3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

rPETG vs PLA Wood

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

Recycled PETG (rPETG) guideWood-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore rPETG comparisonsMore PLA Wood comparisons
rPETG vs PLA Wood — documented properties and sources
PropertyRecycled PETG (rPETG)PETGWood-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$28.99/kg median; $17.24–$39.98/kg across 4 dated product listings$34.49/kg median; $13.99–$76.40/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPETG regranulated from recycled polyester waste; Polymaker's Fiberon PETG-rCF08 adds 8 wt% recycled carbon fibre[1][2][3]PLA filled with wood powder — 10–18 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS); colorFabb woodFill uses a PLA/PHA base with recycled wood fibre[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.27 (Prusament) and 1.30 (Fiberon PETG-rCF08), ISO 1183[1][3]1.15 (colorFabb) to 1.23 (Fiberlogy), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.21[6][5][7]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 29[8][9][10][11]1 kg spools cluster near 25; counting the 0.5 kg specialty spools the middle of the market is about 34[12][13][14]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg17–40 across brands; Filament PM RePETG 17, 3DXTech ECOMAX 26, GreenGate3D 32, Fiberon rCF08 40[8][9][10][11]14–76 across brands; SUNLU 14, ELEGOO 19, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 44, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools, colorFabb 76[13][12][15][16][17][14]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[8][9][10]Stocked by most mainstream brands[12][13][16][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 1 and 3 kg spools[10][9]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.85 and 1 kg spools[16][7][12]
Typical applicationsNot documentedDecorative and model-making prints that are sanded and stained like timber[6][5]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.05 (Prusament PETG Recycled), against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PETG[1][18]±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250 ± 10 (Prusament); 230–255 (Spectrum)[1][2]190–240 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb advises 195–220 for its PLA/PHA base[6][5]
Bed temperature°C80 ± 10 (Prusament); 60–80 (Spectrum)[1][2]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–70 (Fiberlogy)[6][7]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine — Spectrum states a closed chamber is not necessary[2]Open frame is fine[6]
Part cooling fan50 % (Prusament); up to 100 % (Spectrum)[1][2]Fan on[6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[18][19]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[6]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[18][19]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[19]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; Spectrum describes printing as similar to standard PETG[2]Easy — minor profile tuning; pre-drying is required and the wood content chars if it sits hot[20][6]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible; Bambu Lab does not recommend the AMS lite[20]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[1]Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work — Bambu Lab's PLA compatibility table lists no hardened-nozzle requirement, but its nozzle guide names wood among the abrasive filaments hardened steel exists for[20][21]
Abrasiveness1–5Not documentedModerately abrasive — wood fill[20]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — recycled PETG prints on the same hardware as virgin PETG: no special hot-end, no drybox and no hardened nozzle[22][23]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; wood particles char and block small nozzles[20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[22]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[22]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — recycled PETG shares the virgin matrix, which reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[18]High — 1.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, the highest in the PLA family[6]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.07 after 24 h and 0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[1]1.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[6]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer; Bambu Lab lists pre-drying as required[6][20]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[24]Bambu Lab flags pre-drying and ventilation as specific requirements for this grade[20]
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[24]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. At 1.25 % saturated uptake the practical loss shows as poor layer adhesion, rough surface and weak layers[24][6]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[24][19]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa43 ± 1.8 printed horizontal at yield, ISO 527-1 (Prusament), against 47 ± 2 for virgin Prusament PETG; Spectrum quotes 52 at yield on moulded specimens[1][18][2]26 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 28.4 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy quotes 35 at yield[6][5][7]
Young's modulusMPa1500 printed horizontal, 1600 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 527-1) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG[1][18]2360 ± 190 (Bambu Lab) and 2479 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 2950[6][5][7]
Elongation at break%4.5 at yield printed (Prusament); Spectrum quotes 400 at break on moulded specimens[1][2]4.5 (colorFabb) to 15.3 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 6.5[6][5][7]
Flexural strengthMPa63 ± 1 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament), against 66 ± 2 for virgin Prusament PETG[1][18]55 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Flexural modulusMPa1800 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament)[1]2780 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²12 ± 1 printed horizontal and 15 ± 3 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[1]3.81 (colorFabb) and 6.3 ± 2.2 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[6][5]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 25 ± 3 printed horizontal and 38 ± 11 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[1]Charpy unnotched 12.28 (colorFabb) and 15.7 (Bambu Lab), printed, ISO 179[6][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa15 ± 5 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test), against 18 ± 4 for virgin Prusament PETG[1][18]15 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 28 against 55 in XY[6]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[6]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG[1][18]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — no recycled-grade creep test; virgin PETG sagged from 12 to 17.1–20.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[25][26][27][28]Poor — no wood-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[29][30][31]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no recycled-grade S-N curve; virgin printed PETG ran 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[32]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and the wood filler cuts elongation and the parts snap without warning[32][6]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Rigid[6]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented58 by tensile, 51 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C68 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG; Spectrum quotes 70[1][18][2]60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C68 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]57 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[6]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented54 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Fiberlogy quotes 55–60[6][7]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented156 peak melt (DSC)[6]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[33]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[34]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[19]Not documented
Food contactNot certified for food contact as filament[19]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[19]Not documented
RecyclabilityThe feedstock itself — Spectrum describes collecting, shredding and re-homogenising PETG waste[2]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[35]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[35]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[35]None needed in a normal room; Bambu Lab specifically advises ventilation for this grade[20]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[22]Sands and stains like timber — the usual reason for choosing it[5]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[22]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[22]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[22]Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[6]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedWood grain hides layer lines; colour darkens with nozzle temperature[6][5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[36][37]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[38]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[36]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[38][37]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[37]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[39][37]

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. Prusament PETG Recycled Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Spectrum r-PETG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Fiberon PETG-rCF08 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Safety Data Sheet SDS20250723SA16 — Bambu PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2025-07 · msds
  5. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. FiberWood technical data sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. GreenGate3D Recycled PET-G — product data GreenGate3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Filament PM RePETG technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  12. PLA Wood — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PLA+ WOODJet - Natur (1,75 mm; 0,5 kg) Filament PM shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. woodFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. SUNLU Optimized Wood PLA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  19. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  33. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  34. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  35. 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
  36. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  38. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  39. 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