SAN DIEGO, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As universities and recreation operators face increasing pressure to reduce maintenance demands, improve sustainability outcomes, and rethink long-term field management strategies, a new generation of synthetic turf systems is beginning to reshape how athletic and recreation fields are designed. Among the most significant shifts is the move away from traditional infill-dependent turf systems toward surfaces that eliminate the need for performance infill altogether.

kAmu@C 9:89=J FE:=:K65 C64C62E:@? 2?5 :?EC2>FC2= 7:6=5D[ >2:?E2:?:?8 EC25:E:@?2= DJ?E96E:4 EFC7 DJDE6>D 42? AC6D6?E @?8@:?8 @A6C2E:@?2= 492==6?86D] x?7:== 5:DA=246>6?E 7C@> 962GJ FD6 @7E6? C6BF:C6D C68F=2C C65:DEC:3FE:@? 2?5 C6A=6?:D9>6?E E@ >2:?E2:? 4@?D:DE6?E A=2J:?8 4@?5:E:@?D] pE E96 D2>6 E:>6[ :?DE:EFE:@?D H:E9 DFDE2:?23:=:EJ 8@2=D 2C6 :?4C62D:?8=J 6G2=F2E:?8 E96 6?G:C@?>6?E2= AC@7:=6 @7 7:6=5 DFC7246D E9C@F89@FE E96:C =:764J4=6[ 7C@> >2?F724EFC:?8 E9C@F89 6?5\@7\=:76 C64@G6CJ]k^Am
kAm%92E 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 @A6C2E:@?2= 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 4@?D:56C2E:@?D :?7@C>65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcffdgc`\`U2>Aj9la`_deb`ddbU2>AjFl9EEADTbpTauTau2D]D5DF]65FTauU2>Aj2lpDD@4:2E65Z$EF56?EDZWp]$]XZ2EZ$2?Zs:68@Z$E2E6Z&?:G6CD:EJQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmpDD@4:2E65 $EF56?ED Wp]$]X 2E $2? s:68@ $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJk^2mVD 564:D:@? E@ C6A=246 2? 6I:DE:?8 EC25:E:@?2= :?7:==65 DJ?E96E:4 EFC7 7:6=5 H:E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcffdgc`\`U2>Aj9l`egddcg`c`U2>AjFl9EEADTbpTauTauA:G@E\EFC7]4@>TauU2>Aj2l!:G@ETraTptZ!6C7@C>2?46Z%FC7Z3JZ%6?r2E6Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm!:G@E® !6C7@C>2?46 %FC7 3J %6?r2E6k^2m[ H9:49 5@6D ?@E C6BF:C6 EC25:E:@?2= :?7:== DF49 2D D2?5 @C 3=24< 4CF>3 CF336C] %96 7:6=5 D6CG6D 2D 2 962G:=J FD65 DA246 H:E9:? p]$]V k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcffdgc`\`U2>Aj9lafhc`_ccfbU2>AjFl9EEADTbpTauTau2C4]D5DF]65FTauU2>Aj2lpKE64Z#64C62E:@?Zs6A2CE>6?EQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmpKE64 #64C62E:@? s6A2CE>6?Ek^2m 7@C DA@CE 4=F3 2?5 :?EC2>FC2= AC@8C2>D[ >2<:?8 5FC23:=:EJ[ 7:6=5 2G2:=23:=:EJ[ 2?5 >2:?E6?2?46 C6BF:C6>6?ED <6J 724E@CD :? E96 6G2=F2E:@? AC@46DD]k^Am
kAm&?=:<6 4@?G6?E:@?2= DJ?E96E:4 EFC7 DJDE6>D E92E C6=J @? CF336C @C D2?5 :?7:== E@ 56=:G6C A6C7@C>2?46 492C24E6C:DE:4D[ !:G@E :D 6?8:?66C65 E@ A6C7@C> H:E9@FE A6C7@C>2?46 :?7:==] %96 DJDE6>VD 7:36C 2?5 324<:?8 56D:8? 2C6 :?E6?565 E@ 4C62E6 A=2J:?8 492C24E6C:DE:4D EC25:E:@?2==J 249:6G65 E9C@F89 :?7:==[ H9:=6 6=:>:?2E:?8 E96 @?8@:?8 >2?286>6?E C6BF:C6>6?ED 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 :?7:== >:8C2E:@? 2?5 C6A=6?:D9>6?E] qJ C6>@G:?8 A6C7@C>2?46 :?7:== 7C@> E96 6BF2E:@?[ E96 DJDE6> C6AC6D6?ED 2 5:776C6?E 2AAC@249 E@ DJ?E96E:4 EFC7 56D:8?[ @?6 7@4FD65 @? D:>A=:7J:?8 >2:?E6?2?46 H9:=6 >2:?E2:?:?8 7:6=5 FD23:=:EJ 24C@DD 9:89\EC277:4 2AA=:42E:@?D]k^Am
kAmu@C p]$][ E96 D6=64E:@? 2=D@ 2=:8?65 H:E9 3C@256C DFDE2:?23:=:EJ @3;64E:G6D] x? 255:E:@? E@ C65F4:?8 @A6C2E:@?2= >2:?E6?2?46 C6BF:C6>6?ED[ E96 @C82?:K2E:@? D@F89E 2 EFC7 DJDE6> >2?F724EFC65 H:E9@FE 25565 !up$ 2?5 AC:>2CJ >:4C@A=2DE:4D[ H9:=6 AC@G:5:?8 2 A2E9H2J 7@C C64J4=:?8 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 7:6=5VD D6CG:46 =:76] %96D6 4@?D:56C2E:@?D :?4C62D:?8=J 724E@C :?E@ AC@4FC6>6?E 564:D:@?D 2D 4@==686D 2?5 F?:G6CD:E:6D 6G2=F2E6 E96 6?G:C@?>6?E2= :>A24ED @7 42>AFD :?7C2DECF4EFC6 :?G6DE>6?ED]k^Am
kAm%96 C6DF=E :D 2 C64C62E:@? 7:6=5 56D:8?65 E@ DFAA@CE 4@?E:?F@FD FD6 3J 42>AFD @C82?:K2E:@?D H9:=6 C65F4:?8 E96 >2:?E6?2?46 56>2?5D EC25:E:@?2==J 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 :?7:==65 DJ?E96E:4 EFC7] %96 :?DE2==2E:@? C67=64ED 2 3C@256C EC6?5 2>@?8 724:=:EJ @A6C2E@CD D66<:?8 D@=FE:@?D E92E 32=2?46 7:6=5 2G2:=23:=:EJ[ @A6C2E:@?2= 677:4:6?4J[ 2?5 DFDE2:?23:=:EJ @3;64E:G6D]k^Am
kAmQ$FDE2:?23:=:EJ :D 2 4@C6 G2=F6 7@C p]$][ 2?5 :E H2D 2? :>A@CE2?E 4@?D:56C2E:@? E9C@F89@FE E9:D AC@;64E[Q D2:5 #68:?2=5 r232?:==2[ p]$] s:C64E@C @7 u24:=:E:6D 2?5 $FDE2:?23:=:EJ] Q!:G@E @776C65 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ C65F46 56A6?56?46 @? EC25:E:@?2= :?7:== >2E6C:2=D H9:=6 DFAA@CE:?8 @FC 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 8@2=D] %96 DJDE6>VD 56D:8?[ :?4=F5:?8 :ED 2AAC@249 E@ !up$[ AC:>2CJ >:4C@A=2DE:4D[ 2?5 6?5\@7\=:76 C64J4=23:=:EJ[ 2=:8?65 H:E9 @FC 4@>>:E>6?E E@ >2<:?8 E9@F89E7F=[ =@?8\E6C> :?G6DE>6?ED :? 42>AFD :?7C2DECF4EFC6]Qk^Am
kAmpD 724:=:EJ @A6C2E@CD 4@?E:?F6 E@ 6G2=F2E6 2=E6C?2E:G6D E@ EC25:E:@?2= DJ?E96E:4 EFC7 4@?DECF4E:@?[ :?7:==\7C66 DJDE6>D DF49 2D !:G@E 2C6 6>6C8:?8 2D 2 5:DE:?4E 42E68@CJ H:E9:? E96 >2C<6E[ C67=64E:?8 492?8:?8 AC:@C:E:6D 2C@F?5 >2:?E6?2?46[ DFDE2:?23:=:EJ[ 2?5 =:764J4=6 >2?286>6?E]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr@?E24Eik^DEC@?8mk^Am
More from this section
kAmtC:42 #F>A<6k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i6]CF>A<6oE6?42E68C2DD]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm6]CF>A<6oE6?42E68C2DD]4@>k^2mk^Am
kAmd`b\cgc\efhdk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mp3@FE %6?r2E6k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%6?r2E6 56G6=@AD 9:89\A6C7@C>2?46 D@=FE:@?D 7@C DA@CED[ A=2J[ C64C62E:@? 2?5 @FE5@@C =:G:?8] r@>3:?:?8 >@C6 E92? b__ J62CD @7 E6IE:=6 6IA6CE:D6 H:E9 25G2?465 >2E6C:2= D4:6?46[ 3:@>6492?:4D 2?5 6?8:?66C:?8[ E96 4@>A2?J 56G6=@AD[ >2?F724EFC6D[ :?DE2==D 2?5 >2:?E2:?D 2CE:7:4:2= EFC7 DJDE6>D[ 9J3C:5 8C2DD DJDE6>D[ CF??:?8 EC24<D 2?5 DA@CED =:89E:?8 7@C 6G6CJ =6G6= @7 DA@CE[ 7C@> =@42= 4@>>F?:E:6D 2?5 8C2DDC@@ED 4=F3D E@ 6=:E6 DA@CED @C82?:K2E:@?D H@C=5H:56] ~A6C2E:?8 :? >@C6 E92? e_ 4@F?EC:6D H:E9 ?62C=J d[___ 6>A=@J66D[ %6?r2E6 4@>3:?6D 8=@32= 6IA6CE:D6 H:E9 =@42= 56=:G6CJ] #6D62C49 2E E96 r6?E6C 7@C %FC7 x??@G2E:@? Wr%xX 5C:G6D 4@?E:?F@FD :??@G2E:@?[ 96=A:?8 :>AC@G6 A6C7@C>2?46[ >2I:>:K6 2G2:=23:=:EJ 2?5 25G2?46 4:C4F=2C:EJ 3J 56D:8?]k^Am
kAmu@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcffdgc`\`U2>Aj9lc`cdgcha_gU2>AjFl9EEATbpTauTauHHH]E6?42E68C2DD]FDTauU2>Aj2lHHH]E6?42E68C2DD]FDQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmHHH]E6?42E68C2DD]FDk^2m]k^Am
k5:G 4=2DDlQ!#}0x>365565pDD6E#676C6?46Q :5lQs:GpDD6E!=246w@=56CaQmkAmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^>>I]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^>65:2^|$`hghg_h^!:G@E\!6C7@C>2?46\%FC7\3J\%6?r2E6\:?7:==65\DJ?E96E:4\EFC7\7:6=5\2E\$2?\s:68@\$E2E6\&?:G6CD:EJ];A8n:5l~pahdahacQ E:E=6lQp 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 @A6C2E:@?2= 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 4@?D:56C2E:@?D :?7@C>65 pDD@4:2E65 $EF56?ED Wp]$]X 2E $2? s:68@ $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJUR_bhjD 564:D:@? E@ C6A=246 2? 6I:DE:?8 EC25:E:@?2= :?7:==65 DJ?E96E:4 EFC7 7:6=5 H:E9 !:G@EUC68j !6C7@C>2?46 %FC7 3J %6?r2E6[ H9:49 5@6D ?@E C6BF:C6 EC25:E:@?2= :?7:== DF49 2D D2?5 @C 3=24< 4CF>3 CF336C]Q 2=ElQp 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 @A6C2E:@?2= 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 4@?D:56C2E:@?D :?7@C>65 pDD@4:2E65 $EF56?ED Wp]$]X 2E $2? s:68@ $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJUR_bhjD 564:D:@? E@ C6A=246 2? 6I:DE:?8 EC25:E:@?2= :?7:==65 DJ?E96E:4 EFC7 7:6=5 H:E9 !:G@EUC68j !6C7@C>2?46 %FC7 3J %6?r2E6[ H9:49 5@6D ?@E C6BF:C6 EC25:E:@?2= :?7:== DF49 2D D2?5 @C 3=24< 4CF>3 CF336C]Q ^mk^AmkAmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^>>I]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^>65:2^|$``b`fdg^%6?r2E6\{@8@];A8n:5l~pahdagegQ E:E=6lQ%6?r2E6 vC2DD :D 2 8=@32= =6256C :? 9:89\A6C7@C>2?46[ 2CE:7:4:2= EFC7 DJDE6>D]Q 2=ElQ%6?r2E6 vC2DD :D 2 8=@32= =6256C :? 9:89\A6C7@C>2?46[ 2CE:7:4:2= EFC7 DJDE6>D]Q ^mk^Amk^5:Gm
kA :5lQ!&#{Qmk:>8 E:E=6lQr:D:@?Q H:5E9lQ`aQ 96:89ElQ`aQ 2=ElQr:D:@?Q DC4lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^:>8^72G:4@?]A?8nD?lspchddaU2>AjD5la_ae\_h\`fQ ^m ':6H @C:8:?2= 4@?E6?E E@ 5@H?=@25 >F=E:>65:2ik2 :5lQ!#}&#{Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQ 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^C64C62E:@?\724:=:E:6D\D66<\2=E6C?2E:G6D\E@\:?7:==65\EFC7\2D\DFDE2:?23:=:EJ\2?5\>2:?E6?2?46\AC6DDFC6D\8C@H\b_agg`dca]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^C64C62E:@?\724:=:E:6D\D66<\2=E6C?2E:G6D\E@\:?7:==65\EFC7\2D\DFDE2:?23:=:EJ\2?5\>2:?E6?2?46\AC6DDFC6D\8C@H\b_agg`dca]9E>=k^2mk^Am
kAm$~&#rt %6?r2E6 vC2DD p>6C:42Dk^Am
kAmk:>8 2=ElQQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^CE]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^CE]8:7n}6HDxE6>x5lspchddaU2>Aj%C2?D>:DD:@?0x5la_ae_h`f_h`b!#0}t($0&$!#00000spchddaU2>Ajs2E6x5la_ae_h`fQ DEJ=6lQ3@C56Ci_AIj H:5E9i`AIj 96:89Ei`AIjQ ^mk^Am


