Filament Guide

Polylactic Acid

PLA is the most popular 3D printing filament for good reason — it is easy to print, produces excellent detail, and is made from renewable resources like corn starch. It is the ideal starting point for beginners and remains a go-to material even for experienced makers.

Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol

PETG bridges the gap between easy-to-print PLA and strong ABS. It offers excellent layer adhesion, good chemical resistance, and is slightly flexible — making it ideal for functional parts that need durability without the printing challenges of ABS.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

ABS is the classic engineering plastic — durable, heat-resistant, and sandable/paintable. It requires an enclosure to prevent warping and emits fumes during printing. Despite its challenges, ABS remains essential for parts that need to withstand heat or mechanical stress.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane

TPU is the go-to flexible filament for prints that need to bend, stretch, or absorb impact. It is used for phone cases, gaskets, shoe insoles, and anything that needs rubber-like properties. Printing requires patience — slow speeds are essential.

Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate

ASA is ABS's weather-resistant cousin. It offers similar mechanical properties but with significantly better UV and outdoor resistance. If you are printing anything that will live outside — garden tools, outdoor fixtures, automotive trim — ASA is the correct choice.

Polyamide (PA)

Nylon is one of the strongest and most versatile engineering filaments available. It is tough, slightly flexible, and has excellent wear resistance — ideal for gears, bearings, and mechanical parts. The challenge: it is extremely hygroscopic and must be kept dry at all times.

PLA Plus / PLA Pro

PLA+ is regular PLA with impact modifiers added to improve toughness and reduce brittleness. It prints almost as easily as standard PLA but produces parts that are noticeably stronger and less prone to snapping. The best upgrade for anyone already comfortable with PLA.

Carbon Fiber Composite

Carbon fiber composite filaments (CF-PLA, CF-PETG, CF-Nylon) add chopped carbon fiber to a base material, dramatically increasing stiffness and strength while reducing weight. The trade-off: they are abrasive and will destroy brass nozzles quickly. A hardened steel nozzle is mandatory.

Photopolymer Resin

Photopolymer resin is cured by UV light in MSLA/SLA printers, producing parts with extraordinary surface detail and resolution — far beyond what FDM can achieve. Ideal for miniatures, jewelry, dental models, and anything requiring fine features. Requires post-processing with IPA wash and UV cure.

Wood-Filled PLA Composite

Wood-filled filaments blend PLA with real wood particles (typically 15–40% wood fiber) to produce prints with a genuine wood texture and appearance. Parts can be sanded, stained, and finished like real wood. A unique material for decorative and artistic applications.

Carbon Fiber PETG

PETG-CF combines the chemical resistance and moisture tolerance of PETG with the stiffness of carbon fiber reinforcement. The result is a material that prints more reliably than CF-Nylon while delivering significantly better mechanical properties than standard PETG. A great engineering material for intermediate users.

Polycyclohexylene Dimethylene Terephthalate Glycol

PCTG (Polycyclohexylene Dimethylene Terephthalate Glycol) is a next-generation engineering filament positioned between PETG and true engineering materials like PC or Nylon. It delivers 20–50% higher impact resistance than PETG, superior chemical resistance, better UV stability, and excellent optical clarity — while remaining printable on open-frame machines without an enclosure. PCTG contains cyclohexane dimethanol (CHDM) in its molecular structure, which gives it greater toughness and ductility than PETG. It is still an emerging material in the desktop FDM space, but early adopters report it as one of the most capable functional filaments available at this price point. 3D Fuel's Pro PCTG is the most established brand in this category, manufactured in the USA in Fargo, North Dakota.

Polylactic Acid with Elastomer or Polyester Additives

Modified PLA with optical additives producing a high-gloss metallic sheen without post-processing. Ideal for decorative, aesthetic prints.

Polylactic Acid with Matte Additives

PLA with mineral fillers that diffuse light and virtually eliminate visible layer lines. Produces a premium, non-reflective surface finish.

Polylactic Acid with Mineral Flecks

PLA with dark mineral or polymer specks embedded in a light base to simulate natural stone or marble. Excellent at hiding layer lines.

Polylactic Acid with Phosphorescent Additives (Strontium Aluminate)

PLA containing strontium aluminate phosphorescent powder that absorbs light and re-emits it as a visible glow in darkness. REQUIRES hardened steel nozzle.

Polylactic Acid with Chopped Carbon Fiber

PLA reinforced with 10-20% chopped carbon fiber. Dramatically increased stiffness and dimensional stability with a premium matte black finish. Requires hardened nozzle.

Polylactic Acid (High Melt-Flow Formulation)

Specially formulated PLA with high melt flow index enabling reliable printing at 300mm/s+ on modern CoreXY printers without under-extrusion.

Recycled Polylactic Acid

PLA manufactured from post-industrial or post-consumer PLA waste. Retains nearly identical properties to virgin PLA while reducing environmental footprint.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene with Chopped Carbon Fiber

ABS reinforced with chopped carbon fiber. Dramatically reduced warping vs standard ABS, higher stiffness, and premium matte finish. Requires enclosure and hardened nozzle. Emits styrene fumes.

Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate with Chopped Carbon Fiber

ASA reinforced with chopped carbon fiber. Combines exceptional UV resistance and weatherability with high stiffness. The best choice for outdoor structural parts.

Polyamide 6

Extremely tough, durable engineering thermoplastic with excellent wear resistance and low friction. Highly hygroscopic — must be printed from an active dry box. Requires enclosure.

Polyamide 12

Engineering nylon with significantly lower moisture absorption than PA6 (0.5% vs 2.5-3%). More dimensionally stable and slightly easier to print, but generally less stiff than PA6.

Polyamide with Chopped Carbon Fiber

Elite engineering composite combining nylon toughness with carbon fiber stiffness. Dramatically reduced warping vs pure nylon. Requires dry box, hardened nozzle, and enclosure.

Polyamide with Glass Fiber

Nylon reinforced with glass fibers. Electrically insulating (unlike carbon fiber variants), high stiffness, excellent heat resistance. Requires hardened nozzle and enclosure.

Polycarbonate / Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Blend

Industrial blend combining PC heat resistance with ABS printability. Stronger and more heat-resistant than ABS, easier to print than pure PC. Requires enclosure. Emits styrene fumes.

Polycarbonate with Chopped Carbon Fiber

Polycarbonate reinforced with carbon fiber. Among the strongest and most heat-resistant FDM materials available. Requires 290°C+ nozzle, heated chamber, and hardened nozzle.

Polyvinyl Butyral

Specialty filament that can be chemically smoothed with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor in 30-60 seconds, producing a perfectly smooth, glossy, translucent surface.

High Impact Polystyrene

Dual-purpose filament: dissolves in d-Limonene for use as support material with ABS, or used standalone for impact-resistant, easily machinable parts. Requires enclosure.

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Water-soluble support material for complex PLA prints. Dissolves completely in warm water. Extremely hygroscopic — must be printed from a sealed dry box at all times.

Butenediol Vinyl Alcohol Co-polymer

Premium water-soluble support material. Dissolves faster than PVA, adheres better to PETG and other materials, and is more thermally stable. Significantly more expensive than PVA.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane (Shore 85A Hardness)

Very soft, rubber-like flexible filament (Shore 85A). Excellent for extreme flexibility applications. Requires direct-drive extruder. Not compatible with Bambu AMS or Bowden setups.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane (Shore 95A Hardness)

The most common and easiest-to-print flexible filament (Shore 95A). Stiff enough for most extruder setups while remaining highly flexible, impact-resistant, and durable.

Thermoplastic Elastomer

Broad category of ultra-soft flexible materials (typically Shore 60-80A). Extremely rubber-like with excellent tactile feel and elasticity. Very difficult to print — requires specialized direct-drive setup.

Polypropylene

Widely used industrial plastic with exceptional chemical resistance, fatigue resistance, and food-safe properties. Notoriously difficult to print due to extreme warping and poor bed adhesion to standard surfaces.

Polyoxymethylene

Engineering plastic with incredibly low friction, high stiffness, and excellent dimensional stability. WARNING: releases toxic formaldehyde if overheated above 230°C. Requires heavy ventilation.

Polyether Ether Ketone

Ultra-polymer at the pinnacle of FDM materials. Extraordinary mechanical strength (~100 MPa tensile), extreme chemical resistance, continuous use to 250°C. Requires 400°C+ nozzle and heated chamber >120°C.

Polyetherimide

Ultra-polymer known for exceptional flame retardancy (UL94 V-0), high strength-to-weight ratio, and continuous use at ~170°C. ULTEM 9085 is certified for aerospace interior applications.

Polyphenylene Sulfide

High-performance semi-crystalline thermoplastic with unmatched chemical resistance — insoluble in any known solvent below 200°C. Excellent thermal stability and flame retardancy. Requires 320-370°C nozzle.