The Ambiance project, Mondo and the evolution of artificial turf

It is estimated that in 2050, more than half of the world's population will live in large urban areas.

Can we already start tracing a more sustainable future, by trying to make cities more livable, ecological and healthy, starting with outdoor spaces?

This is the vision behind the European AMBIANCE project, in which Mondo Tufting and Mondo spa - specialized in the development and production of artificial turf fields - are directly involved.

Ambiance project, making the cities of the future, more liveable and resource-efficient

The AMBIANCE project - launched in 2022 with a projected end in 2026 - is funded by the Horizon Europe programme and coordinated by the Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón (ITAINNOVA).

The research activity involves partners from 6 European countries, through collaborating companies, universities and advanced research centres.

The common goal is creating solutions with bio-based products for outdoor urban applications, from urban furnishings to sustainable artificial turf pitches, and even building materials obtained from agricultural residues.

Low-impact artificial turf pitches: Mondo's research

Mondo has long embarked on an R&D path for creating recycled, bio-based and sustainable artificial turf pitches, focusing in particular on yarn composition and performance infill materials.

However, designing a pitch with recyclable or, compostable artificial turf, or other biomaterials is not enough.

The ultimate goal is not only to find alternatives to petroleum products, but also to maintain and improve the technical quality compared to current solutions, y making production processes sustainable through research.

And this can be achieved by focusing on three project areas with a high degree of innovation:

• Digitisation of the extrusion process: To optimise production, increasing its efficiency and reducing its impact.
• Implementation of a ‘digital twin’: By creating a digital twin, new solutions can be simulated, tested and optimized in real time, to an extent unimaginable until a short while ago.
• Use of biomaterials: From bio-based polymers to natural infills, research focuses on sustainable and increasingly bio-based artificial turf pitches.

Concrete results already obtained: enhanced performances, less impact

Biomaterials are not the only solution.

According to the circular approach, an artificial turf pitch can only be considered sustainable if its impact is assessed throughout its entire life cycle.

For Mondo, the turning point came in 2011, when the first artificial turf Life Cycle Analysis was developed.

Since then, we introduced many innovations on the market to reduce the surfaces’ impact, with both the environment and users’ health in mind:

• Unite artificial turf pitch technology: Unite pitches are the first examples of artificial turf pitches that can be completely recycled at the end of their useful life.
• Hydrocésped fibre: By keeping its temperature low for longer after being watered, it significantly reduces water consumption.
• Supercourt®: A real revolution for artificial turf padel courts. Obtained with a special combination of textured threads that decreases the amount of sand infill required and its dispersion.
• EcofillⓇ Rebound: A patented performance infill made of thermoplastic granulate that uses only virgin and recycled raw materials free from heavy metals and potentially harmful substances.
• X3T PLUS: An example of a sustainable artificial turf pitch that does not require performance infill, by combining different types of filaments and an elastic underlay instead.

Low-impact synthetic turf. No more microplastics, it’s time for bio-based materials

Mondo supports the European Commission in its mission to end the invasion of microplastics in the environment.
Ahead of schedule on the European Regulation - which provides for the elimination of performance fillings that can be considered microplastics from the market by 2031 - Mondo Tufting Research and Development Lab has already been working on alternative solutions for several years now.

In particular, we are investing on the following development drivers:

• Natural infills obtained from coconut fibres, olive nuts and cork.
• Yarns and infills obtained from sugar cane or bionaphtha bio-polimers.
• Next-generation sustainable artificial turf pitches that do not require the use of performance infills, such as the aforementioned X3T PLUS.

And research continues, both to constantly reduce the presence of petroleum products and to create sustainable artificial turf pitches with a lower impact, from design to end of life.