Walk into MasterTag’s facility, and you’ll notice something that can’t be listed on a spec sheet or highlighted in a product brochure: sustainability isn’t just a department or initiative; it’s embedded in how the company operates daily.
From the closed-loop recycling system that’s been running for two decades, to the LED lighting overhead, to the materials engineer who chose to work in plastics specifically to make a positive impact, MasterTag’s approach to sustainability reflects something deeper than market trends or competitive positioning.
“It all started with Rick Hughes, our former owner,” explained Dylan Ode, MasterTag’s Materials and Manufacturing Process Engineer. “It was obvious on day one that [sustainability] wasn’t just a buzzword or something we talked about. It was the way he lived and operated, and the company adopted that.”
The Foundation: A Leader’s Legacy
Hughes’s influence on MasterTag’s sustainability culture was immediate and pervasive. Unlike companies where environmental initiatives emerge from customer demands or regulatory pressure, MasterTag’s commitment to sustainability came from the top and spread organically through the organization.
“It’s more than just a selling point for us. It really does matter,” Ode said. “All of us have adopted that same vision.”
This cultural foundation proved essential, given the inherent tension in MasterTag’s business model: helping customers grow plants while producing plastic tags.
As Ode acknowledged, “We’re helping customers grow live plants, so [sustainability] has a natural fit. On the flip side, we make plastic tags, and to a lot of people, plastic is the enemy when you’re talking sustainability.”
One Engineer’s Mission: Making Plastics Part of the Solution
Ode’s personal journey took an unexpected route to environmental work. As someone who studied plastics engineering, he recognized an opportunity in what many perceive as the problem.
“When I was going through school, I was going for plastics engineering. And plastics were always talked about with such a negative connotation. But you can’t look anywhere around you without seeing plastic,” he said. “So to me, there was an opportunity to work in an industry that has a negative connotation, but then make the biggest positive impact possible.”
This philosophy — working within an industry to transform it rather than working against it — shapes MasterTag’s material development strategy. Ode’s role has evolved over his 10 years with the company. Now he’s focused explicitly on sustainable materials research and development and ESG reporting.
The Closed-Loop System: Two Decades of Recycling
Long before sustainable materials became a market differentiator, MasterTag established a recycling partnership that diverts hundreds of thousands of pounds of plastic from landfills annually.
“We ensure that all of our internal scrap is sent out. It’s a closed-loop system that takes our scrap and turns it into horticultural containers, pots, and trays,” Ode explained. “We think that that’s a big win for the industry because we’re ensuring that none of the waste we’re generating is going to the landfill. It’s getting a second chance.”
The program predates recent sustainability trends by years. MasterTag has been running this closed-loop system for at least two decades.
The benefit extends beyond one-time recycling: “We know once it goes to the supplier that makes those pots and containers, that it may end up being turned back into a pot and container several times,” he said.
The system also captures aluminum plates used to create printed images on tags. “Those all get recycled,” Ode confirmed. “It’s a built-in piece of our production process. You can’t necessarily get away from it, but you can ensure that you’re doing the right thing with it.”
MasterTag’s approach reflects that sustainability in manufacturing isn’t about eliminating waste; it’s about giving waste a second, third, and fourth life.
Lean Manufacturing: Efficiency by Design
MasterTag’s upcoming facility expansion represents an opportunity to reduce waste through smarter layout and workflow design.
The new facility’s design focuses on creating a direct route from start to finish. “Whether that’s final product or scrap, it’s all going to be on one clear pathway. There isn’t going to be duplicate handling going on like there is currently because of our space limitations,” Ode said.
The facility improvements also include green infrastructure elements such as LED lighting and water-recycling systems, demonstrating a sustainability mindset at every level of design.
“We believe there will be an abundance of opportunities for efficiency improvements with this new facility, efficiencies to our own operations as well as potential improvements to the customer experience,” Ode said.
The CCL Industries Effect: Resources and Accountability
MasterTag’s acquisition by CCL Industries and Avery also brought new dimensions to its sustainability work.
“They naturally have a huge focus on sustainability and offer a large network of resources for us to tap into,” Ode noted.
The relationship also introduced formal accountability structures.
MasterTag now participates in annual ESG reporting covering energy consumption, carbon emissions for both incoming and outgoing shipments, and other environmental metrics.
“This is the third year we’ve done [ESG reporting], so we have a decent amount of data in place,” Ode said, which allows MasterTag to track trends and measure improvement over time.
This combination of resources and requirements “aligned with some of the work I was already doing,” according to Ode, making the formal reporting structure a natural extension of his existing priorities.
Education as a Core Responsibility
MasterTag’s sustainability culture extends beyond its own operations to include what Ode identified as one of their biggest responsibilities: educating customers.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about plastic, recycling, and the green buzzwords we hear nowadays,” he explained. “I think one of the biggest benefits we provide for our customers is from an educational standpoint.”
Through education, MasterTag helps growers navigate sustainability decisions that might feel overwhelming: “By partnering with us on sustainable materials, you can feel comfortable that you’re in good hands with the leader in the industry in providing sustainable solutions,” Ode expressed.
This even extends to helping growers communicate sustainability to their own customers. MasterTag often tailors its artwork to highlight that a tag is made from recycled plastic, helping get that message to the end consumer.
This support helps growers tell their sustainability story without getting lost in the common confusion between “biodegradable versus compostable” or “recyclable versus recycled content.”
The Guard Rails of Greenwashing
Perhaps the most telling aspect of MasterTag’s sustainability culture is its cautious approach to claims and its willingness to acknowledge complexity rather than oversimplify.
“We’re always looking at what’s out there,” Ode said. But this search comes with rigorous vetting: “Staying accurate and making sure we’re not falling victim to greenwashing: it’s always verify, research. Because there are options out there, but you definitely have to sift through what’s real and what isn’t.”
This carefulness reflects the company’s understanding that credibility in sustainability requires honesty about limitations and trade-offs.
“What works for one customer might not work for somebody else. And then, as you start digging deeper, [sustainability is often] region specific,” Ode noted, acknowledging “there’s not a silver bullet.”
The company also maintains realistic boundaries around what it can promise: “While we always want to sell more tags, we’re still going to do the right thing,” he said.
Looking Ahead: Building on the Foundation
MasterTag’s sustainable materials portfolio continues to evolve. “We have some things in the pipe that we’re excited about,” Ode confirmed, though specifics remain under wraps.
The company is also looking to make changes to some of its stock products, suggesting that sustainability will increasingly become the default rather than an option.
Green Culture in Action
When growers call MasterTag with questions or concerns about sustainable options, they’ll encounter its open culture directly. Ode’s message to skeptical growers reflects the company’s approach: “Pick up the phone, let’s talk. We can provide data, prototypes. I think we’ve shown with the options that we have out in the market right now that there have been no drawbacks.”
This willingness to engage in dialogue, provide transparent information, and address concerns demonstrates that for MasterTag, sustainability is truly cultural rather than transactional.
The irony isn’t lost on them: they make plastic tags for an industry growing live plants. But acknowledging that tension while working thoughtfully to minimize impact is what separates genuine sustainability culture from marketing spin.
