Artificial turf and associated devices and methods for making same

A method of making an artificial turf, comprising:

• delivering at least first, second, and third distinct yarns from a creel assembly to each respective needle of a plurality of needles;
• threading the first, second, and third distinct yarns through an eye of each respective needle of the plurality of needles;
• and
• using the plurality of needles to tuft a plurality of rows of individual tufts into a backing layer, wherein each tuft comprises at least the first, second, and third distinct yarns per tuft, wherein each one of the first, second, and third yarns varies from the other yarns of the first, second, and third yarns of the tuft in at least one of material, color, texture, denier, denier per filament, or cross-section;
• wherein the first, second, and third yarns of each tuft are not twisted together prior to threading through the eye of each needle of the plurality of needles, and wherein the at least first, second, and third yarns of each tuft are simultaneously delivered, by a single needle of the plurality of needles, through the backing layer to produce the tuft,
• wherein the first yarn is a texturized yarn, wherein the second yarn is a slit tape yarn, and wherein the third yarn is a monofilament yarn.