6 Sustainable Tennis Gear Upgrades to Better Your Game and the Planet

by Ryan Burbary
two college players discuss sustainable tennis gear

 

If you love tennis like we do but hate how tennis waste is harming our planet, we have good news! The eco-friendly wave of quality tennis products is on the rise, and we are here for it.

Check out six categories of sustainable upgrades below and choose two that you can swap this year to better your game and the earth.

1. Sustainable Tennis Balls

It’s no secret that tennis balls are a top contributor to tennis waste. Donating balls is a great option for limiting the number of tennis balls that end up in landfills. However, brands like Wilson and Penn are also making great strides to improve the sustainability of tennis balls:

  • Wilson Triniti Tennis Balls: These were the first eco-conscious, high-performance tennis balls. They’re made with a unique plastomer material that provides long-lasting durability with recyclable cardboard packaging to reduce waste.
  • Penn Tennis Balls: Penn recently introduced a new container for their tennis balls that has a biodegradable can and lid to lessen ball packaging waste in landfills.

2. Sustainable Tennis Strings

Every year, tens of thousands of pounds of tennis string are dumped into landfills around the world, where they will sit for 400 to 600 years. Thankfully, scientists have made great strides in creating more eco-friendly tennis strings. Here are a couple of our favorite sustainable options:

  • Velociti Catalyst 16g Tennis String: This synthetic string is 100% biodegradable and offers excellent playability. To add to the impact, Velociti will even plant one tree for every 10 sets sold.
  • Natural gut tennis strings: Natural gut strings are made from cow intestines and are naturally biodegradable. Unfortunately, they are one of the most expensive strings on the market, so you’ll need deep pockets to go the natural gut route.
  • Unpackaged strings: Another great way to lessen waste from tennis strings is to choose strings that come unpackaged to reduce your environmental footprint, like Velociti TurboPoly string.

    3. Sustainable Court Shoes

    We love the difference a good court shoe can make on your game, but it’s easy to go through shoes quickly if you’re a frequent tennis player. Always donate old shoes and check out these more sustainable choices: 

    • FILA Mondo Forza: These high-performance court shoes are made with recyclable and sustainable materials so they’re just as good for our planet as they are for your feet.
    • Adidas court shoes: Adidas carries a variety of tennis court shoes that are made with recyclable materials while employing sustainable manufacturing processes. With their sustainable court shoe options, you can step on the court in style without sacrificing the planet.

      4. Sustainable Tennis Attire

      We’re thrilled to see sustainable tennis clothing options expanding at both large and small businesses. Here are a few to check out when you’re looking to enhance your wardrobe:

      • JGame: JGame is a female-founded, eco-conscious and ethically-made NYC-based brand that uses high-quality recycled materials in all their fabrics.

      • Adidas Parley Tennis Apparel: This clothing line is made from recycled ocean plastic and features Adidas' Climalite technology for moisture management.

      • Patagonia Capilene: This clothing line is made from recycled materials and features Patagonia's HeiQ Fresh technology for odor control.

        5. Sustainable Tennis Bags

        Tennis bags are a must for transporting your precious tennis cargo, and these great recycled options can surely start your game on the right foot:

        • Head Gravity r-PET Sport Bag: This bag is made from recycled PET bottles and features a spacious main compartment with multiple accessory pockets.
        • Wilson Lifestyle Tote: This bag is made from 100% recycled polyester and features a spacious main compartment that can hold up to two tennis rackets and a variety of pockets for organization.

        6. Sustainable tennis rackets

        A few tennis companies have introduced more eco-friendly tennis rackets over the years. However, most were a limited-time special offer, like Wilson’s Naked series in 2022.

        There are unfortunately not many eco-friendly rackets currently on the market. Your best bet for making a sustainable choice with your racket is to buy a used racket and/or sell or donate your old racket rather than throwing them away.

        There also great ways to lessen waste for your racket accessories. For example, you can lessen tennis grip waste by lengthening the life of your grip (while getting a better hold on your racquet) with products like the Velociti Grip-Enhancing Towel.

        Share Your Favorite Sustainable Swaps

        Are you in the know on more sustainable options for tennis gear? Send us and email at sales@velociti.com to share your favorites.

         If you haven’t already, sign up for our email newsletter (top of this page) to stay in the know on our latest sustainable products.

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