09 Jul 2024

Moving away from plastic: Coir Pots

Plastic wastage around the globe is increasing by 9% annually and 300 million tonnes of plastic waste is being produced every year. (https://seedscientific.com/plastic-waste-statistics/). Unfortunately, a lot of gardening products, including plants, are sold in plastic, which for plants can be dangerous. When using plastic pots, as the plant grows bigger, you have to transfer it into a bigger pot, however, the plant may go through transplanting shock. This can cause damage to the roots and slow the growth of the plant.

“Plastics often contain additives making them stronger, more flexible, and durable. But many of these additives can extend the life of products if they become litter, with some estimates ranging to at least 400 years to break down”.

(https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution)

With CoirProducts Coir Pots, your plants are safe from transplanting shock. Coir, a sustainable waste product of the coconut industry, made from the fibres and dust from the husk of the coconut shell, is a 100% natural and biodegradable material.C Our pots, combined with a natural latex to help them keep their shape, allow roots to grow through them, rather than being tangled up inside. Once the process begins, you can then simply relocate the pot into the ground, where it will start to disintegrate, giving the roots further room to grow and letting your plant flourish.

Being a natural fibre, coir is able to absorb any excess water from the soil, preventing your plants from being over-watered and flooding. Unlike plastic pots, coir pots also allow your plants to benefit from air-pruning. This is whereby the roots of your plants come into contact with the air, resulting in a more dense, fibrous root system. And what are the benefits of this? Reduces the risk of transplanting shock, encourages faster growth, even moisture in the soil, it makes your plants less vulnerable to root disease, and for plants with fruit - an increased yield. Tiny gaps in our pots allow the air to move in and out easily, and they are so small that water and soil won’t be able to leak out.

We directly oversee the production of these pots to guarantee a sustainably-made, eco-friendly pot that is of the highest quality. From the sourcing of the coconut husk, to ensuring that only natural materials are being used to make sure that there is minimal harm on the environment. Working within and giving back to the community is an important value to us at CoirProducts. We are involved in the cottage industry back in Sri Lanka, providing fair wages and supporting women empowerment. We make sure that only ethical practices are being adopted in the production of our pots. As with all of our products, with every purchase, we donate a portion of the profit to Chestnut Tree House, a children’s hospice based in Sussex which cares for over 300 children and young adults.

There are no hidden charges when you buy with CoirProducts, all of our products come with free delivery, so the price you see is the price you pay. You can find our whole range of pots on our website www.coirproducts.co.uk, or you can email [email protected] to enquire further.

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