Durable Inputs vs Controlled-Release Fertilizers (CRFs)
Durable Inputs are not CRFs.
They were built to fix something completely different.
Why CRFs Make Sense—But Fall Short
CRFs were created to reduce nutrient loss through slow-release coatings. The idea is good—but the implementation comes with high cost and hidden trade-offs:
| CRF Limitation | Real-World Impact |
|---|---|
| Plastic-based coatings | Leave microplastics in the soil |
| Fixed release profiles | Can’t adjust to actual crop conditions |
| Expensive manufacturing | 3×–5× higher cost vs traditional inputs |
| Regulatory pressure | Plastics are under global scrutiny |
*Up to 40–60% of traditional input value is lost before the plant ever uses it.
What Durable Inputs Do Differently
Durable Inputs™ offer CRF-like benefits—without the baggage.
| Feature | CRFs | Durable Inputs |
|---|---|---|
| Coating | Synthetic polymer | bio-based |
| Plastic use | Yes | No |
| Release timing | Fixed, slow | Tunable, crop-responsive |
| Cost per acre | High | Competitive |
| Environmental residue | Plastic shells remain | Fully biodegradable |
| Field compatibility | Often restrictive | Compatible with current systems |
Durable Inputs™ don’t try to control the release. They prevent the loss—and let the crop take what it needs.
How Durable Inputs™ Solve the Breakdown
Durable Inputs™ aren’t trying to replace fertilizer. They’re making it finally live up to what is needed.
Traditional = More Work to Get the Same Result
To make traditional inputs work, you have to:
- Apply more, more often
- Time things perfectly
- Hope the weather cooperates
- Accept some loss as “normal”
Durable Inputs™ eliminate that equation.
They’re built to last longer, waste less, and work harder—without more work.
The Break from Plastic
Most CRFs still rely on synthetic polymers, despite mounting global pressure to phase them out:
- The EU is regulating microplastic coatings by 2028
- Retailers and certifiers are demanding plastic-free options
- Growers are reevaluating high-cost, inflexible solutions
Durable Inputs™ use no plastics, no synthetics, no formaldehyde, no residues—saving money now and safeguarding profits in the long run.
Bottom Line: A Smarter Coating, Not a Slower One
CRFs try to stretch out nutrient availability through timed release. Durable Inputs™ solve the root problem: early loss.
They deliver:
- Extended field availability
- Higher input efficiency
- Reduced labor and reapplication
- Plastic-free, system-friendly performance
And they do it at a cost growers can actually work with.
Durable Inputs™: the next generation of fertilizer coatings
Durable Inputs™: the different approach of fertilizer coatings
- Extended release
- Improved efficiency
- Reduced labor and loss
- Plastic-free, easy-to-use, cost-effective solution