Laykold and RecycleBalls Shortlisted for Sport Positive Award
Innovative non-profit partnership transforms waste into play
As the world’s leading court brand and Official Court Surface of the US Open we are proud to share that our innovative partnership with RecycleBalls has been shortlisted for the Sport Positive Awards. Sitting alongside other groundbreaking projects from adidas, the San Francisco 49ers and HYROX in the ‘Purpose-Led Partnership with a Non-Profit’ category, this recognition underscores the impact of our joint efforts with RecycleBalls to tackle one of tennis’ biggest environmental challenges: tennis ball waste.
Tackling the tennis ball waste problem
Every year, over 150 million tennis balls are used in the U.S. with nearly all ending up in landfills after just a few hours of play. Tennis balls are made of pressurized rubber and felt, materials that are notoriously difficult to recycle. Until recently, there was no scalable solution.
“The award nomination affirms our commitment to sustainability, our belief in partnerships that drive progress, and our vision for sustaining the future of the game and the communities we serve.”
17 million balls diverted from landfill across U.S. and Canada
RecycleBalls changed that. By developing the first nationwide recycling infrastructure for tennis balls, and leveraging a patented recycling process, RecycleBalls has already collected more than 17 million balls across the U.S. and Canada. With support from 2,000+ volunteers, clubs, and tournaments, many of these balls have been given second lives in schools, hospitals, and equine centers before the recycling process even begins.
Last year’s balls become this year’s courts
Laykold partnered with RecycleBalls to take this mission further, creating a new materials supply chain that transforms tennis balls once destined for landfill into high-performance court surfaces. Together, we are building the world’s greenest courts, embedding sustainability directly into the surfaces where the game is played.
Over 2.1m tennis balls saved from garbage to the world’s greenest courts
In our first year of partnership, over 2.1 million recycled tennis balls - amounting to more than 250,000 pounds of material - will be incorporated into Laykold courts across North America. Each installation features branded collection bins and signage, inviting communities to participate in the recycling process and reinforcing the message that every ball counts.
“Laykold brought their R&D capability and commitment to sustainable innovation to the table and helped us get to a truly pioneering solution for tennis.”
Scaling sustainability from grassroots to Grand Slams
This collaboration proves that sustainability can scale. Whether it’s a local community court or one of tennis’ biggest stages, the same model applies. Players deposit their used balls into collection bins, and those balls return as part of the very surface they play on. The partnership literally keeps the balls on court.
RecycleBalls CEO Erin Cunningham explained the impact of the partnership:
“Laykold brought their R&D capability and commitment to sustainable innovation to the table and helped us get to a truly pioneering solution for tennis, fine-tuning the product over three years until we had a formula that could go into any court system. This means the innovation can extend beyond the big tournaments and be made available to clubs and tennis facilities across the country.”
Partnership powers a more sustainable future for the game and its communities
The sustainability award shortlisting is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation. By embedding recycled content directly into premium courts, Laykold and RecycleBalls are keeping tennis balls in the game for years, rather than hours.
Dave Wheaton who has spearheaded the partnership at Laykold said;
“It’s an honor to be standing alongside RecycleBalls in this award shortlist. It affirms our commitment to sustainability, our belief in partnerships that drive progress, and our vision for sustaining the future of the game and the communities we serve.”
Winners will be announced at the Sport Positive Awards in London on October 7.
For more information on the Sport Positive Awards visit:
Shortlist 2025 – Sport Positive Awards 2025
For more on Laykold x RecycleBalls read: