Is Biodegradable Tennis String All It’s Cracked Up to Be? Answers to 8 Common Sustainable String Reservations

 

We get it. Buying a groundbreaking product like Velociti Catalyst, the first-ever fully biodegradable synthetic tennis string, can be intimidating.

If you have reservations, we have answers. Here is a list of our most frequently asked questions about Catalyst.

Don’t let these hesitations stop you from going green with your tennis game. Read the blog and get your questions answered, then order your first Catalyst string today.

How do I know how a new string like Catalyst will perform? Has it been tested?

Tennis players all over the world have played with Velociti Catalyst and the response has been incredible.

But don’t just take our word for it; last year we submitted Velociti Catalyst for a professional playtest and evaluation with RSI Magazine. (They specialize in string testing and publish the results in their monthly magazine distributed to racquet stringers throughout the world.)

The play testers at RSI Magazine gave Catalyst high ratings for durability, spin production and control. Here’s what the play testers had to say:

• 5.0 baseliner with moderate spin: “I really enjoyed this string and I love the white color! This will be my new string. I absolutely loved this soft, super-controllable, spin-friendly string—it did everything I wanted it to do. The feedback was kind and lively but not too much. I love it and will push this product.”
  
  
• 4.5 touch player: “Excellent slip and snapback. Not only is this string durable, it stayed slippery for probably more than a week. I’d use this as a cross paired with a gut main string.”
  
  
• 5.5 all-court player: “The string played surprisingly well. It was thicker gauge than what I usually play with, so I was pleasantly surprised at how it played. Good control, power and feel. Assuming it is a ‘poly’ of some sort, it was soft enough to not hurt my shoulder or arm. It did seem ‘stiff’ while installing, so again, another bonus. Overall, a good solid string.”

Will Velociti Catalyst biodegrade on my racket or in my closet?

No, you do not need to worry about Velociti Catalyst decomposing on your racquet or in your closet.

Catalyst will not start to decompose until placed in landfill. Specific organisms found in landfill are required to activate the decomposition process.

So, rest assured that even if you store Catalyst in a dark, dirty tennis bag or closet for several years, it will not start to decompose.

Does the biodegradable additive affect the performance of Velociti Catalyst tennis string?

The biodegradable additive used in Velociti Catalyst does not have any adverse effects on the string’s performance. In fact, players have found that the biodegradable additive actually enhances the string’s durability on your racquet. (This finding was made by players who tested Catalyst both with and without the biodegradable additive.)

Racquet stringers have also noted that the Velociti-Bio technology featured in the string has added benefits of improved tensile and knot strength.

How does it compare in cost to similar tennis strings?

Velociti Catalyst is a synthetic gut tennis string made with a biodegradable additive that makes it decompose 100x faster than other synthetic gut strings.

In comparison to other biodegradable tennis strings, Velociti Catalyst is just one-third of the cost. For example, a typical natural gut tennis string (the only other fully biodegradable tennis string besides Velociti Catalyst) costs approximately $45/set. Velociti Catalyst retails for just $14.59/set, making it far more cost-effective.

In comparison to other synthetic (nonbiodegradable) tennis strings, Velociti Catalyst is priced comparably. You’ll pay a similar price for Catalyst to what you would pay for similar strings, but you will get the added benefit of knowing you’re helping protect the environment.

For a limited time, subscribe to our email list (top of this website) and we’ll give you 25% off your first order.

How do you know Catalyst biodegrades in 3 to 5 years?

In 2022, Velociti commissioned an independent laboratory (Northeast Laboratories, Inc.) to conduct anaerobic biodegradation analysis and testing on Catalyst tennis string. Their test results showed that Catalyst will fully biodegrade in just 3-5 years (or less).

Ready to get nerdy with us? We have an entire blog article dedicated to explaining the science behind Velociti Catalyst (and the lab testing results) so that you can be confident you’re making a more sustainable choice. Read about the science behind Velociti Catalyst.

Why aren’t other string manufacturers using biodegradable additives in their string?

Our mission at Velociti is to lead the sustainable tennis revolution, inspiring other manufacturers to make their products more sustainable as well. During the manufacturing process, the cost to add Velociti-Bio to any tennis string is just a few pennies. We invite and encourage other string manufacturers to contact us about using Velociti-Bio in their tennis products.

How do I know if Catalyst is the right string for me?

If you’re looking for a durable polyester tennis string with great control and spin production, you’re likely to enjoy Catalyst.

Tennis players have reported that Catalyst plays similar to Solinco Hyper-G or Tour Bite. Racquet stringers will also enjoy the string’s enhanced tensile and knot strength.

What are other players saying about the string?

We’ve been thrilled about the overwhelming amount of positive feedback we’ve received on Velociti Catalyst.

Here are just a few things players have shared, and you can read more reviews on the Catalyst product webpage.

It’s time to join the sustainable tennis revolution.

Don’t throw away one more string that will sit in landfills for hundreds of years to come. Visit our online shop and try Velociti Catalyst.