Compostex Covers

The ComposTex compost cover (also known as "compost fleece") is a completely breathable, non-woven fabric made of 100% UV-resistant polypropylene that completely sheds rainfall from covered windrows (1).  It is usable for at least 4 - 10 years (2).

Although it seems counter intuitive that a breathable fabric could shed rainfall, this is accomplished through capillary action, gravity, and the properties of cohesion and surface tension between water molecules. So basically, at the point that the ComposTex cover becomes saturated with rainfall, surface tension and cohesion cause this water to follow the path of least resistance and "wick" from fibre to fibre inside the cover and down the gravitational gradient created by the sloped sides of the covered pile. Eventually, this water reaches the bottom edge of the cover, where it drips out onto the ground.

Whether used on a short term basis or for continuous protection through an entire compost cycle, ComposTex will protect piles from excess rainfall, thereby ensuring optimum aerobic compost conditions and preventing the saturated/anaerobic conditions that produce unpleasant odours, nutrient-laden leachate, and wet compost that increases costs associated with screening, bagging, and transportation.

Since 1994 ComposTex has been used on over five hundred compost facilities around the world to ensure optimum moisture content in active, curing and/or finished compost, thereby improving product quality, increasing operating efficiencies, and reducing soluble nutrient losses. ComposTex is also used to protect piles from windblown weed seeds, reduce moisture loss from sun and wind in dry climates or conditions, and to limit access to piles from flies and scavenging animals.

Here at Chaos Springs, we use ComposTex for our compost piles, and as a weed suppressing material on our garden beds. It is available through Korukai Herb Farm https://korukai.co.nz/

1 In extreme rainfall events (i.e. in excess of 1 or 2 inches/hour) the water shedding ability of ComposTex could be compromised.
2 The durability of ComposTex will vary depending on climate and use conditions.