PLA
BeginnerPolylactic 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.
⚠ IMPORTANT: Dry Your Filament Before Every Print
All filaments — including PLA — absorb moisture from the air. Printing with wet filament causes stringing, bubbling, weak layer adhesion, and poor surface finish. This is the single most overlooked cause of bad prints.
Always dry your filament per the manufacturer's recommendations printed on the spool label before printing, especially if the spool has been open for more than a few days or stored in a humid environment. Read our complete filament drying guide →
About the Temperatures & Speeds Listed Below
The print temperatures and speeds shown on this page are general industry ranges — not a one-size-fits-all prescription. Every printer brand and model has different capabilities. A Bambu Lab X1C can print PLA at 500 mm/s; an Ender 3 with a Bowden extruder performs best at 40–80 mm/s.
Always follow your specific printer manufacturer's recommended settings and the temperature range printed on your filament spool label. Start at the lower end of the range and dial in from there.
Material Properties
PLA Variants Explained
PLA isn't one material — it's a family. Every variant below starts from the same base chemistry but is modified for a different job. Click through for full settings and brand picks on each.
PLA+ is regular PLA with impact modifiers added to improve toughness and reduce brittleness. It prints almost ...
Modified PLA with optical additives producing a high-gloss metallic sheen without post-processing. Ideal for d...
PLA with mineral fillers that diffuse light and virtually eliminate visible layer lines. Produces a premium, n...
PLA with dark mineral or polymer specks embedded in a light base to simulate natural stone or marble. Excellen...
PLA containing strontium aluminate phosphorescent powder that absorbs light and re-emits it as a visible glow ...
PLA reinforced with 10-20% chopped carbon fiber. Dramatically increased stiffness and dimensional stability wi...
Specially formulated PLA with high melt flow index enabling reliable printing at 300mm/s+ on modern CoreXY pri...
PLA manufactured from post-industrial or post-consumer PLA waste. Retains nearly identical properties to virgi...
Best For
- Prototypes
- Decorative models
- Figurines
- Low-stress parts
- Educational projects
Avoid For
- Outdoor use
- High-temperature environments
- Load-bearing parts
- Food contact
Pro Tips
- 01No heated bed required, but 60°C improves adhesion
- 02Use a cooling fan for best detail quality
- 03Store in a dry place to prevent moisture absorption
- 04First layer at 0.3mm improves bed adhesion
Dialed-In Print Profiles
These profiles are starting points based on community-tested settings for each printer. Your results may vary depending on your specific filament brand, ambient temperature, and printer condition. Always run a test print and adjust as needed. Speeds shown reflect what these printers are capable of — entry-level machines should use the lower end of any range.
⚠ Use Bambu's built-in PLA profile. Input shaper enabled.
⚠ Use PrusaSlicer's 0.2mm QUALITY profile for best results.
⚠ Input shaper enabled. Reduce speed if ghosting appears.
⚠ Use Bambu's built-in PLA profile. Enclosed chamber not needed for PLA.
⚠ Full-auto calibration handles setup. Use Bambu PLA for RFID auto-config.
⚠ Use Bambu's built-in PLA profile. Excellent results out of the box.
⚠ Input shaper calibration recommended before first print.
Print Speed by Printer Tier
Print speeds vary dramatically by printer. The speeds listed in product specs (like "500 mm/s") are maximum capabilities — not recommended everyday speeds. Use this table as a general guide and always follow your printer manufacturer's recommended settings.
High-acceleration direct-drive systems. Input shaper enabled. Speeds in product specs are achievable.
Good performance at moderate speeds. Follow slicer presets for best results.
Reduce speed if ghosting or ringing appears. Start at 50 mm/s and tune up.
Quick Specs
Buy PLA Filament
Recommended brands: Hatchbox, eSUN, Polymaker, Bambu
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