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About Graze Guard | Turf Burn Protection
Our Story
Graze Guard was born from a simple belief: Artificial turf has changed the game, but turf burn doesn't have to be part of it.
Like many great ideas, Graze Guard didn't begin in a laboratory or a boardroom. It started with conversations between a parent and a coach standing on the sidelines, watching a sport they loved.
But before Graze Guard existed, there were two very different journeys that would eventually come together.
Meet the Founders - Latham
Sport has been at the centre of Latham Tawhai's life for as long as he can remember. A former professional rugby league player and experienced rugby coach, Latham has spent years helping athletes develop their skills, confidence and enjoyment of sport. Alongside his coaching career, he also built a background within the sports clothing industry, giving him a unique understanding of performance apparel and the challenges athletes face when training and competing.
As artificial grass pitches became increasingly common, Latham saw a familiar problem again and again. Players turning up to training covered in grazes. Athletes changing the way they played because they were worried about hitting the ground. Coaches and pitch-side physios trying to manage a problem that nobody seemed able to solve. As a parent, the issue became even more personal. His teenage son regularly trained and competed on AGPs, experiencing the same frustrations faced by thousands of young athletes across the country. The question kept coming back:
"Surely there must be a better way?"
Meet the Founders - Stephen
Stephen's McKenzie's route to Graze Guard came from a different direction. With more than 20 years of experience in the FMCG industry, he understood what it takes to turn an idea into a product that people can trust. From product development and manufacturing through to testing and bringing products to market, Stephen had spent his career solving practical problems.
Away from work, he was also a rugby dad. His youngest son was playing rugby union on a newly installed AGP, and like many parents, Stephen became increasingly aware of the abrasions and discomfort that seemed to come hand-in-hand with playing on artificial surfaces. The more conversations he had around the touchline, the more one question stood out:
"Why was everyone simply accepting turf burn as part of the game?"
The Conversation That Started It All
Latham and Stephen met on the sidelines while watching rugby. What started as casual conversations soon became something more. Both could see the same problem. Both believed there should be a better solution. And importantly, they brought different experiences and skills to the table.
Latham understood the athlete, coach and parent perspective. Stephen understood how to develop, test and bring a product to life. Together, they decided to stop asking why nobody had solved the problem and start exploring whether they could solve it themselves.
From Idea to Innovation
Like many innovations, Latham and Stephen initially believed the solution might be relatively straightforward. It wasn't.......
Within six months they had developed their first working prototype, but that was only the beginning. What followed was another eighteen months of development, testing and refinement. Different formulations were created and trialled. Products were tested at home, on training grounds and in real-world sporting environments. Feedback was gathered, changes were made, and the process was repeated again and again. There were plenty of speed bumps along the way. But every challenge helped shape a better product.
The result is Graze Guard ®, a UK-developed, patent-pending solution specifically designed to help protect skin from the friction that causes turf burn on artificial surfaces.
Come Along for the Slide
Back when Graze Guard was little more than an idea, a good friend suggested a phrase that perfectly captured what the journey was all about:
"Come Along for the Slide"
The phrase stuck. Not because it's a marketing slogan, but because it reflects the spirit of Graze Guard from day one.
This has never been about creating a product and keeping people at arm's length. It's about bringing people along on the journey. Players. Parents. Coaches. Clubs. Teams. The people who understand the problem because they've lived it themselves.
At its heart, Graze Guard exists for a simple reason: to help more people train, play and compete on artificial surfaces without worrying about the pain and disruption of turf burn.
Whether you're an athlete chasing performance, a coach supporting your players, or a parent standing on the touchline, you're part of the story. So come along for the slide. We're only just getting started!