A paper pot is a product like Ellepot, Fertiss, or about 20 others that come from Holland mostly. They are like a cigar or cigarette with a paper wrapped around a center of media. Paper pots are either ready to use from a supplier, or you buy the machine from Ellegard to make your own. I have lots of experience with this product since I developed the US market for Fertiss in the early 2000’s. The license for production of Fertiss in the Americas was sold in 2006 to Smithers-Oasis , so I cannot have anything to do with paper pots in the Americas. Fertil continues to sell Fertiss in the rest of the world exclusive of the Americas. That one will be very firm.
Fertilpot is composed of 100% wood fiber that is mechanically processed (no glues, binders, pulping agents etc.…) It OMRI listed and Eco Cert approved for organic production. The grower will need to fill our pots with media just as they would with coco pots.
Paper pots is a bit misleading
‘Paper pot’ is a bit misleading – they are fabric wrapped plugs of media, like a cigar or sushi roll. There is a limit to the size of the plug since when they get too large in diameter, the compression required to hold the roll together is very high, resulting in poor rooting performance. Paper pots are really only suited to propagation in sizes under 5 or 6 cm.
Fertilpot allows for loose-fill in a 85% porous no-hole pot. Choice of media is up to the grower and remains loose regardless of the size chosen.
Paper pots are not always the cheapest. If price alone is the only factor that your customer will consider regardless of performance, they can use plastic bags. Fertilpot is often the best choice for propagation, but the buyer must have a command of all input costs and understand the overall scheme, not just a price on one single component.
Have a look to ellegard or other manufacturers to better understand what paperpots are.