on the bottoms and sides of fiber containers and are symptoms of excessive watering. While the fungi/mold is not dangerous to the plant, overwatering can eventually lead to root rot and other more damaging conditions.

NOT all sustainable fiber planting containers are created equal. Here are some things to look for before making a purchase for your growing facility.

• Are they certified for organic farming by a legitimate governing body? And don’t be afraid to ask to see the official documentation. If they’re unwilling to show you, they probably aren’t.
• How are they produced? Some “environmentally friendly” containers actually expose more harmful toxins into the environment during production than some traditional plastic containers. If they say they’re produced in a water recycling facility thereby eliminating wastewater discharge, that’s a good sign.
• What materials are the containers made out of? There’s a science behind making a sustainable fiber container for strength and durability. While they might all look the same on the outside, some companies add hardening agents (that are not biodegradable) in order to achieve that strength. Look for products that are molded using recycled newspaper, a plant-based binding agent and water. That’s it!

Molded pulp is “a material typically made from recycled paperboard and/or newsprint” and is a sustainable alternative to polystyrene (EPS), vacuum formed PET and PVC and foams.

Moreover, it is “often considered a sustainable material as defined by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, since it is produced from recycled materials and can be recycled again after its useful life-cycle” ends.

Molded pulp is created by mixing recycled paperboard or newsprint, water, a fungicide to help prevent any mold issues and a binding agent in a giant caldron to produce the fiber slurry needed to shape the molded pulp products.

Molds are then used to help re-form the fiber slurry mixture into a variety of shapes, sizes and applications such as growing containers, hanging baskets, protective packaging, consumer products and more.

Yes, our EcoGrow® containers are suitable for organic production under NOP and COR.