Organic artificial turf sports pitch, sustainable, environmentally friendly, suitable for play

NaKura – Sustainable organic artificial turf sports pitch made from bio-based materials. NaKura demonstrates how sustainable materials, innovative technologies and committed partnerships come together to create environmentally friendly organic artificial turf sports pitches where generations can play safely and responsibly.

Current situation
Artificial turf pitches have become an integral part of modern sport. In Germany alone, there are around 9,000 such pitches. At the same time, conventional systems are coming under increasing criticism due to microplastic emissions – across the EU, an estimated 16,000 tonnes of microplastics from artificial turf are released into the environment every year. The NaKura project (Sustainable Bio-Artificial Turf Sports Pitch) offers a sustainable alternative.

Material solution
An innovative artificial turf surface, largely based on bio-based materials, has been installed in Ellwangen. At the heart of the system is the ARBOBLEND® material from TECNARO GmbH.

The ARBOBLEND® infill developed is a plant-based granulate that is biodegradable in soil and water, yet remains durable over the long term within the artificial turf system. The artificial turf fibres also consist of a specially developed bio-based ARBOBLEND® formulation with high resistance to temperature and weathering. As a result, the bio-based artificial turf acts as a long-term CO₂ sink.

The system’s elastic layer is also based on single-type plastic recyclates and supports a circular materials concept.

Advantages
- bio-based infill based on ARBOBLEND®
- biodegradable outside the system
- high weather resistance and long-term durability
- CO₂ sequestration through the use of renewable raw materials
- Elastic layer made from recycled plastics
- sustainable alternative to conventional artificial turf systems

Result
The NaKura organic artificial turf sports pitch in Ellwangen demonstrates that sustainable sports facilities are technically and economically viable. The project sets new standards for environmentally friendly artificial turf systems and can serve as a model for future sports facilities in Germany and Europe.

Project partners
In addition to TECNARO GmbH, with Dr Michael Schweizer as overall project manager, the project partners include the Institute for Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems (IBBS) and the Institute for Plastics Technology Stuttgart (IKT) at the University of Stuttgart, Morton Extrusionstechnik GmbH and ifeu – Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg gGmbH. The project was funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (BMEL) and the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR). It was implemented by Tarkett / Tarkett Sports / FieldTurf, in collaboration with the architectural practice Eger & Partner Landscape Architects BDLA.

Published 04/2026