PLA
Polylactic Acid
The default starting material for most hobbyists. Corn/sugarcane-derived thermoplastic. Stiff, easy to print, decent surface finish. Not heat-resistant, not flexible, not chemical-resistant. Great for decorative and low-stress functional parts. PLA is known for low warp and shrink, relatively clean printing, and good dimensional consistency, though bed adhesion can still depend on surface prep and temperature tuning.
Ease of use: Very easy
This filament is beginner-friendly to print. Worth watching: it can be low on heat resistance.
Nozzle 195-220 °CBed 35-65 °CEnclosure Not RequiredStrength MediumHeat LowWarping LowMoisture LowFumes Low
Things to watch
- Softens in heat, not for hot cars or near heat sources
- Degrades in sunlight, not ideal for long-term outdoor use
- Can be brittle, may crack under sharp impact
- Wears down under friction, not for high-wear parts
Strengths
- Solid strength for everyday parts
- Stiff and rigid, resists flexing
- Stays flat, very little warping
- Prints clean with minimal stringing
- Food-safe potential with the right setup
Full spec sheet · 53 fields
Printing requirements
195-220 °C
Off, 40-60°C
Max 100%
Off
Ambient (20-35°C)
Low
Open Window / Room Ventilation
Dilutes airborne contaminants but doesn't filter them.
1
Optional (Brim)
Optional
Not needed
40-50 °C for 4-6 h
Printing characteristics
Consistentⓘ
Low
0.2-0.6 %
Moderateⓘ
Easy
Goodⓘ
Excellentⓘ
Lowⓘ
Lowⓘ
Moderateⓘ
150 mm/s
Low
Mild
Low
Material properties
1.24 g/cm³
Medium · 50 MPa
High · 3.50 GPa
Low · 3.0 kJ/m²
Rigid · 5% elong.
Low · 55 °C HDT
60 °C
Medium · 0.50% in 24h
Medium · 80 MPa
High · 3.60 GPa
Poor
Poor
Poor
Poor
Poor
Good
Fair
Poor
Hard 80-90D
Partial
With proper processing
Post-processing
Good
Good
Limited (Ethyl acetate)
Good
Good
Possible
Common uses
🎨 Art & Cosplay
Display modelsFigurines & statues
🏡 Home
Drawer organizersPlanters
🎲 Gaming
Board game insertsMiniatures
Filaments (1008)
All brands
| Filament ↕ | Brand ↕ | Series ↕ | $/kg ↕ | Colors ↕ | Specialties | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eSun | Silk Magic | — | SilkCoextrusion | |||
| eSun | Silk Magic | — | SilkCoextrusion | |||
| eSun | Silk Magic | — | SilkTriextrusion | |||
| eSun | Silk Magic | — | SilkCoextrusion | |||
| Bambu Lab | Pure | $24.99 | ||||
| AMOLEN | Silk Basic | $22.99 | Metallic | |||
| Overture | Standard | — | Lightweight | |||
| eSun | Matte | — | ||||
| eSun | PLA+ | — | High SpeedTough / Impact Resistant | |||
| Bambu Lab | Sparkle | — | ||||
| AMOLEN | Silk S-Series | — | Triextrusion | |||
| AMOLEN | Crystal Transparent | $29.99 | TranslucentGradient | |||
| Atomic Filament | Translucent | $29.99 | ||||
| Prusament | Standard | — | Basic | |||
| AMOLEN | Silk Rainbow | $32.99 |
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