C-Bites: The American-Made Plant Support Clip Revolutionizing Home Gardens

Part of the America250: Built Here. Built Better. series — celebrating the American makers, manufacturers, and entrepreneurs behind every FLI Products innovation.

Every gardener who has ever wrestled with twist ties, wire clips, or flimsy plastic connectors knows the frustration. You spend twenty minutes tying up your tomato plants, and by the next week half of them have slipped, snapped, or cut into the stem. You end up with damaged plants, wasted time, and a pile of single-use plastic headed for the trash.

There's a better way. And it's made right here in America.

C-Bites are patented modular plant support clips designed to work with standard garden stakes, tomato cages, and custom trellis systems. They snap on, hold firm, and come off clean — season after season.

Built by Thriving Design — Built for American Gardens

C-Bites are manufactured by Thriving Design, an American company and FLI Products partner dedicated to creating practical, innovative garden solutions. Thriving Design brings the same commitment to quality and ingenuity that defines the best of American product development — identifying a real problem that gardeners face every season and engineering a solution that actually works.

The result is a plant support system that is:

• Patented — a genuinely novel design protected by US patent, not a commodity import knockoff
• Modular — clips, stakes, cross bars, and expansion packs that build into any configuration you need
• Reusable — snap on, snap off, store for next season; no single-use waste
• Stem-safe — designed to support without cutting, constricting, or damaging plant tissue
• Made in the USA — domestic manufacturing means consistent quality, fast replenishment, and no tariff exposure

Tom Whitaker on C-Bites

Tom Whitaker has grown tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and climbing plants for four decades. He's tried every plant support system on the market — and he has strong opinions about what works and what doesn't.

"Twist ties cut into stems. Wire clips rust. Most plastic connectors break the first time you try to reuse them. C-Bites are different — they snap on clean, they hold without damaging the plant, and I've been using the same clips for two seasons now. That's what American-made quality looks like." — Tom Whitaker, FLI Products Advisor

Tom uses C-Bites as part of his complete tomato growing system alongside the Tomato Crater and Stake It ground anchors — a fully American-made garden support ecosystem.

The Complete C-Bites System

C-Bites isn't just a clip — it's a complete modular plant support platform:

• C-Bite® Plant Support Clips — 7/16" Stakes — the original, available in 26, 100, and 1000-count
• C-Bite® Green Plant Support Clips — incognito green for a natural look in the garden
• C-Bite® Skinny Plant Clips — 5/16" Stakes — for smaller diameter stakes
• C-Bite® Maker Kit — stakes, cross bars, and clips for complete custom trellis builds
• C-Bite® Garden Stake Expansion Pack — add more stakes to your existing system
• C-Bite® Garden Stake Cross Bars — horizontal connectors for cage and trellis builds
• CBITE Green Plastic Coated Steel Garden Stakes — 30", 36", 48", and 60" lengths

Why American-Made Garden Innovation Wins

The garden products category is flooded with cheap import clips, ties, and connectors that look fine on the shelf and fail in the field. The problems are predictable: brittle plastic that cracks in cold weather, inconsistent sizing that doesn't fit standard stakes, and single-use designs that create waste and cost gardeners money every season.

C-Bites solves all of it — with a patented American design, domestic manufacturing quality control, and a modular system that grows with your garden year after year.

For retail buyers in the garden category, C-Bites offers:

• A patented product with genuine IP protection — not a commodity that any importer can undercut
• Domestic replenishment in 7–30 days vs. 90–140 days for overseas alternatives
• No tariff exposure — stable, predictable pricing
• High reorder rates — gardeners who discover C-Bites come back for expansion packs and larger quantities
• Made in USA story — a retail differentiator at Tractor Supply, Rural King, Bomgaars, and garden centers nationwide

FLI Products and the Walmart Open Call

C-Bites is part of FLI Products' commitment to the Walmart Open Call program — Walmart's annual event connecting American-made products with Walmart buyers for potential shelf placement. Patented, American-made garden innovations like C-Bites represent exactly what the Open Call program is designed to surface for Walmart's garden category buyers.

Learn more at corporate.walmart.com.

Follow the conversation: #WalmartOpenCall #MadeInUSA #America250 #CBites

Heard on Made in America

FLI Products is a recurring guest on Made in America with Rita Compton and Michael King — hosted by Rita Compton, known as America's Inventor Lady. Kevin Cody of FLI Products has appeared on multiple episodes sharing the story behind C-Bites and the Thriving Design partnership.

Listen here: Made in America Podcast

Where to Buy C-Bites

C-Bites are available at the retailers you already trust:

• Walmart — in-store and online
• Amazon
• Lowe's
• Tractor Supply
• Target
• Wayfair
• Zoro
• Best Buy
• Wingra Direct
• Newegg
• The BBQ Superstore
• West Marine
• And directly at fliproducts.com

Part of a Bigger Story

C-Bites is one of 18 American-made products in the FLI Products portfolio. Explore the full America250 series:

• America250: Built Here. Built Better. — The FLI Products Story
• AnchorStake: Planting a Stake in American Manufacturing
• Bait Up: American-Made Live Bait Containers
• Blade Guard: Built by Rogers Manufacturing Since 1891
• Shop All Made in USA Products

Shop C-Bites — Made in USA →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are C-Bites made?

C-Bites are made in the United States by Thriving Design, an American company and FLI Products manufacturing partner.

What are C-Bites used for?

C-Bites are modular plant support clips used to connect plant stems to garden stakes, tomato cages, and custom trellis systems. They work with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, and any climbing or vining plant.

Are C-Bites reusable?

Yes. C-Bites snap on and off cleanly and are designed for multi-season reuse. Unlike twist ties or wire clips, they don't rust, break, or degrade with normal garden use.

What stake sizes do C-Bites fit?

C-Bites are available for 7/16" stakes (standard garden stake size) and 5/16" stakes (skinny clip version). The Maker Kit includes compatible stakes and cross bars for complete custom builds.

Is C-Bites available at Walmart?

Yes. C-Bites are available at Walmart in-store and online, as well as at Amazon, Tractor Supply, Lowe's, and other major retailers.

What is the Walmart Open Call program?

Walmart Open Call is Walmart's annual event connecting American-made products with Walmart buyers for potential retail shelf placement. Learn more at corporate.walmart.com.

Who is Tom Whitaker?

Tom Whitaker is a retired manufacturing professional, lifelong gardener, and FLI Products advisor with 40 years of practical growing experience. Learn more at fliproducts.com/pages/learn-from-tom.