PBS bags are put to the test by the Forest Service of the US Department of Agriculture
You know how proud we are of our specialist pollination bags, but you don’t just have to take our word for it. Now our bags have been independently reviewed by The Missoula Technology and Development Center, on behalf of the US Department of Agriculture!
The experiment, run by the Missoula TDC, was carried out by a Forest Service nursery in Idaho and a genetic resource centre in Oregon. Our PBS three-dimensional polyester pollination bags were tested against two competing bags on pine cone flowers. Here are the findings that the research team concluded:
“The PBS International isolation bag was probably the crew’s favorite for durability because the flap that could be used to cover the window offered extra protection from heat build-up.”
The reason why Missoula TDC were asked to conduct the research was because so many nurseries had been struggling to find a pollination bag that could perform to the necessary standard:
“Isolation bags have become harder to find, because some manufacturers have gone out of business or merged with companies specializing in other types of packaging. Some nurseries reported that the glued seams of isolation bags delaminated, wasting not only materials and many hours of labor, but also pollen, which can be in short supply. The Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) was asked to search for suppliers of high-quality isolation bags.”
“Isolation bags need to be made with special wet-strength paper, weatherproof glued seams and a clear viewing window. Isolation bags also need to allow gases to move through them. Air and water vapor inside the bag need to be at equilibrium with the outside air to prevent heat from building up.”
PBS bags surpass all of these basic requirements: we weld our bags, so that material edges are permanently sealed; we also make our bags from very strong breathable material, which can withstand heat, light, rain and wind as well as allowing that crucial flow of gases.