--- title: "Green Tag, Red Tag, Red-M: Contents Disposition Explained | ItemStage" description: "In contents restoration, disposition is the restorable-or-not decision made for every item in a pack-out. Green tag means restorable, red tag means non-restorable (total loss), and Red-M flags items needing modification or special handling. Here is how each works." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "ItemStage", "url": "https://itemstage.com", "logo": "https://itemstage.com/itemstage-icon.png", "description": "Mobile pack-out and contents-restoration software with chain-of-custody proof, built by TetraCore inside a working restoration facility.", "parentOrganization": { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://tetracorehq.com/#organization", "name": "TetraCore", "url": "https://tetracorehq.com/", "sameAs": [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/tetracorehq" ] }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.capterra.com/p/10053979/ItemStage/", "https://www.g2.com/products/itemstage/reviews", "https://www.trustradius.com/products/itemstage/reviews", "https://alternativeto.net/software/itemstage/" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "ItemStage", "url": "https://itemstage.com" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Green Tag, Red Tag, Red-M: Contents Disposition Explained", "description": "In contents restoration, disposition is the restorable-or-not decision made for every item in a pack-out. 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Miller", "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "TetraCore", "url": "https://tetracorehq.com/" } }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "ItemStage", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://itemstage.com/itemstage-icon.png" } } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://itemstage.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Blog", "item": "https://itemstage.com/blog" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Green Tag, Red Tag, Red-M: Contents Disposition Explained", "item": "https://itemstage.com/blog/contents-disposition-green-tag-red-tag" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does a green tag mean in contents restoration?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A green tag means the item is restorable: it can be cleaned, deodorized, or repaired to pre-loss condition for less than the cost of replacing it. Green-tagged items continue through the facility's processing stages and are returned to the owner at pack-back." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does a red tag mean in contents restoration?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A red tag means the item is non-restorable — a total loss. Restoring it is impossible or would cost more than replacing it. Red-tagged items are documented with photos and condition notes, listed on the claim's total-loss inventory for replacement-cost settlement, and typically disposed of once the adjuster releases them." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is a Red-M disposition?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Red-M is a middle disposition used in contents operations like ItemStage's for items that are restorable with modification or that carry conditions the owner and adjuster must see — for example a cleaned sofa with a permanent stain, or an appliance restored except for one damaged part. It keeps borderline items honest instead of forcing them into a clean green/red split." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Who decides if an item is restorable or a total loss?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The restoration contractor's contents team makes the initial disposition call based on testing and cleaning results, but the insurance adjuster approves it — and the property owner can contest it. Clear photos and condition notes at intake and after cleaning are what make a disposition stick." } } ] } ] --- [![ItemStage logo](/itemstage-icon.png)ItemStage ](/) [Product](/product)[Features](/features)[Industries](/industries/restoration-processing)[Pricing](/pricing)[Compare](/compare)[Resources](/resources/chain-of-custody-item-tracking)[Blog](/blog) [Log in](https://app.itemstage.com)[Contact](/contact)[Start a Pilot](/signup) [Start a Pilot](/signup) Vocabulary # Green Tag, Red Tag, Red-M: Contents Disposition Explained July 9, 2026· 6 min read · [All posts](/blog) In contents restoration, **disposition** is the decision recorded for every item in a pack-out: restorable or not. A **green tag** marks an item as restorable, a **red tag** marks it non-restorable (a total loss), and **Red-M** flags an item that is restorable with modification or notes the owner and adjuster need to see. Every item that leaves a loss site during a [pack-out](/blog/what-is-a-packout) eventually gets a disposition, and those dispositions become the backbone of the claim: the green list goes back to the homeowner, the red list gets settled as a total loss. Yet the vocabulary is barely written down anywhere. Here is how it works in practice, from a team that runs a contents facility. ## What does disposition mean in contents restoration? A disposition is the documented outcome assigned to a single item after evaluation and cleaning: can this item be returned to pre-loss condition at a cost that makes sense, or should the claim replace it? The test most adjusters apply is simple — an item is restorable when restoring it costs meaningfully less than replacing it, and when cleaning can actually return it to pre-loss condition (odor, contamination, and structural integrity included, not just appearance). ## What each tag means ### Green tag — restorable The item can be cleaned, deodorized, or repaired to pre-loss condition. Green-tagged items continue through the facility's processing stages, go to storage, and return to the property at pack-back. Most contents in a typical loss end up green. ### Red tag — non-restorable (total loss) Restoration is impossible or uneconomical: melted plastics, saturated particle-board furniture, heavily contaminated mattresses, electronics with corrosion past the board. Red items are photographed, described, and listed on the total-loss inventory the adjuster uses to settle replacement cost. They are not discarded casually — the owner and adjuster typically sign off before disposal, because the photo record is what supports the payout. ### Red-M — restorable with modification The honest middle. Red-M (as used in ItemStage's disposition model) flags items that are restorable _with modification_ or with conditions attached: a dining table that cleaned up except for one heat mark, a jacket that is sanitary but visibly faded. The tag carries notes and photos so the owner and adjuster can decide — accept the item as-is, negotiate a partial allowance, or move it to red. Without a middle category, borderline items get quietly forced into green (and disputed at pack-back) or red (and inflate the claim). ## Who decides an item's disposition? - **The contents technician** makes the working call, based on material, contamination, and cleaning results. - **The contents manager** reviews borderline items — often at a dedicated inspect stage after cleaning. - **The adjuster** approves the total-loss list and settles it under the policy's contents coverage. - **The owner** can contest any call, which is why condition photos at intake and after processing decide most disagreements before they start. ## How dispositions flow into the claim At the end of processing, the item list splits: green and accepted Red-M items are stored and packed back; red items become the non-salvageable inventory — item, description, photos, and condition — that the adjuster prices for settlement. A clean disposition record means the claim closes on evidence rather than argument. In a stage-gated system like [ItemStage](/contents-restoration-software), the disposition is captured on the item record with required photos, so the total-loss inventory and the [chain-of-custody export](/resources/chain-of-custody-item-tracking) are generated from the same data — no re-typing lists for the adjuster. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does a green tag mean in contents restoration? A green tag means the item is restorable: it can be cleaned, deodorized, or repaired to pre-loss condition for less than the cost of replacing it. Green-tagged items continue through the facility's processing stages and are returned to the owner at pack-back. ### What does a red tag mean in contents restoration? A red tag means the item is non-restorable — a total loss. Restoring it is impossible or would cost more than replacing it. Red-tagged items are documented with photos and condition notes, listed on the claim's total-loss inventory for replacement-cost settlement, and typically disposed of once the adjuster releases them. ### What is a Red-M disposition? Red-M is a middle disposition used in contents operations like ItemStage's for items that are restorable with modification or that carry conditions the owner and adjuster must see — for example a cleaned sofa with a permanent stain, or an appliance restored except for one damaged part. It keeps borderline items honest instead of forcing them into a clean green/red split. ### Who decides if an item is restorable or a total loss? The restoration contractor's contents team makes the initial disposition call based on testing and cleaning results, but the insurance adjuster approves it — and the property owner can contest it. Clear photos and condition notes at intake and after cleaning are what make a disposition stick. ## See ItemStage in action Walk through a workflow tailored to your facility — mobile-first capture, gated chain-of-custody checkpoints, and audit-ready exports. [Facility-based pricing](/pricing) starts at $299/month, unlimited users. [Start a Pilot — From $299/mo](/signup)[Book a Workflow Demo](/contact) ![ItemStage logo](/itemstage-icon.png)ItemStage Mobile-first workflow and chain-of-custody platform for high-volume item-processing teams. [Start a Pilot](/signup)[Book a Demo](/contact) ## Product - [Overview](/product) - [Features](/features) - [Pricing](/pricing) - [Start a Pilot](/signup) - [Case Study](/case-study) - [Log in](/login) ## Industries - [ITAD & R2v3 Facilities](/itad) - [Restoration Processing](/industries/restoration-processing) - [Refurbishment & Certification](/industries/refurbishment-certification) - [Contents Restoration Software](/contents-restoration-software) - [Packout Software](/pack-out-software) ## Resources - [State of R2v3 (2026 Data)](/resources/state-of-r2v3-2026) - [Chain-of-Custody Tracking](/resources/chain-of-custody-item-tracking) - [Photo Documentation](/resources/photo-documentation-for-restoration) - [Pack-Out Checklist](/resources/pack-out-checklist) - [Blog](/blog) - [Compare Tools](/compare) ## Company - [Contact](/contact) - [Security](/security) - [Privacy](/privacy) - [Terms](/terms) © 2026 ItemStage — a [TetraCore](https://tetracorehq.com) product. All rights reserved. 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