How to judge the quality of artificial turf?

Why Is Judging Artificial Turf Quality Crucial?

Artificial turf has been widely used in football fields, kindergartens, garden landscapes, padel courts, and other scenarios, thanks to its advantages of durability, easy maintenance, and year-round greenery. However, product quality on the market varies greatly. Low-cost, inferior turf not only has a short service life but may also pose potential safety hazards.

Choosing high-quality artificial turf is far more than just "looking better." It directly relates to safety, health, long-term costs, and the ultimate user experience. Judging quality means mitigating risks. Here are the five core reasons:

1. Safety and Health

This is the most non-negotiable dimension, especially for families, schools, and public playgrounds. Low-quality turf fibers tend to shed, and substandard infill may result in exposure of hard particles, creating safety risks for children running and playing. Poor cushioning performance fails to effectively absorb impacts, increasing the risk of sports injuries.

Turf produced with recycled materials or inferior additives may contain excessive heavy metals or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Under prolonged sun exposure, these harmful substances can be released, posing potential threats to the health of children and family members. The core of quality judgment is confirming that the product holds authoritative environmental certifications.

2. Long-term Economy

Low prices often mean high hidden costs. An inferior artificial turf has a short lifespan—likely to suffer severe fading, compaction, and fiber pulverization within 2-3 years, requiring complete replacement. Its maintenance costs are also high: poor drainage leads to water accumulation and bacterial growth; it easily traps dirt, making cleaning frequent and difficult. Replacement involves not only the cost of new materials but also additional labor and time costs for old turf removal, waste disposal, and new turf installation.

High-quality turf typically has a service life of over 8 years with extremely simple maintenance. Its annual average cost is far lower than that of inferior products requiring frequent replacement. Judging quality is making a wise long-term financial plan.

3. Performance & Functionality

Professional sports fields require precise ball roll speed, rebound angle, and foot traction. Only high-quality sports turf systems—with scientifically designed fibers, backing fabric, and infill—can pass professional certifications such as FIFA, ensuring game fairness and athlete performance.

For gardens and balconies, high-quality turf maintains a realistic color and shape for a long time, with strong UV resistance, remaining as good as new despite wind and rain. In contrast, inferior products fade and mat quickly, becoming an "eyesore" in the courtyard.

Identifying Artificial Turf Materials

1. Raw Materials

Raw materials are the foundation of artificial turf quality. The materials of turf fibers and backing fabric directly affect the turf’s durability, safety, and user experience.

(1) Turf Fiber Materials

Artificial turf fibers are mainly classified into three types: PE (Polyethylene), PP (Polypropylene), and PA (Nylon), each with distinct characteristics:

• PE Fibers: Featuring soft texture, excellent elasticity, and strong wear resistance, PE fibers are the preferred material for sports turfs and kindergarten turfs. They effectively cushion sports impacts and reduce fall injuries. High-quality PE fibers have uniform color, no variegated spots, a smooth and tough feel, and are not easily broken when bent.

• PP Fibers: With higher hardness, average elasticity, and lower cost, PP fibers are suitable for decorative landscape turfs but not recommended for high-traffic areas.

• PA Fibers: Offering the best wear resistance and anti-aging performance, PA fibers are relatively expensive and commonly used in professional competition-level sports venues.

Pro Tip: Inferior fibers are mostly made from recycled materials, with dull colors, a hard and brittle texture. They peel or fade when gently scraped with nails and tend to become brittle and crack after sun exposure.

(2) Backing Fabric Materials

The backing fabric serves as the "foundation" of artificial turf, responsible for fixing fibers and resisting external tension. High-quality backing fabric must meet requirements of high tensile strength, wear resistance, and good water resistance. Common materials include three types:

• PP Woven Backing: Tough and non-deformable, suitable for sports venues;

• Non-Woven Backing: Breathable, mostly used for landscape turfs;

• Composite Backing: Combining the advantages of PP woven fabric and non-woven fabric, it boasts excellent tensile strength, water resistance, and breathability, making it a standard configuration for high-end turfs.

Pro Tip: High-quality backing fabric has a uniform thickness and is not easily torn when pulled by hand. Check the adhesive bonding area: there should be no excess glue or hollow areas, and the fiber pull-out resistance is strong (fibers are not easily detached when pulled). Inferior backing fabric is thin and fragile, with uneven adhesive application. After a period of use, it may experience widespread fiber detachment and backing cracking.

2. Process Details

With the same raw materials, the level of manufacturing craftsmanship directly determines the durability and aesthetics of artificial turf. Focus on three key details: turf fiber processing, gauge density, and backing adhesive technology.

(1) Turf Fiber Processing

The drawing and shaping processes of turf fibers affect the turf’s anti-matting ability and visual effect:

• High-quality fibers adopt one-step molding drawing technology, featuring a smooth surface without burrs and uniform cross-sections.
• Inferior fibers mostly use secondary drawing technology, with irregular cross-sections that are prone to wear and fraying.

Common fiber types include flat filaments, crimped filaments, and diamond-shaped filaments:

• Crimped filaments and diamond-shaped filaments use three-dimensional crimping design, delivering superior anti-matting performance—they can quickly bounce back to an upright position after trampling and have a more natural appearance similar to real grass.
• Flat filaments have weak anti-matting ability, making them suitable for low-traffic scenarios only.

(2) Gauge Density

Gauge density refers to the number of fiber tufts and row spacing per square meter, which is a critical indicator of turf durability. However, higher density is not always better—it should be selected based on the intended use case:

• Sports venues: Recommended density ≥ 10,500 tufts/㎡. Uniform row spacing and tightly arranged fibers can withstand high-frequency trampling and sports friction.
• Kindergartens or garden landscapes: Recommended density ≥ 8,000 tufts/㎡ to balance aesthetics and practicality.
• Decorative turf: Density can be appropriately reduced to control costs.

Pro Tip: High-quality turf has neatly arranged fibers with no skipped stitches or misalignment. Inferior turf has uneven density, with sparse patches that look visually lumpy and uneven.

(3) Backing Adhesive Technology

Backing adhesive is the key process for fixing fibers to the backing fabric, directly impacting the turf’s service life and environmental friendliness. Two mainstream adhesive types dominate the market:

• Polyurethane (PU) adhesive: Boasts high bonding strength, excellent anti-aging and hydrolysis resistance, and is eco-friendly with no pungent odor. It complies with the EU REACH Regulation and is the first choice for high-end turf.
• Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) adhesive: Low cost with moderate bonding strength, poor water resistance and anti-aging performance. It may contain harmful substances and emits a strong pungent odor.

Pro Tip: High-quality adhesive has a uniform color (light brown or transparent), with no clumping or air bubbles. It has only a faint adhesive smell instead of a pungent odor. Inferior adhesive is black in color with a strong pungent odor, and it tends to powderize and delaminate after sun exposure.

3. Performance Indicators

High-quality artificial turf must pass a series of performance tests. Always check authoritative test reports before purchasing, with a focus on the following indicators:

(1) Anti-aging Performance: Turf treated with UV-resistant technology can withstand 5–8 years of outdoor exposure without fading or becoming brittle. Inferior turf without UV treatment will experience fiber breakage and fading within just 1–2 years of sun exposure.

(2) Environmental Friendliness: Must comply with standards such as the EU REACH Regulation, with no formaldehyde or excessive heavy metals. Environmental safety is the top priority, especially for kindergartens and children’s play areas.

(3) Flame Retardancy: Turf used in public places must be accompanied by flame retardant test reports. It should self-extinguish upon contact with fire and prevent flame spread, reducing fire risks.

How to judge the quality of artificial grass?

Choosing high-quality artificial turf is essential to creating a beautiful and practical outdoor space. The durability, beauty and comfort of a lawn mainly depend on the quality of its fibers. Here are a few key aspects to judge the quality of artificial turf.

Observe the width of the fiber

The width of the fiber is an important criterion for measuring the strength and durability of the lawn. You can remove the grass fibers from the backing and compare them side by side. Generally speaking, the wider the fiber, the stronger its compression resistance and service life, so it is recommended to choose artificial turf products with wider fibers.

Check the density and arrangement of the fibers

The fiber density of high-quality artificial turf is high, and it is neatly arranged without obvious gaps or misalignments. High-density and well-arranged grass fibers not only improve the appearance, but also improve the resilience and foot feel of the lawn, which is suitable for various high-frequency use places.

Evaluate the color and texture of the fiber

A good lawn should not only be practical, but also have a natural appearance. High-quality artificial grass fibers should have a color close to natural grass, be soft to the touch, not stiff, and have a certain UV resistance. It is not easy to fade or deform, and can maintain its beauty for a long time.

Choose reputable brands and manufacturers

The professional level of brands and manufacturers directly affects the overall quality of the lawn and after-sales service. Choosing a well-known brand like GZUNIGRASS means that you will get more stable quality assurance and perfect after-sales support.

Quick Quality Identification Tips

If you find the above criteria too complicated, you can quickly judge the turf quality through these 5 simple steps: Look, Touch, Pull, Smell, and Verify.

1. Look

Check if the turf fibers have uniform color without discoloration or variegated spots. Examine the backing fabric thickness and adhesive uniformity to ensure there is no glue leakage or hollow areas. Inspect the fiber arrangement for neatness and absence of skipped stitches.

2. Touch

Run your hand over the turf fibers—high-quality fibers feel soft, smooth, and elastic with no burrs. Press down on the turf; it should bounce back quickly without permanent indentation.

3. Pull

Gently tug at the turf fibers—premium turf offers strong pull-out resistance and fibers won’t detach easily. Try tearing the backing fabric; it should be tough and not prone to tearing.

4. Smell

Bring the turf close and take a whiff. High-quality turf has no pungent odor, only a faint glue smell. Inferior turf emits a strong plastic or irritating odor, which may indicate the presence of harmful substances.

5. Verify

Request the manufacturer’s test reports to confirm that anti-aging, environmental protection, and flame retardancy indicators meet the standards. Check the manufacturer’s qualifications and opt for reputable, established suppliers with proven project cases.

Common Misconceptions

1. Higher density is always better.

Blindly pursuing high density increases procurement costs, and not all scenarios require high-density turf. For example, landscape turf doesn't require frequent trampling, and excessive density can be wasteful.

2. Lower price is always more cost-effective.

Low-priced turf often uses recycled materials and inferior adhesives, resulting in a short lifespan and high maintenance costs. While high-quality turf may have a slightly higher purchase price, its lifespan can reach 5-8 years, making it more cost-effective overall.

3. Judging solely by appearance, ignoring specifications.

Some inferior turf misleads buyers by mimicking the appearance of high-quality turf. However, turf with similar appearances may differ significantly in core indicators such as anti-aging properties and environmental friendliness. Always refer to test reports for accurate information.

Comprehensive consideration, accurate purchase

When purchasing artificial turf, it is recommended to comprehensively compare factors such as fiber width, density, arrangement, color and texture, and then combine brand reputation with actual use needs to make a choice. Through careful observation and comparison, you will definitely find the most suitable artificial turf product for your project.