Tubex Nature Ventex, and the wider Tubex Nature tree shelter range is an innovative, protective and scalable biodegradable solution made from a soil biodegradable material designed for hard-to-reach areas or planting projects where collection and recycling of shelters after use is not possible.

By manufacturing biodegradable tree shelters using the same proven process as PP tree shelters, customers are assured both of superior protection and growth compared to cardboard or wooden alternatives, and the scalability to deliver the volumes required. Alternatives in the market often compromise performance in their design, such as the longevity and protection of the product, or the ever-important tree shelter features to improve sapling growth like light transmission.

Tubex Nature™ innovative biodegradable technology is manufactured from a bio-based blend, including sugarcane, corn and starch. This means it can be left to biodegrade in situ and will, over time, start to degrade and breakdown into water and CO2 through a microbiological process.

The product has been externally tested according to ISO 17556 to demonstrate biodegradability in soil. They are also non-toxic, externally tested according to OECD 207 and 208.

Further independent tests with Dutch-based Wageningen Food & Biobased Research also demonstrated biodegradability both *in* and *on* soil at ambient temperatures, recreating more accurately the natural environment tree shelters will biodegrade in – considering both scenarios, where the tree shelters are buried *in* the soil to biodegrade and also when they are left to biodegrade *on* the soil.

Tubex is partnering with Wageningen Food & Biobased Research to continuously improve the product’s performance by testing different biodegradable materials to find the most suitable to ensure both effective protection and biodegradation in nature.