Every number decoded, no salesman required.

The headline numbers.

• Face/total weight (oz): fiber per square yard, the single best price-and-density proxy. Our range: 65–130 oz.
• Pile height (in): blade length. 1.5–2" reads classic lawn; under 1.4" is performance/putting territory; 2" is lush showcase.
• Dtex/denier: fiber thickness. Higher = burlier individual blades; interpreted with machine gauge and face weight, not alone.
• Machine gauge (in): the spacing between tuft rows. Tighter gauge (3/16" on our putting surfaces vs the standard 3/8") means a denser, finer surface.

The performance numbers.

• Tuft bind (lbf): force to pull a tuft out. Dog owners, read this one.
• Drainage/permeability (in/hr): vertical water flow. 40+ handles any climate; FlowThru backings hit 1,000+ for pets and storm country.
• UV weathering (score or ISO grey scale): fade resistance. Desert and altitude buyers treat this as the headline.
• Backing type: a woven backing with two polyurethane coats is standard-excellent; FlowThru trades the coating for a fully permeable backing and sheer drainage speed.

The safety lines.

Lead content and PFAS status should be printed, not implied; every EGD product is PFAS-free with lead results listed. Flammability (ASTM pill test or EN 13501-1) matters for commercial submittals. If a competitor’s sheet omits any of these, that’s the answer too.

Matching numbers to your project.

Family lawn: weight 80–100, pile 1.5–2", any solid drainage. Dogs: tuft bind + drainage first, density second. Putting green: pile 0.75" or under, density maximal. Desert: UV rating first. Rain country: drainage first. Then order samples and let your hands confirm what the table suggested. The numbers narrow the field; touch picks the winner.