One of the most common concerns among users of non-infill artificial turf is fiber flattening. Flattened fibers not only compromise aesthetics but can also reduce surface softness and impair sports performance. Many assume that without infill granules to support fibers, non-infill turf is more prone to flattening. In reality, advanced material engineering, structural design, and optimized tufting techniques allow non-infill systems to achieve excellent anti-flattening performance, often surpassing traditional infilled turf. This article explores the core influencing factors, field test data, and scenario-based applications, with technical insights from VivaTurf’s non-infill solutions.
Four Core Factors That Determine Anti-Flattening Stability
The resilience of non-infill turf does not rely on a single parameter but on an integrated system built around fiber materials, straight-to-curly fiber ratios, tufting density and depth, and backing strength.
Fiber Material: High-Toughness Polymers with Anti-Bending Design
The durability of the fibers themselves is the foundation of anti-flattening performance. Modified polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), or composite fibers are commonly used to improve bending strength. High-crystallinity PE (≥70%) and PP exhibit 30–50% greater bending resistance than standard PE, reducing permanent deformation under repeated foot traffic. VivaTurf’s premium sports-grade products further enhance resilience by incorporating micro glass fibers into the yarn. Additionally, triangular or diamond cross-sections outperform traditional round fibers, reducing flattening rates by 25%. Laboratory tests showed triangular-section fibers maintained over 75% uprightness after one year of heavy use (average six hours daily).Straight and Curly Fiber Integration: Cooperative Support Structure
Non-infill turf relies on a smart blend of straight and curly fibers to create a supportive “spring and pillar” system. Curly fibers act like micro-springs, lifting straight fibers from below and preventing tilt. In children’s turf, increasing curly fiber ratios to 40–50% can reduce flattening by 40%. In sports applications, heavy straight fibers (9,000–13,000 dtex) combined with 20–30% curly fibers offer the best balance. VivaTurf’s “75% straight + 25% curly” system withstood 100,000 simulated footfalls with only a 12% flattening rate, compared to 45% in all-straight fiber turf.Tufting Density and Depth: Reinforcing Fiber Stability
Dense tufting increases mutual support between fibers, reducing tilt and deformation. Sports fields require densities above 21,000 tufts/m², while children’s play areas benefit from ultra-dense designs of 50,000–60,000 tufts/m², where fibers interlock into a self-supporting web. Deep tuft embedding also enhances stability: non-infill systems typically plant fibers 15–20mm into the backing, compared to 10–12mm in infilled turf. VivaTurf’s dual-needle tufting achieves an 18mm depth with tuft pull-out strength above 80N, far exceeding the 60N industry baseline.Backing Strength: Multi-Layer Reinforcement Against Structural Deformation
The turf backing plays a decisive role in preventing overall shape distortion. VivaTurf applies a triple-layer composite structure—woven PP fabric, nonwoven fabric, and hot-melt adhesive—with optional fiberglass mesh reinforcement. This design achieves tensile strength of 35N/cm laterally and 40N/cm longitudinally, more than double the strength of single-layer PP backings in infilled turf. UV- and hydrolysis-resistant additives further ensure long-term durability, with lab tests confirming ≥85% tensile strength retention after 1,200 hours of aging simulation.
Field Data Across Different Applications
Sports Fields: High-frequency, high-intensity usage demands maximum resilience. In testing, VivaTurf’s sports series (75% straight + 25% curly, 26,250 tufts/m²) recorded only 12% flattening after 100,000 cycles of simulated football play. In real-world use, a football club in Hangzhou reported no significant flattening after one year, with only goalmouth areas showing mild wear easily restored by brushing. In comparison, equivalent infilled turf showed a 25% flattening rate due to granule displacement.
Children’s Playgrounds: Performance emphasizes overall evenness and softness. VivaTurf’s children’s series (55% straight + 45% curly, 60,000 tufts/m²) showed just 5% flattening after 50,000 cycles of simulated play. After two years in a Beijing kindergarten, fibers remained upright and visually uniform, with parents noting that fibers recovered quickly even after intense play.
Landscape Applications: Aesthetic consistency and low maintenance are priorities. VivaTurf’s landscape series (55% straight + 45% curly, 35,000 tufts/m²) recorded an 8% flattening rate after one year of outdoor exposure. Monthly light brushing restored fibers to over 95% uprightness. In a Suzhou residential garden, turf maintained its appearance after three years of light use, with only minor self-weight tilt in unused corners.
VivaTurf’s Technical Enhancements for Long-Term Stability
VivaTurf tailors anti-flattening designs for specific scenarios:
Sports: Heavy straight fibers (10,000–13,000 dtex), mid-high tufting density, and 18mm embedding depth for impact-heavy fields.
Children’s Play: Ultra-high tuft density (60,000 tufts/m²), higher curly fiber ratio, and reinforced backings for uniform softness and stability.
Landscapes: Balanced density (35,000 tufts/m²), shaped fibers, and anti-aging backings to preserve aesthetics with minimal care.
Innovations include layered tufting technology, where curly fibers are placed in the lower layer and straight fibers in the upper layer, improving anti-flattening performance by 30% compared to traditional mixed tufting. Full adhesive coverage at fiber roots further prevents loosening, with pull-out resistance 33% higher than industry norms.
VivaTurf also provides end-to-end service, including tailored anti-flattening design recommendations, strict quality control during installation, and free one-year inspections with maintenance support. With over 800 projects nationwide, VivaTurf’s non-infill turf has consistently proven its stability in football fields, kindergartens, and community landscapes, debunking the myth that “no infill means easy flattening.”
Through advanced material selection, structural synergy, innovative tufting, and robust backing, non-infill artificial turf demonstrates excellent anti-flattening performance. Backed by real-world data, VivaTurf’s solutions ensure long-lasting stability and aesthetics across diverse applications, providing reliable, low-maintenance alternatives to infilled systems.