Rubber Mulch

What Rubber Mulch does

RubberMulch.com, operating as Rubberecycle LLC, is a vertically integrated manufacturer of recycled-tire rubber surfacing products headquartered in Lakewood, New Jersey. Founded in 1996 with the storefront launching in 1997, the company processes scrap tires at a single on-site facility using a four-stage magnetic separation and multi-sifting process that yields a 99.9% steel-free product, and sells under the registered brands Playsafer (playgrounds), Rubberific (landscape and accessories), and Surefoot (equestrian and dog-run surfaces). The portfolio spans nugget and shredded rubber mulch in roughly 8-9 colors with a 12-year color guarantee, interlocking Playsafer Elevate tiles made with 50% EPDM, rubber borders, swing/slide wear mats, rubber paver tiles, synthetic turf, tree rings, splash blocks, parking stops, and dock bumpers.

The firm operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model on Shopify, targeting residential homeowners and small commercial buyers, while simultaneously serving institutional demand through approved-vendor status on GSA Schedule, TIPS-USA, NCPA/OMNIA Partners, the New Jersey State Contract, and PA COSTARS. Products are IPEMA, ASTM F1292/F1951/F3012, and CPSC certified, with heavy-metals testing performed at Texas A&M. Pricing is unit-based with volume discounts (pallets at $649-$999, half-pallets at $449-$699, individual bags at $35-$60), free curbside LTL freight shipping to most continental U.S. states, $10 sample packs, and tax-exempt processing for qualifying organizations.

The company is privately held with 51-100 employees, no external funding rounds, and no disclosed revenue; its ownership appears concentrated with founders/operators. Geographic reach is limited to the continental United States, with Alaska, Hawaii, and international destinations explicitly excluded. The business is bootstrapped and operationally mature after roughly three decades, with growth concentrated in adjacent product categories (gym, rooftop, garage, patio) and vertical diversification (equestrian, pet facilities) rather than geographic expansion.

Name

Rubber Mulch

Legal name

RubberMulch.com

Website

https://rubbermulch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

RubberMulch.com is a New Jersey-based manufacturer of recycled-tire rubber surfacing products — playground mulch, landscape mulch, tiles, borders, and pavers — selling factory-direct via Shopify e-commerce and government procurement portals to homeowners, schools, municipalities, and equestrian facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recycled Rubber Surfacing

NAICS

All Other Rubber Product Manufacturing (326299), Other Rubber Product Manufacturing (32629)

SIC

Fabricated Rubber Products, Nec (3060)

akta.pro primary industry

Rubber Recycling (Crumb Rubber, Devulcanization) (IMANAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tire Recycling & Processing (Shredding, TDF, Pyrolysis Feedstock) (IMANAMAF), Industrial Matting, Flooring & Safety Rubber Products (IMANALAI)

Keywords

• Recycled rubber mulch
• Playground surfacing
• Rubber landscape mulch
• Horse arena footing
• Rubber safety surfaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Rubber Mulch Sales: Direct sales of rubber mulch products in various configurations (full pallets, half pallets, individual bags) to residential and commercial customers. Products include Playsafer and Landscape rubber mulch brands in multiple colors.
2. Rubber Surfacing Products: Sales of complementary rubber surfacing products including playground tiles, pavers, borders, wear mats, and accessories.
3. Government/Institutional Sales: Sales through government procurement vehicles including GSA schedule, TIPS-USA, NCPA/OMNIA Partners, state contracts (New Jersey, PA COSTARS) enabling sales to municipalities, schools, and government facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

RubberMulch.com manufactures and sells recycled rubber surfacing products made from 100% recycled tire rubber, including nugget-style rubber mulch (Playsafer and Landscape brands), shredded rubber mulch (Rubberific), and specialized equestrian/pet rubber mulch (Surefoot). The company also produces complementary surfacing accessories such as interlocking playground tiles, rubber borders, pavers, swing/slide mats, turf, and landscape accessories, all manufactured in-house at its Lakewood, New Jersey facility.

Product overview

RubberMulch.com operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform offering a comprehensive portfolio of recycled rubber surfacing products primarily for playgrounds, landscapes, and equestrian applications. The core product lines include Playsafer and Landscape Rubber Mulch (nugget-style) and Rubberific Shredded Rubber Mulch, with specialized Surefoot Rubber Mulch for horse arenas and dog runs. The product ecosystem encompasses complementary accessories including Playsafer Elevate interlocking tiles, rubber borders in residential and commercial grades, swing/slide mats, paver tiles, landscape fabric, tree rings, splash blocks, parking stops, and dock bumpers. The company positions itself as a manufacturer-direct supplier with factory-direct pricing, offering approximately 8-9 color options across mulch products with a 12-year color guarantee. All products are manufactured in the USA from 100% recycled tire rubber, with key safety certifications including IPEMA, ASTM F1292, and CPSC compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Playsafer: Brand for playground rubber mulch and safety surfaces, including tiles, borders, and wear mats.
• Rubberific
• Surefoot

Products and services

• Playsafer Rubber Mulch
• Landscape Rubber Mulch
• Shredded Rubber Mulch (Rubberific)
• Surefoot Rubber Mulch
• Playsafer Elevate Tiles
• Playsafer Turf
• Playsafer Residential Rubber Border
• Playsafer Commercial Rubber Border
• Interlocking Rubber Paver Tiles
• Residential Rubber Swing/Slide Mat
• Commercial Rubber Swing Mat
• Commercial Rubber Slide Mat
• Rubberific Splash Block
• Rubber Parking Stops
• Rubber Tree Rings
• Rubber Dock Bumper
• Landscape Fabric
• Rubber Mulch Sample Packs

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 16 feet of critical fall height protection with proper 6-inch installation depth
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GSA (General Services Administration)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRubberMulch.com is an approved GSA Schedule holder, enabling federal government agencies to purchase playground and recreational surfacing products through the GSA Advantage procurement portal. Products available on federal supply schedule.
• TIPS-USAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTIPS-USA (The Interlocal Purchasing System) awarded vendor status allows government, education, and nonprofit entities to purchase through pre-negotiated contracts. RubberMulch.com is an awarded vendor for playground surfacing.
• NCPA / OMNIA PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational Cooperative Purchasing Agency (NCPA) and OMNIA Partners provide purchasing contracts for government, education, and healthcare entities. RubberMulch.com products available through these cooperative purchasing agreements.
• New Jersey State ContractcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRubberMulch.com holds a New Jersey state contract enabling direct purchasing by New Jersey state agencies, municipalities, and school districts without competitive bidding.
• PA COSTARScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPennsylvania COSTARS (Cooperative Purchasing) program allows Pennsylvania government entities to purchase from pre-approved vendors. RubberMulch.com is a registered vendor.
• Huron Valley Schools CooperativeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHuron Valley Schools Cooperative purchasing consortium provides member schools access to RubberMulch.com products through negotiated pricing.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Southwest Greens International: Franchise-based installer of synthetic turf for residential, commercial, golf, and pet applications. Competes for landscape and pet surfacing budgets against RubberMulch.com's Rubberific landscape and Surefoot pet lines.
• Sprinturf: US synthetic turf manufacturer serving sports, landscape, and playground applications. Adjacent substitute competing for playground, residential landscape, and municipal surfacing specifications against the Playsafer Turf line.
• ForeverLawn: Synthetic turf specialist focused on playgrounds, pets, golf, and landscape applications. Directly adjacent substitute, often specified alongside or instead of rubber mulch in playground and pet surfacing projects.

Broad incumbents

• Tarkett: Global flooring manufacturer with broad portfolios spanning vinyl, rubber, and sport surfacing through brands such as Johnsonite and FieldTurf. Comparable as an incumbent floor and surface systems supplier that competes with rubber mulch and turf in commercial, educational, and sports specifications.
• Shaw Industries: One of the largest US flooring manufacturers with turf and sport surfacing offerings alongside broad commercial and residential flooring. Competes for the same institutional surfacing dollar in education, parks, and commercial projects.

Direct peers

• Rubber-Cal: US-based recycler and manufacturer of rubber flooring, mats, and surfacing products sold direct online. Closely comparable as a D2C e-commerce manufacturer converting recycled tire rubber into mats, tiles, pavers, and surfacing for similar end markets.
• Ecore International: Major US manufacturer of recycled rubber surfacing products, including playground, athletic, and fitness flooring under brands such as Regupol and Ecore. Directly comparable as a recycled-rubber surfacing manufacturer serving schools, parks, and commercial buyers through specification-driven channels.
• Regupol (now part of Ecore): Established brand for rubber playground and athletic surfacing with a long track record in impact-attenuating safety surfaces. Directly competes in the same IPEMA/ASTM playground surfacing specification category.

Others

• Liberty Tire Recycling: Large US scrap-tire collector and processor producing tire-derived fuel, crumb rubber, and rubber mulch feedstock. Adjacent as the upstream source of recycled tire crumb that flows into rubber mulch products, and a potential vertical competitor.
• Lehigh Technologies (MicroPower): Specialty rubber recycler producing fine-mesh crumb rubber and rubber powder for multiple industrial uses. Comparable as a recycled rubber manufacturer operating in the same upstream and adjacent downstream markets as RubberMulch.com.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rubbermulch
• Facebookfacebook.com/rubberecycle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rubber-mulch

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rubber Mulch