3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG-GF vs rPLA

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

Glass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF) guideRecycled PLA (rPLA) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG-GF comparisonsMore rPLA comparisons
PETG-GF vs rPLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF)PETGRecycled PLA (rPLA)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$27.38/kg median; $18.99–$29.99/kg across 3 dated product listings$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryGlass-fibre reinforced polyester. Polymaker's Fiberon PET-GF15 uses a PET rather than a PETG matrix and carries 15 wt% glass fibre[1]PLA regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[2][3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.43 (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 1183)[1]1.24 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 25[5][6]1 kg spools run 20–22[7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg19–30 across brands; ELEGOO 19, Polymaker Fiberon 30[5][6]16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[10][11]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6]Available from several mainstream brands[3][4][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[12][10][3]
Typical applicationsStiff, dimensionally stable fixtures; the Fiberon grade is designed to be annealed for heat resistance[1]General-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 guaranteed by Prusa Research today; the 2021 datasheet specified ±0.05, against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PLA[3][2][13]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[2][4]
Bed temperature°CNot documented40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[2][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Not documentedOpen frame is fine[2][14]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 %[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[15][16]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone — brim not generally needed[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[15][16]Sticks to anything[17]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[16]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedBeginner — prints on any machine out of the box[2][14]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely[14]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[1]Non-abrasive[18][14]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[19]Very low[14]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[20]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[21]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[20]No special hot-end required[17]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the PETG matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[15]Moderate — 0.3 % after both 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method), against 0.19 % in 7 days for virgin Prusament PLA[2][13]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[2]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[22]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[22]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[22]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[22][16]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[23][17]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa59.9 ± 0.8 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]49 printed horizontal and 55 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1, yield); virgin Prusament PLA gives 51 and 59 by the same method[2][13]
Young's modulusMPa4144 ± 133 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[2][13]
Elongation at break%4.0 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[2][13]
Flexural strengthMPa104.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[2][13]
Flexural modulusMPa3705 ± 85 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[2][13]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.7 ± 0.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.0 printed XY (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 179)[1]Charpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[2][13]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa48.2 ± 0.3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[2][13]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 4.0 % in XY and 2.6 % in Z[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[21][18]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[2][13]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — no GF-grade creep test; the CF grades sagged to 14.8–16.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg against 17.1–20.4 mm unfilled[24][25][26]Poor — no recycled-PLA creep data published; virgin PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[27][28]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no GF-grade S-N curve; elongation at break falls to 4.0 % in XY against 5.2–9.3 % unfilled[1][29]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[29][21]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[18]
Z strength as % of XY%80 (Fiberon PET-GF15, printed Z against XY tensile)[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C81.6 as printed, 133.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[2][13]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C71.8 as printed, 87.3 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[2][13]
Glass transition (Tg)°C59.5 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C231.6 melting (DSC); Vicat 232.6 (ISO 306)[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[4]
Annealing responseAnnealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 81.6 to 133.7 °C[1]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K20 along the print bead and 63–74 in the build direction at 30 °C (30 wt% GF, large-format printed, TMA)[30]96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[31]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 HB at 1.5 mm (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[23][32]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[21][33]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[16]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[32][21]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water[23]
Food contactNot certified for food contact as filament[16]Filamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[4][21]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[16]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[4]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[16]The feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[4][11]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Fiberon PET-GF15, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[34]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[34]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedPrusament rPLA Corn Pigment uses organic waste pigments such as red algae, which give a noticeable scent while printing[3]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[34]None needed in a normal room[34]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[20]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[33][21]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[20]Superglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[3]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[20]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[21]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[20]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[35][36]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[37]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[35]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[37][36]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[36]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[38][36]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. Fiberon PET-GF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Prusament PLA Recycled Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2021-12 · tds
  3. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3D-Fuel ReFuel Recycled PLA 1kg 3D-Fuel · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Proto-pasta Black Recycled PLA 1kg Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Formfutura ReForm rPLA (White) 1kg Filament2Print · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Filamentive PLA (rPLA) 750 g CREATE Education · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  14. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  16. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  30. Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
  31. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  32. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  33. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  34. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  35. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  37. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  38. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper