SURPRISING BENEFITS OF CORK AND COCONUT INFILL FOR ATHLETES

Austin, TX (December 15, 2016) – With school districts and universities nationwide looking for an alternative to crumb rubber for their turf infill, many are looking at Hellas Construction and their exclusive GeoPlus organic infill, made with cork and coconut fibers, to integrate into their football, soccer, or baseball turfs because of the many advantages.

The GeoPlus ® infill, exclusive to Hellas Construction, is the premium organic alternative to black crumb rubber and made with cork and coconut husks. You may wonder why cork and coconut fibers were chosen for an infill. This organic combination of cork and coconut, along with silica pea gravel makes an infill that will stay put, with less “splash out” and act more like the dirt in real grass. It has optimal shock absorption, excellent traction in all weather conditions, without causing abrasions on players when falling or sliding. It is 100% organic and recyclable, containing no industrial or artificial components, meaning it can be reused for agricultural or gardening purposes at the end of a field’s life. The GeoPlus infill is also UV resistant, even at high temperatures, resisting break down and deterioration. This odorless infill doesn’t retain heat, but instead retains moisture, using it to cool the surface temperature of the field, similar to how sweat cools the skin on a person’s body. Surface temperatures on a field will be up to 40 degrees cooler than a regular synthetic turf field with the black crumb rubber, which means the players will be cooler and their feet won’t feel like their feet are burning. The ingredients in the GeoPlus infill are what make it different from any other infill.

Cork is actually the outer bark of the Cork Oak tree and the structure and composition of the membranes make it very strong and waterproof. Cork is used for all kinds of things - energy conservation, flotation, insulation, polishing, sealing, sound dampening, and vibration control. It’s naturally resilient, anti-microbial, hypoallergenic, has low conductivity, and anti-static properties. Cork provides energy absorption upon impact and it quickly regains shape and structure after being stepped on or pounded on. With all these characteristics, it’s plain to see why athletes will benefit from cork in the infill.

Coconut husk fibers have their own added benefits. While coconut husks were previously considered waste, recent studies reveal the benefits, causing an increase in use for environmentally friendly products. Coconut husks are the best fungus-inhibiting, natural fibers known. It’s rot proof, anti-mold, and non-toxic and has excellent traction in wet areas. Coconut husks are naturally high in a class of organic polymers that make it very durable and anti-microbial, while being high in water permeability. No worries for players with nut allergies either. Coconut is the seed of drupaceous fruit, a member of the palm family, and not related to nuts or peanuts, so cross reactivity with those that are tree nut allergic is very rare.

With all these benefits of cork and coconut fibers, it’s easy to see why every turf field should have GeoPlus infill. It is the clear choice. The GeoPlus infill, exclusive to Hellas Construction, can make any synthetic turf field cooler, more playable, and longer lasting, while also making it safer for everyone and the environment.


GeoPlus infill installed on Matrix Turf with Helix field at Jourdanton ISD in Jourdanton, TX.

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