The Best Fabric Planters

Buying Guide for Fabric Planters

Why buy fabric planters?

Though the specific type of fabric that planters are made of does vary depending on the model and brand, a few factors are consistent across the board with fabric pots and planters. They’re the perfect mixture of lightweight and durable, more eco-friendly to make, and can be reused year after year for various plants. Plus, they allow extra water to drain through the fabric without washing away the soil. This prevents rotting and overheating. Many models are also machine washable, a handy feature that many gardeners find highly convenient. The fabric they’re made from tends to be very similar to landscaping fabric—highly breathable with minuscule holes for better drainage and air circulation. Many are double-layered for extra strength with a soft, felt-like texture. Due to these factors, fabric planters are great for preventing tangled roots, promoting overall plant health, and growing most vegetables.

What should you consider when buying fabric planters?

• Size: Fabric planters can vary considerably in size. They can be small enough to fit on your windowsill or large enough to hold several hundred gallons, with plenty of sizes in between. You’ll want to make sure you pick the right size for the plants in question, as planters that are both too big and too small can cause issues. Plants with deep roots will need large planters to ensure the roots have enough room to spread out so that the plant or plants will thrive. For a basic point of reference, a 3-gallon planter is usually the best choice for plants like flowers or strawberries, 5 to 7 gallons for plants like carrots, peas, or tomatoes, 10 to 15 gallons for plants like potatoes and blueberries, and 20 gallons for plants like pumpkins, cucumbers, and watermelons.
• Quantity: Fabric planters are sold as individuals and in sets, so you’ll want to know if you’ll buy more than one. If you need multiple planters, purchasing them in pairs or packs will generally be more cost-efficient. Keep in mind, though, that fabric planters sold in packs tend to all be the same size and shape, so a bulk pack may not be the right choice if you need multiple planters in different sizes.
• Format: Fabric planters can come in multiple shapes, styles, and sizes. There are round, pot-like models that may or may not have handles for improved portability. There are raised planting beds and square or rectangular planters for windowsills. Some even have built-in dividers, which are great for growing small vegetables or herbs indoors. And since they’re made of textiles, you can also find fabric planters in quite a few different colors.

How are fabric planters different from plastic growing pots?

While fabric planters are more expensive on average than plastic flower pots, their benefits tend to considerably outweigh the cost. As mentioned, fabric planters are much more eco-friendly since they’re biodegradable, unlike plastic. But it goes even further than that. Fabric planters provide superior root care for the plants that they hold. They’re much more breathable and permeable, which provides a steady flow of oxygen and cool air to the roots. This keeps the plants’ roots untangled, so you don’t have to trim them. Fabric planters also don’t need drainage holes due to their permeability; water seeps through the fabric automatically rather than pools inside. This ensures that roots aren’t constantly sitting in water and reduces the risk of mold and rot. This makes fabric planters especially useful for plants at high risk for overwatering and wet, rotting roots, like succulents.

Our Picks for the Best Fabric Planters

Pros: The fabric of these planters is thick, BPA-free, and eco-friendly. It won’t hold onto excess water, so you don’t have to worry about your plants becoming overwatered or their roots rotting from extraneous moisture. This will ensure that your plants are healthier and stronger overall. The planters also have a natural air-pruning feature, which prevents roots from becoming tangled or constricted within the container and ensures they have enough surface area to properly absorb water and minerals. The handles are sewn with serging stitches to ensure they’re heavy-duty enough to support a bag full of soil and plants without ripping or falling off. This allows you to easily move the plants and planters all on your own. And they’re available in 10 different size capacities, between 1 to 30 gallons.

Cons: Though the price is still a pretty decent value overall for a set of five fabric planters, these are the most expensive items on the list. And while these fabric planters will hold up for years, they may lose their shape or even shrink slightly over time.

Bottom Line: If you’re in the market for a set of fabric planters, this five-pack of floor-standing fabric planters is an excellent choice. Not only is the fabric strong and rugged, but the two handles on either side of each planter are as well, and the size variety ensures there’s an option for most garden plants.

 

Pros: You receive 10 fabric pots for a very affordable price. They are available in 8 sizes, from 1 up to 20 gallons. (Note that all 10 planters will come in the same size; you can’t mix and match sizes in the same purchase.) The durable, nonwoven fabric is soft and fluffy and free of BPA and AZO. It’s also washable for easier reuse. Due to the fabric’s natural aeration, permeability, and drainage, your plant’s roots can breathe more easily to prevent root swirling and promote healthier roots and plants and better growth. As a bonus, these fabric planters have thick, double-stitched, laser-cut handles, so you can easily move and carry them around as needed.

Cons: The fabric of these planters isn’t the thickest out there. As a result, if you don’t fill these planters to the brim, they may slightly collapse inward. And if you have plants with low-hanging leaves, they might get entangled with the handles due to how high they jut up.

Bottom Line: Many people in the market for fabric planters or pots want to buy more than one at a time. Whether you’re growing several different types of plants or flowers or need multiple planters for a large quantity of the same plant, these fabric planters are a worthwhile investment.

 

Pros: This massive 100-gallon fabric planter with handles is perfect for holding multiple bags of soil and larger plants; you can practically grow a whole garden in just this single planter. It’s not only high-volume but very wide, perfect for plants with roots that need extra room to grow. Made of nonwoven, tear-resistant fabric, the price is also nice for a planter of this size. If the 100-gallon option is too big for your needs, two smaller options are also available.

Cons: There isn’t a good medium-sized option; the smallest of these bag-shaped planters is 45 gallons. And as is sometimes the case with larger fabric planters, you might see some sagging if it isn’t fully filled.

Bottom Line: Certain plants have roots that grow horizontally instead of vertically, and these plants need wider planters to accommodate their roots. If you plan on growing these plants or root vegetables like carrots, these wide and deep fabric planters will be perfect for your garden.

 

Pros: These fabric planters give you the unique ability to watch your plants and their roots as they grow. The built-in windows allow you to see what’s going on underneath the dirt and soil without digging up and disturbing the entire plant. The windows also have an optional Velcro-close flap, and you can harvest root vegetables directly through the windows if you prefer. There are also 100% transparent models that allow you to see your plants’ roots from any angle instead of a single window. And they’re suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

Cons: These aren’t the largest fabric planters out there. They’re nice and deep for their size but definitely too small for bigger or multiple plants. And there are only two sizes options available.

Bottom Line: If you’ve experienced issues with your plants’ roots, these fabric planters and their windows can ease your mind since you can check in on the roots. Kids will also love watching their plants grow from the bottom up or seeing root vegetables expand under the soil.

 

Pros: This hanging fabric planter works like regular ones, allowing for better moisture-wicking, oxygen flow, and breathability to ensure healthier plant roots. It’s meant mainly for indoor use, for people who live in apartments or condos with limited space and don’t have a yard or plot to grow flowers or vegetables. It hangs right on a wall, door, or railing and can be fixed in place either permanently or temporarily, and the metal grommets ensure the hanging holes won’t get ripped by the hooks or zip ties. The fabric is treated to be weather-resistant, and a vertical option is also available if that better suits your space.

Cons: This isn’t a great choice for trees, root vegetables, and bigger plants or flowers. The pockets simply aren’t large enough and don’t provide enough space for roots to grow. You’ll also want to ensure there’s a container to catch dripping water underneath it and a protective waterproof layer between it and your wall or door in case of leakage.

Bottom Line: This affordable and convenient fabric planter is perfect for someone who wants to grow flowers, vegetables, or herbs but doesn’t have a yard or outdoor plot they can use. Even if you have outdoor garden space, you can still use this hanging fabric planter; it will attach to a fence just as well as a wall or door.

Final Thoughts

Fabric planters make excellent containers for flowers, fruits, and vegetables alike. Before transferring them to your garden, they can be permanent homes or temporary locations. No matter the size of your plants, there’s a large or small enough fabric planter for pretty much any plant species.