The Natura® Story
Who Is Natura?
We are a St. Louis, MO based company made up of people who are curious and who want to make a difference in our world. While we are a manufacturer, we see ourselves as much more – we aspire to be problem solvers.
Natura™ is a GrassWorx innovation. We have been making products with the qualities and benefits of real grass for over five decades. While we do create plastic artificial turf products, we do so while keeping the earth, people and our pets in mind. Natura, along with all of our hybrid turf products, offer a significantly lower carbon footprint to the traditional alternatives – and we think we can do more – and we will continue to innovate with the goal in mind to make products that solve real problems in new ways. In fact, starting in March 2024, Natura hybrid turf are now 100% recyclable.
For Natura, specifically, we are proud to offer a product that allows the earth to breathe. Byproducts of producing a product with direct perforation are lower heat and less odors. The earth does her thing…we are just the protective layer above her, that allows your dogs to run above the mud and engage with real smells of the soil below – all the while protecting the regenerative portion of vegetation, so it can regrow.
We believe that you should not do more than you need to to solve your dog exercise yard issues, we are confident that Natura is this solution.
How it started
Our parent company, GrassWorx, LLC, a privately-held St Louis, MO business, began making AstroTurf® back in the 1960’s when it was part of a large, multi-national corporation. Chances are, you’ve owned or seen our doormats before. Since then, many other effective uses have been born from our interpretation of artificial turf. Recently we developed the Insta-Turf® soft armor line of products called ShearForce™. They promote the growth of vegetation where it typically has difficulty growing. Our erosion control products secure the ground in the face of rushing water – protecting the environment and keeping the beauty of real green growth.
That brings us to the Natura™ turf. As pet owners and dog lovers we saw a real problem that existed in many backyards – unsightly, worn paths left by our four-legged family members. We knew that our product design not only would protect the natural turf and ground, but the blades of the Natura turf would act to remove excess debris from paws and feet. Further, we understand that a dog’s anxiety level is reduced when they can properly engage with their natural surroundings. Natura allows dogs to smell the earth’s natural scents and they can have a better understanding of their surroundings.
We are sure that this product will bring joy to your family and save resources for your dog business; it will reduce the time you need to clean your pup’s paws before they come inside and it will improve the look of your yard immediately…and for years to come.
More Information About Natura Hybrid Turf
What is Natura?
Natura™ is a lightweight hybrid turf that is designed to facilitate grass and vegetative growth through the perforated openings in the turf. The term “hybrid turf” means that it provides the simultaneous benefits of both natural turf and artificial turf. Natura is designed for pet owners and commercial pet businesses to both protect their ground from the wear of their dog’s paws and to facilitate real grass growth where it would not grow before. People who have heard of us usually say, “you’re the turf that grass grows through!”.
Growing grass through Natura
While Natura does not, itself, contain seeds, our patent-pending perforated design allows for sunlight, moisture and CO2 to pass down through the turf to the ground and seeds below. It facilitates germination and protects the grass’ crown against moderate traffic such that the plant canopy has the potential to recover. When grass grows successfully through Natura it will cause the turf to essentially “disappear” from view under the canopy of the vegetation. We have found that nearly all vegetative cover plants will grow through Natura. When cool season grasses become dormant, you may notice the green color of Natura contrast to the brown of the dormant grass.
Natura is unaffected by most liquids and solids, including urine, feces, lawn fertilizers and chemicals. Natura is made from recyclable polyethylene with “turf blades” that stand ¾” high. This height is far below the standard 3-4″ normal mower blade height meaning you can mow directly over Natura. The turf is designed with a patent-pending reflective pigment to minimize heat and consequential “seedling burn down”.
You don't have to grow grass through Natura
There are situations where you may not want grass to grow. Natura is still a great solution. When you can’t grow grass or you don’t want to, because you don’t want to have to mow over it, you can place Natura over a layer of sand. This sand layer will prevent grass and weeds from growing through, while still allowing liquids to pass through the turf. What’s even better is that Natura looks like grass when installed because of our blades, so you get the beauty of a grass yard without the on-going maintenance.
The clean approach to dog turf
At Natura, we’re dedicated to providing a healthier, worry-free turf option. Unlike traditional artificial turf, our product is free from the substances you might be concerned about. Natura doesn’t use infill materials like crumb rubber or silica sand, and we ensure that our turf is completely free of PFAS and other potentially harmful chemicals.
With Natura, you’re choosing a turf solution that’s as safe as it is durable—providing a natural, clean space for dogs to play and relax without exposure to unnecessary chemicals. It’s peace of mind built into every square foot.
Disposing of Natura
When the performance benefits of Natura are no longer needed or when Natura is no longer performing, Natura can be pulled up from the ground and sent to recycling. The turf is 100% recyclable.
