There is something truly distinctive about the sound of a brand-new tennis ball. It is the sound of the match beginning, the joy of being on court and the thrill of performance. But once the bounce fades and the felt wears out, what happens to that ball?
Most of the time, it ends up at the bottom of a kit bag before being thrown into the bin. At Zèta, we wanted to understand the impact of this habit. What we discovered about tennis ball recycling proves that it is time to change our ways!
14 million tennis balls discarded every year
In France, around 14 million tennis balls are used each year. This is a staggering figure, given that almost all of them currently end up in landfill or incineration!
A tennis ball is engineered to be exceptionally durable. Yet this strength becomes a major environmental drawback: it takes around 400 years to decompose. Left in nature, it sheds microplastics and releases methane. Using an item for just a few hours only for it to pollute for four centuries is no longer sustainable.
Can a tennis ball truly be recycled?
Yes, but it is quite a technical challenge.
A tennis ball is created by bonding two materials: vulcanised rubber and felt (a blend of wool and nylon). "Vulcanisation" is a chemical process that makes rubber exceptionally elastic and virtually indestructible. Once fused, the felt and rubber cannot be separated by conventional recycling facilities. To them, the ball is deemed "non-recyclable".
However, a solution exists: whole-ball grinding. Instead of attempting to separate the individual materials, the entire ball is granulated into fine pellets. This regrind then becomes a new resource ready to be repurposed!
How can tennis balls be recycled?
Once collected and shredded, tennis balls can begin a second life. Historically, this material was primarily used to produce shock-absorbing flooring for sports halls or children's playgrounds. Today, however, we can take things further.
The ACE’98 collection
At Zèta, our mission is simple: transform upcycled materials (such as corn, coffee or grape) into eco-responsible trainers.
We designed a trainer that incorporates recycled tennis balls directly into its sole and logo. Collected from partner clubs in Porto, near our workshops, these balls are shredded and compressed with recycled rubber to craft our soles.
Manufacturing locally using materials that already exist is our vision of purposeful fashion.
Acoustic and thermal insulation
Once shredded, a tennis ball becomes an outstanding insulator. Its felt traps air to retain heat, while its dense rubber absorbs impact and dampens sound. This compound is notably used to produce acoustic panels and flooring underlays.
Upcycling at home
Upcycling involves repurposing an object from its original function without industrial processing. You too can take action at home! Here are 5 simple ideas:
- The tumble dryer. Place two clean balls into the drum. They help agitate your laundry and improve airflow, allowing you to reduce drying times and cut your energy bills.
- Chair legs. Cut a cross into the ball and slide it onto your furniture legs. It is the ultimate trick to protect your wooden floors and eliminate scraping noises.
- Parking guide. Hang a ball from your garage ceiling with a piece of string. When it touches your windscreen, you know you are parked to perfection without hitting the wall.
- Relaxing massage. Roll a ball under the soles of your feet or against a wall behind your back.
- Jar opening. Cut a ball in half. The rubber inside provides exceptional grip to open even the most stubborn jam jar lids.
Tennis is a sport of passion, but it must now address the challenge of waste management. Recycling should no longer be the exception, but the standard.
The ball is now in your court.
