For over 60 years, TenCate has been shaping the future of artificial turf, crafting high-performance surfaces that serve communities and athletes alike. As a trusted leader in the industry, TenCate produces artificial turf that balances durability, safety, and its continual pursuit toward environmental responsibility. But what exactly goes into making high-quality turf, and why does it matter?

Understanding the materials behind artificial turf is key to appreciating why TenCate’s approach stands out. Committed to producing safe, high-performance fibers, the company ensures every field and sports complex is built to last — without compromising on performance.

Harmless and Durable Materials

When people hear “artificial turf,” they may wonder what it’s actually made from. Unlike early versions of synthetic turf that felt rough and unnatural, today’s best artificial grass is engineered for comfort, longevity, and player-best performance. TenCate’s artificial grass fields are crafted from the same high-quality materials found in sports equipment and athletic wear — like polyethylene and polypropylene which go into products we use every day.

Most artificial turf fields use polyethylene (PE) fibers, which create a realistic grass-like texture. PE is known for its durability and resilience, making it ideal for sports field turf, including soccer, baseball, and football fields. The K29 backing used in Pivot^® and tufted sports turf consists of two layers: one layer is 100% PP and the second layer is a blend of PET and PP. The backing plays a crucial role as well, reinforcing the structure of the turf to prevent wear and tear over time. Whether it’s a community installation or a professional artificial turf football field, know that TenCate turf is made to meet or exceed ASTM and FIFA standards.

Eliminating Harmful Chemicals

With any product that sees heavy use, especially in sports and community spaces, its interaction with players is a top priority. A major concern in the artificial turf industry has been the presence of potentially harmful chemicals, particularly PFAS. Since October of 2023, TenCate has taken a firm stance on this issue by ensuring its artificial turf is manufactured without added PFAS chemicals, offering peace of mind for athletes, families, and communities.

Not only does TenCate manufacture turf without added PFAS, it also meets strict environmental and health regulations, including compliance with California’s Prop 65.

Advancing the Next Generation of Turf

The world of artificial turf is constantly evolving, and TenCate continues to push the boundaries with new technology. One of its most exciting innovations is Pivot^® Performance Turf, a next-generation solution that addresses both performance and longevity. Unlike traditional turf systems that rely on performance infill, Pivot^® is designed to deliver a consistently even playing surface without it. Based on the engineering of Pivot’s unique fiber compositions, quantity and fiber density, TenCate provides a 12-year-warranty — as opposed to the 8-year warranty traditionally provided with conventional infilled turf systems.

Beyond performance, TenCate is also tackling one of the biggest challenges in the turf industry: end of life. Many people wonder, “Is artificial grass bad for the environment?” Or, “Is artificial grass good for the environment?” The answer depends on how it’s made. TenCate is leading the charge by ensuring that Pivot turf is fully recyclable after its 12-year warranty, reducing waste and making it a responsible choice for those looking to minimize their environmental footprint.¹

The Future of Artificial Turf

From artificial grass for sports fields to recyclable artificial grass solutions, TenCate continues to set the bar high. By manufacturing its products without added PFAS, prioritizing its pursuit of recyclability, and designing turf that performs at the highest level, the company is redefining what synthetic turf can be. Whether you’re considering an artificial turf installation for a stadium, community park, or local school, choosing a supplier committed to safety and sustainability makes all the difference.

TenCate’s legacy is built on delivering high-quality artificial turf that doesn’t just look great but also supports healthier communities through extended activity and use compared to natural grass fields. The next time you step onto a sports field, you just might be experiencing the result of decades of research, engineering, and a commitment to doing things the right way.

¹Turf recycling may not be available in all areas. Check with your local turf rep to learn more about TenCate turf recycling solutions.

DAYTON, Tenn., February 11, 2025 — TenCate, the world’s leading manufacturer, distributor and installer of synthetic turf for sports and outdoor living applications, today announced the official launch of the world’s first turf that requires no performance infill, is able to be recycled and is biomechanically engineered to replicate the feel and playability of grass sports fields.

Named Pivot^® Performance Turf, the revolutionary new turf was rigorously tested by college and professional athletes wearing biosensors to record movement and surface interactions. The biometric feedback found that Pivot closely mirrors the qualities of natural grass, delivering the feedback, support, give and grip that athletes need to maximize their performance.

“Pivot is the world’s first synthetic turf that plays like grass, requires no performance infill and is able to be recycled, an unbeatable combination that is truly a gamechanger,” said Joe Fields, President and Chief Executive Officer of TenCate Americas. “It’s a transformative breakthrough that outperforms and outlasts other turfs, benefiting players and the planet for years to come.”

Pivot was developed by TenCate’s Center for Turf Innovation (CTI) after years of research. Using advanced technology and continuous testing, CTI unlocked the ideal combination of traditional, durable sports fibers and new fibers that look and feel more like natural grass. The result: an innovative new artificial grass that is strong and securely rooted, providing optimal traction and a stable, safe surface. Athletes can play on it 24/7/365 in all kinds of weather.

“Everyone seems to really like it — the playability of it, the cushioning of it,” said Eric George, Assistant Vice President and Deputy Athletic Director for Rice University. “I think one of the really cool aspects is that you don’t have the rubber pellets. So our guys aren’t getting the turf burns like what they used to get, which actually comes from the pellets more so than the turf itself.

“From players to coaches, everyone involved has really loved it,” he added.

Pivot is not just groundbreaking for athletes, it’s a leap forward for the environment as well. The revolutionary new turf:

• Requires no performance infill, a first for turf systems. That means less materials and energy are needed to transport and install Pivot, resulting in lower carbon emissions.
• Eliminates nearly 100% of plastic shedding because there’s no conventional infill, which causes abrasion and shedding of the turf.
• Lasts longer than other turf systems and can be recycled at the end of its lifespan.
• Has no detectable PFAS, PAHs or lead. It is compliant with Proposition 65 requirements in California and meets testing criteria of the FIFA, NFL and NCAA.
• Does not need to be watered, mowed or cared for like grass, conserving water, cutting emissions from lawnmowers and eliminating the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

“Pivot opens an exciting new era of sports fields that are sustainable, durable, cost-effective and playable like no others,” said Dr. Colin Young, Global Director Research and Development at TenCate, who has been studying playing surfaces and ways to improve them for more than 20 years.

Pivot is manufactured to outperform all other types of artificial grass. It features three times more total fiber than competitive turf systems, and 16 times as many individual fibers. That means millions of state-of-the-art fibers support every quick sprint, long leap, fast cut and precision turn.

Pivot is also built to outlast all other turf systems, creating a sports field that delivers high quality, high performance and a high return on investment. It features flexible yarns to dissipate impact load and resists wear even where play is concentrated. Pivot has a 50% longer lifespan than other synthetic turf and carries an industry-first 12-year warranty.

“We’ve been using this for about 14 months now, and all of our outdoor sports teams are really appreciating the way it holds up under their feet,” said Tucker Barnard, Athletic Director and Head Football Coach for Shiloh Christian School in Springdale, Ark.

In warmer climates, using GeoCool™, a cooling additive, with Pivot can help dissipate heat and reduce surface temperatures. GeoCool is made from a renewable inorganic mineral that’s 100% recyclable and non-toxic.

Pivot is manufactured with 40% traditional sports yarns (TenCate’s world-renowned XP yarns) and 60% newly developed yarns. The innovative turf comes in three different face weights and over 10 colors to accommodate a variety of sports applications.

“Every now and then, something comes along that revolutionizes a technology, and for synthetic turf, that moment is now,” Dr. Young said. “Pivot looks, feels and plays like grass from the season opener to the championship final — game after game, season after season, year after year.”

To learn more about Pivot and TenCate’s commitment to quality and sustainability, visit https://playingforkeeps.info/pivot-turf/.

About TenCate

TenCate is the world’s leading manufacturer, distributor and installer of synthetic turf solutions for sports and landscape applications. TenCate Americas’ headquarters are in Dalton, Ga. With manufacturing facilities in the United States, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, the company serves customers in more than 40 countries with a suite of well-known brands. The company is fully vertically integrated, which enables it to control the full chain from R&D, through manufacturing, installation, maintenance and now, recycling. For more information, please visit www.tencategrass.com.

Q: Colin, you’ve been a key figure in the development of Pivot. What was the inspiration behind it?

When we started ideating on Pivot, we had a goal to replicate the best quality stadium grass. We didn’t want to follow a simple evolving process involving slight, incremental improvements. We wanted to pursue something transformational. And we knew from our user feedback research there was a gap between turf and grass. Closing this ‘gap’ was essential; one of the big drivers was to measure and understand grass better so we can more effectively mimic it.

That pursuit of a grass-like experience was very much an early driver of the development of Pivot.

Q: So, there are lots of different grass fields. How did the team define the grass that became the standard for Pivot?

When I say grass, I mean the perfect stadium on the first day of the season—when it’s perfectly manicured, has experienced perfect weather, had millions of dollars spent on it and hasn’t been played on.

That’s the perfect grass. And that was our gold standard.

A perfect natural grass field is not something that exists for a season. It’s something that exists for a moment in time at the start of the year before it is used. But we wanted that moment in time to become the benchmark for turf that would mimic its properties not just on day one, but every day for years to come, regardless of the conditions. So, we spent all this time understanding grass, measuring it, seeing how it grew, and understanding how it behaved when players interacted with it.

Q: Can you further explain the unique engineering process behind Pivot?

It took hundreds of design iterations, years of testing and biomechanical analysis. We even broke a few machines along the way and had to custom rebuild them to get what we needed out of them. It was a process. But we used our engineering prowess, our knowledge of polymers and chemistry and turf design, as well as real world biomechanical data from athletes to better mimic what the players were experiencing on natural grass.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the fibers. We’ve developed a process that conditions the yarns, forming a non-organized structure, much like the way grass grows. This helps create a player/field interaction that is more like the natural grass experience, instead of that harsh and immediate recoil that is common for turf surfaces, especially with rubber infill. That grasslike interaction is what we were chasing.

Q: What biomechanical benefits does Pivot offer athletes?

Understanding why players want to play on natural grass, from a biomechanical and kinesiological point of view, is what helped create a surface that doesn’t give a strong pushback or recoil that increases loads on the player. The fibers have memory, which means they gently absorb loads like cleat pressure, but then slowly return to their original shape and position the way grass does. Players get the protection from load absorption but without high ricochet, just like they get on grass.

Q: What about overheating? That seems to be a tough performance factor for turf to overcome.

So, the biggest problem with heat is the rubber crumb. Those little black pellets (typically ground up car tires) absorb and radiate heat, especially on sunny days. Pivot has eliminated the need for rubber crumb infill, so it doesn’t heat up as much. Additionally, in hotter climates, our natural GeoCoolTM additive can offer additional cooling power that keeps the surface closer to the temperature of natural grass.

Q: Does Pivot improve ball action, especially in sports like soccer and baseball?

Having a natural, consistent ball roll and bounce was really important. We wanted to emulate the interaction that a ball would have with natural grass. And because Pivot requires no performance infill, you’re not getting displacement of infill that creates inconsistencies on the fields from low and high spots. With Pivot, every time the ball hits, it’s predictable. The field stays put.

Another thing is the yarn is not tufted to fall in one direction like most turfs. The yarns are non-directional, meaning the ball rolls the same in all directions, making it much more predictable. This a ‘true’ roll and is very important to players, especially in soccer.

Q: Does Pivot perform better for one sport over another?

We can make minor iterations within the entire turf system to make Pivot adaptable to the sport or surface you want to create. But the fundamentals like grip and biomechanics that matter for every sport remain consistent from sport to sport. That’s where Pivot shines, playing like natural grass.

Q: We’ve talked a lot about the innovation and performance of Pivot. One thing we haven’t touched on, which is instrumental to your company and a huge part of your mission, is sustainability. How does Pivot contribute to environmental sustainability?

While our products reduce the need for irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides on playing fields, and are all designed without PFAS, Pivot has a few unique attributes worth mentioning.

Firstly, there is a potential emissions reduction when shipping Pivot because we don’t need truckloads of sand and infill. While the turf itself is heavier, it does avoid some carbon emissions because you don’t need those extra infill materials and extra vehicles for transportation.

Additionally, Pivot offers a 12-year warranty — the longest warranty in the industry, and this is because it lasts. Without performance infill, there is reduced abrasion against the fibers, decreasing wear. The field plays the same as it did day one for years to come. That longevity is really important, and it leads to another important sustainability attribute.

Our testing shows that Pivot doesn’t shed microplastics the way other fields do because there is so little, or virtually no, abrasion. That’s huge.

And when Pivot does reach the end of its best playability, it’s much easier to recycle because there aren’t components like sand and rubber to extract first. This makes it much simpler to build circularity into the life cycle of this product.

In fact, we’re doing quite a lot of work on LCAs (Life Cycle Assessments) and total cost of ownership. Due to its longer lifespan, reduced maintenance and no need to top-off infill, Pivot is more affordable than almost all other turf on the market over its lifespan. As the results come in, we’re very pleased and can’t wait to share them.

At TenCate, we’re always working towards reducing our environmental impact. That perspective was key in the development of Pivot. Our vision is to build healthier, more beautiful communities. And as the global leader in sustainability for artificial turf, our goal is to offer top-tier performance combined with true sustainability benefits for programs and athletes.

Curious to learn more about Pivot?
Please reach out to our sales team or learn more at playingforkeeps.info/pivot/.

Q: How does your partnership to recycle turf work and what does it mean for the industry?

We can take a field — any field — at the end of its life for recycling. We remove whatever infill might be in it and then we basically grind that up and pelletize it. We ship it to an advanced recycling facility. They take it to the refinery and they turn it back into plastic products. It’s a USCC-certified circular process, and we’re the first to achieve that. We’re proud and pleased with that partnership.

Q: What’s the environmental impact of that?

Each individual field that we pick up is about 85,000 square feet of turf that does not go into a landfill and that’s a huge number. To date, we’ve processed close to 65 fields. I think another thing to consider though, is the carbon footprint for recycling that field. Recycling existing plastic has a much lower carbon footprint than going out and getting crude oil from the ground and turning it into new plastic. So not only are we recycling fields and keeping them from becoming waste in a landfill, we’re also creating new products in a much more sustainable fashion. We’re really a leader in recycling plastics and that’s just so exciting for me and for the company. We’re making a huge impact for the industry and for plastics as a whole.

Q: There is a history of turf being a solution for play, health and activity for urban areas that didn’t have access to a lot of green space. Do you see it that way still?

Actually, it’s probably much more impactful today. As urban areas grow, you have more people and less land, so it becomes critical to get as much use as you can out of each square inch of green space. Turf allows you to do that.

When you think about trying to maintain grass in an urban environment, it’s even more difficult than a non-urban environment. You have limited sunlight. It’s difficult to get water there. The cost of maintenance is much higher in urban areas, and moving equipment in and out to mow it, to fertilize it — it’s difficult. In major cities like New York and San Francisco, there are hardly any grass fields left because people know the benefit that artificial turf provides. It’s just really difficult to maintain a grass field. And when it’s difficult to maintain, it can become unsafe and it doesn’t get as many hours of play.

And another thing that we don’t talk about that much — it’s in our mission statement to build healthier, more beautiful communities. Artificial turf just always looks good. High school football fields are adding logos and end zones, and they look beautiful all the time, versus mud between the 40-yard lines after the third home game on a natural grass field.

When we put that turf in, the band can practice on it. The JV team can play on it. The freshman team can play on it. They can rent it out on the weekends. It always provides more use, whether it’s an urban environment or a non-urban environment. You get that additional play, and you get a product that stays beautiful, despite so much use.

Q: What would you say to those that think that natural grass is the best option, and would never consider artificial turf?

If you think natural grass is the best option, you really ought to do your homework. Get started by talking to athletic directors and Parks and Rec commissioners around the country, because they’re going to tell you the benefits of artificial turf.

These are people that are on their third and fourth generation of artificial turf fields. Because once they go artificial turf, they don’t go back.

• It’s safer because you have a more consistent playing surface.
• It’s cheaper to maintain.
• It provides so many more hours of play, which is becoming more and more critical with constrained budgets for metro areas and schools.

And there are some environmental benefits to turf that are often overlooked, too. Natural grass has some environmental costs.

Q: What are some of those environmental costs?

The environmental costs of maintaining natural grass are actually pretty huge.

First of all, water. Each [natural grass] field takes about an Olympic pool worth of water every year to maintain. With climate change and more regions experiencing drought, that is a cost some communities just can’t afford.

There’s also the constant seeding, fertilizing, all the equipment that runs on gas, and the associated carbon footprint of that maintenance. The EPA guesses that about 5% of pollution from gas-powered motors comes from lawn mowers in the United States. It’s a huge cost from an environmental standpoint in terms of the emissions alone.

Also, fertilizers contain a lot of chemicals. But grass fields require them because most of the grass we use for athletic or leisure fields is not native to this part of the world. So, it requires an awful lot of maintenance to keep that field looking pristine, including processed chemicals like fertilizers.

And that brings up PFAS. There’s a lot of talk about PFAS with artificial turf. And most of that is very erroneous. Natural grass actually has PFAS. You’ll find PFAS in the soil of any natural grass field because fertilizer typically includes PFAS. Some are even categorized as PFAS. Almost all soils in the US have some level of PFAS; it’s just ubiquitous in the environment, which most people don’t realize.

Q: Speaking of PFAS, there are a lot of calls for regional bans on turf because of PFAS content specifically. What are some misconceptions about PFAS and turf we should clear up?

First of all, PFAS is not a component of turf that has anything to do with the performance requirements or the capabilities of the turf. PFAS in turf only comes from an additive, which is basically a lubricant in the extrusion process.

And that is the same for every single type of plastic that you can think of, whether it’s the rayon pants you might be wearing right now, the dental floss that you used this morning or your toothbrush bristles.

All those plastic things are extruded, and all of those require some kind of process aid or lubricant. And that’s what contains PFAS, typically at higher levels than artificial turf. Turf has a lower parts-per-million content of PFAS than your toothbrush, your dental floss or your food wrapper from McDonald’s — all things you put in or near your mouth. So, there’s been some unwarranted hysteria around PFAS in turf, considering we are putting things on or in our bodies that contain far more parts per million of PFAS than the artificial turf beneath your cleats.

Q: Can you tell us more about the bans around artificial turf?

I think a lot of well-intentioned people have concerns about safety and have reached out to their state legislatures saying, “hey, we should just ban turf because it could contain PFAS.” And I can understand wanting to ensure safety for your kids. We all want that!

But it’s born out of misunderstanding, unfortunately due to some erroneous reporting about PFAS in turf. We need to make sure that people understand that existing fields are safe. There are not dangerous levels of PFAS in turf. In fact, the PFAS that are in the turf, according to the Washington Post, cannot be extracted through chemical processes in a lab. That should provide some comfort — knowing that a scientist in a lab can’t extract the 12 parts per million of PFAS out of the turf in a lab setting. So that’s not going to happen naturally. It’s just not going to leach out in the environment or onto the athletes playing on turf.

Most people just want the facts. And when we give them the facts, we’ve seen that concern level in California really come down. But unfortunately, other bills to ban turf have been picked up in a number of other states. We’re seeing legislation in about eight states that have something to do with PFAS. We’re communicating with those legislatures and we’re trying to get the facts out there. And we’re confident that people will make rational decisions when they are armed with facts.

Q: So, you’ve removed PFAS from your design, you’ve initiated recycling partnerships to keep turf from landfills and reuse the materials. This isn’t your grandfather’s turf. What’s next for TenCate?

Well, you know, we’ve always been the leader in innovation. When we were a company that only made yarn for synthetic turf, we made the best yarn — the most innovative, longest lasting, and sustainable yarn. Over the years, we’ve moved into turf production and the focus was again on sustainability, longevity and safety of play.

And then we migrated into installation of those fields.

So now, as we cover all the components that go into creating and installing a field, we’ve continued to emphasize R&D and innovation. And from that, we’ve developed the most sustainable, safest, most natural grass-like turf in our newest product, Pivot Performance Turf®.

It’s something the industry hasn’t seen before. It’s the culmination of years and years of thinking about sustainability and performance and better play. It’s all of our work on innovation, sustainability and performance coalescing to create just a remarkable, unique product that’s going to be a game changer for the industry.

We can’t wait to get it under people’s feet.