A Smarter, Cleaner Future For Growing
Peat extraction damages some of the UK’s most important natural landscapes. But many current peat-free alternatives still rely on inconsistent waste streams, imported materials, and poorly controlled inputs.
Grown-For is a new approach: compost created from renewable UK-grown crops like willow — purpose-grown for performance, consistency, and sustainability.
Because peat free can be better than peat, in every way.
The Problem With Peat
Peat has been used in gardening for decades because it is light, reliable, and excellent at holding water and air. But peatlands are also one of the planet’s most important carbon stores.
When peat bogs are drained and extracted, oxygen enters the system and stored carbon is released into the atmosphere as CO₂. The damage doesn’t stop there — peat extraction destroys rare habitats, reduces biodiversity, damages natural water systems, and affects landscapes that took thousands of years to form.
Peat may help plants grow. But the environmental cost is too high.
3%
Peatlands cover just 3% of global land area — but store around 30% of the world’s soil carbon.
Thousands Of Years
Peat forms extremely slowly, often around 1mm per year, so landscapes can take thousands of years to recover.
Sources include IPCC 2019, Evans et al. 2014, Leifeld & Menichetti 2018.
Net Increase In Emissions
Drained peatlands release significantly more CO₂ than healthy peatlands store.
The Problem With Peat-Free
Moving away from peat is the right thing to do. But replacing peat properly is technically difficult.
Many peat-free composts rely heavily on mixed green waste streams. Those materials can vary dramatically depending on season, collection systems, and what people throw into green bins. In some cases, that can include plastics, contaminants, or even traces of pesticides.
The result can be inconsistent compost that dries out too quickly, performs unpredictably, and leaves growers frustrated.
The principles of peat-free are sound. The execution hasn’t always been.
1,100+
Microplastic particles per kg have been found in some retail compost products.
1.2kg Per Tonne
Current PAS 100 standards allow measurable plastic contamination in compost.
2mm+
UK compost standards currently only focus on visible plastics over 2mm.