What is “Thatch” in Artificial Grass?

Published, September 20, 2022

“Thatch” is a term used to describe a secondary layer of fibers in Artificial Grass manufactured to create a more realistic grass appearance, and provide a heavier turf material, or higher “Face Weight”.

Most artificial grasses, particularly athletic turfs, are manufactured with one type of yarn, or fiber, tufted into a backing, with the same pile height and color for every blade.   In athletic use cases, impact attenuation is achieved with either crumb rubber infill, ,or a 5mm pad.   As an alternative, especially in residential applications, a second yarn material is tufted into the same backing, which provides more cushion and stability to the surface.   This yarn is often shorter, curlier and is frequently a tan, or brownish color to emulate dead blades of grass, as is frequently found in real lawns and grassy areas.  The term “thatch” is used to describe these shorter, curlier, blades, as opposed to the taller, straight primary blades.

In addition to appearing more realistic, the thatch layer also functions to hold the primary blades upright.  Particularly in artificial grasses with taller pile heights, the plastic blades tend to bend, or fall over by themselves resulting in a “matted down” effect.   The thatch layer of yarn helps to prop up the primary, taller blades, also improving the aesthetic appeal of the artificial grass.

You may often see thatch in various shades of green or other colors.   In the turf manufacturing process, it is common for there to be leftover lots of yarn from larger turf projects, such as a full athletic field.   These projects may have been ordered with precise specifications and had yarn left over that can’t be used on other fields.  The remaining lots are often used to create 20 – 30,000 sq ft batches of thatched turf which combine two types of yarn that need to be liquidated.  While rare, you may see some thatched turf with black, red or even purple thatch fibers, which is typically the result of excess yarn from a previous athletic turf order.   These lots are often ideal for batting cages or doggie day cares, where function is more important than form. 

Call your representative at ATXTurf today, to discuss whether Thatch Artificial Grass is best for your application. 866-428-2809