Sustainable tags are everywhere, but which ones actually hold up in the greenhouse?
For growers navigating retail sustainability mandates or simply looking to reduce their environmental footprint, the question isn’t whether to offer sustainable tags; it’s which option makes the most sense for your operation.
In fact, a recent survey conducted by the Home Garden Panel, a consumer research group MasterTag subscribes to, found that 78% of shoppers want to see more sustainable container options at their local garden center.
MasterTag’s sustainable portfolio includes four distinct substrate options, each engineered for different applications, performance requirements, and sustainability goals.
Here’s what growers need to know about Evo, Repro, Fibro, and Verso, including pricing, performance, and when each option works best.
Understanding the Portfolio: Four Solutions for Different Needs
MasterTag currently offers two recycled-content plastic options and two fiber-based alternatives.
“The way we approach testing these alternative substrates is, as best as we can, we’re going to try to make sure that there is no impact to performance,” explained Dylan Ode, MasterTag’s Materials and Manufacturing Process Engineer.
“The general perception is that when you use something that says ‘recycled’ on it, it’s not as good. We wanted to ensure that when we went through our testing process and development, the goal was for there to be no sacrifice on the end product’s performance,” he said.
Evo: The Post-Consumer Pioneer
Composition: 30% recycled milk jugs, 70% virgin plastic
Timeline: Launched 2018-2019
Best for: Growers seeking recycled content with familiar plastic performance
Evo was MasterTag’s first sustainable offering, and it carries a meaningful message: it contains post-consumer waste rather than just the manufacturer’s recycled material.
Using milk jugs as the source of recycled content gives growers a simple, relatable story to share with eco-conscious shoppers. The 30% recycled content delivers sustainability messaging while keeping pricing competitive.
Repro: The 100% Recycled Standout
Composition: 100% recycled plastic with guaranteed minimum 25% post-consumer waste
Timeline: Formally approved 2021-2022, marketed 2023-2024
Best for: Growers selling to retailers with recycled content mandates; operations seeking maximum recycled content without performance sacrifice
Of all MasterTag’s sustainable options, Repro is “the one that I’m most proud of,” Ode said. At 100% recycled content, with a guaranteed minimum of 25% post-consumer waste, it addresses a critical market need.
“A lot of big brands have put out mandates that you must have ‘X’ amount of recycled content in any plastic components,” Ode explained. “And for customers that are selling to these places, if you didn’t have an option in place, that can be kind of scary.”
Beyond meeting mandates, Repro offers a compelling sustainability story: “You’re using a product that’s already avoided the landfill. At the end of the day, the more times you can use a piece of plastic, the better, right? It’s already been made. The more you can avoid waste is the best case scenario.”
The Brand Integrity Factor
One common concern with recycled materials is whether they’ll compromise brand appearance. MasterTag has seen the opposite with Repro.
“The feedback I received from a large customer using it today is that there were no negative impacts to their branding or performance,” Ode reported.
In fact, recent customer feedback revealed that they couldn’t even tell it was recycled. For growers working with larger brands where brand integrity is critical, consistency matters.
Fibro: The Thin-Gauge Fiber Option
Composition: 90% virgin paper, 10% post-consumer waste
Timeline: Launched 2024
Best for: Hang tags and applications not in direct soil contact; growers wanting to avoid plastic entirely
Fibro provides a fiber-based alternative for tags that traditionally used thin-gauge plastic. The 10% post-consumer waste comes from “general paper products, or household and office paper waste,” Ode said.
Verso: The Heavy-Duty Paper Alternative
Composition: Thicker, more durable fiber-based material
Timeline: Launched 2024
Best for: Applications requiring more durability than Fibro; growers committed to completely avoiding plastic
Verso offers greater thickness and durability than Fibro, “which gives us a little bit more flexibility in what we can do with it,” Ode explained. MasterTag hopes to utilize Verso in even more applications in the future.
Both fiber options are designed for customers looking to avoid plastic altogether.
However, there’s a reality check: “Most people understand that paper isn’t going to perform like plastic. And if you engineer paper to perform like a plastic, it’s likely no longer recyclable and potentially less environmentally friendly than the plastic is at that point.”
The key is matching the material to the application. For hang tags and short-term use where soil contact isn’t a factor, Fibro and Verso deliver on their promise: a genuine plastic alternative without over-engineering or false performance claims.
Performance Expectations: Setting Realistic Standards
For plastic-based Evo and Repro, MasterTag’s testing process ensures performance is identical to that of a standard polypropylene or polystyrene.
For the fiber-based options, expectations are different: “When you look at the fiber, obviously, there’s a different expectation of what a paper is going to do versus a plastic. But for customers looking for that, there’s a general understanding that this isn’t going to be what they had before,” Ode said.
MasterTag’s philosophy centers on transparency; customers should understand exactly what they’re getting: “We spend a lot of time on the development side. Some might even say we overkill it. But at the end of the day, we understand the expectations of our products,” he added.
The Pricing Reality: Understanding the Premium
One of the most common misconceptions growers encounter is that recycled materials cost less than virgin materials. The reality is more complex.
“There’s a common misconception that if something has recycled content, it’s going to be cheaper,” Ode explained. “Occasionally that may be the case, but most often what you find is that [recycled product is] going to come at a slight premium because of all of the processes that go into recapturing it.”
Each step in the recycling chain adds cost: “There’s the collection process, the cleaning, the sortation, the repelletizing, and then the reproduction of that into a new material. And unfortunately, you can’t get around some of that.”
Approximate Premium Ranges:
- Repro: 5-10% premium (MasterTag’s most competitive sustainable option)
- Other options: Can reach 20% premium depending on specification
However, it’s important to note that pricing is volume-dependent.
“As you scale up, the premium comes down. That burden on the price side, when you’re doing smaller runs here and there, that’s a little harder to overcome,” Ode acknowledged.
Market dynamics also play a role: “From a broad standpoint, the more the market starts to adopt some of these sustainable substrates, that will only help prices come down,” he added.
The Infrastructure Challenge
Behind the pricing lies a systemic issue affecting the entire sustainable materials market: the U.S. recycling infrastructure simply isn’t there yet.
“At the end of the day, that’s the biggest driver,” Dylan noted. The limited framework creates a double burden: “the processing it takes to capture and recreate [materials] and the fact that supply is limited because infrastructure is so limited.”
Compare that to Europe, where the situation looks dramatically different.
“Europe is light-years ahead of us in terms of its recycling infrastructure. That’s why you see so many mandates in Europe. It’s part of their culture because it’s so ingrained, but they’re also able to have the mandates they have from a government level because the infrastructure is there,” Ode said.
What does this mean for U.S. growers? “Until that infrastructure gets to where it needs to be, it requires some creative problem-solving on our end,” he said.
Still, MasterTag is optimistic. “With some of the developments that we have in the pipeline and more adoption, we do see that becoming less of a problem,” he added.
Completing the Sustainable System: Wood Risers
For growers choosing fiber-based tags, MasterTag offers complementary wood risers. It’s a small detail that matters: pairing a paper hang tag with a plastic riser defeats the purpose.
Wood risers complete the sustainable system, ensuring growers committed to avoiding plastic can do so throughout their entire tagging solution.
Selecting the Right Option for Your Operation
Choosing among MasterTag’s sustainable portfolio depends on several factors:
Choose Repro if:
- You’re selling to retailers with recycled content mandates
- You want maximum recycled content without compromising performance
- Brand appearance consistency is critical
- You need the most cost-competitive sustainable plastic option
Choose Evo if:
- You want recycled content with a clear consumer story (milk jugs)
- You value the unique appearance of reclaimed HDPE
- You need a short run length
Choose Fibro if:
- You’re using hang tags or non-soil-contact applications
- You want to avoid plastic completely
- You’re willing to accept paper performance characteristics
Choose Verso if:
- You need more durability than Fibro provides
- You’re committed to fiber-based solutions
- You’re exploring expanding fiber use beyond traditional hang tag applications
What About Skeptical Growers?
For growers still hesitant about switching to sustainable options, Ode invites them to give him a call: “Pick up the phone, let’s talk. We are always willing to engage with customers directly to learn more about their specific sustainability initiatives and answer any questions they may have.”
Ultimately, MasterTag wants to help growers achieve their goals: “We understand that offering a customer a more sustainable material doesn’t do anything for them if they can’t sell their plants. So at the end of the day, we’re here to ensure that our customers can sell more plants,” Ode said.
With options ranging from 30% to 100% recycled content, and from thin-gauge fiber to durable plastic alternatives, MasterTag’s portfolio provides entry points for growers at different stages of their sustainability journey.
