What do you call that plastic artificial grass that you might find on a shop floor? (It's rather horrible.)

Ani

astroturf?

Yes, that's the kind of thing. Do you know if there is another name for it?

<Added>

Maybe I should just call it 'artificial turf', except that makes me think of soil.

I know what I am going to say - 'carpeted with artificial grass'. How's that?

Fine. Astroturf is a brand name anyway, so probablt best avoided.

I guess it depends on the context because the coloquial usage is astroturf even if it is a brandname. Like selotape, hoover and other things...

Someone once asked me, "What's the name of the big bird from Sesame Street?"

Colin M

Courtney,
I agree with you, but my story was set in Russia, so astroturf wasn't the right word. I think I finally just said 'artificial grass'! LOL

Ani

Like I say... context is a wonderful thing.

Ani,

Would not 'imitation grass' do?

Courtney,

Interesting point you make on colloquial names. To my knowledge the first case to establish in Law this principle of using Trade Registered names, was The DuPont Company who sued a user of their 'Nylon' Registered Trade Name. The Courts chucked it out on the basis that it had become a colloquial word... same as the others you mention.
Len

I used to work on a local paper and we would get stroppy letters from Portacabin when we referred to a temporary building or portable building but could not confirm it was actually a Portacabin product.

They were particularly arsey when it was used in connection with burglary, at a school or a building site for example, as it obviously gave the impression that 'Portacabin' buildings were not very secure... which of course they aren't.