3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

rPETG vs PLA

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

Recycled PETG (rPETG) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore rPETG comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
rPETG vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyRecycled PETG (rPETG)PETGPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$28.99/kg median; $17.24–$39.98/kg across 4 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 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]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.27 (Prusament) and 1.30 (Fiberon PETG-rCF08), ISO 1183[1][3]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[4][6][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 29[7][8][9][10]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[11][12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg17–40 across brands; Filament PM RePETG 17, 3DXTech ECOMAX 26, GreenGate3D 32, Fiberon rCF08 40[7][8][9][10]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[14][15][16][17]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7][8][9]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[18][19]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 1 and 3 kg spools[9][8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[11][20][21][16][22]
Typical applicationsNot documentedConcept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[23]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.05 (Prusament PETG Recycled), against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PETG[1][24]±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[4][11][25]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250 ± 10 (Prusament); 230–255 (Spectrum)[1][2]190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[4][6][5]
Bed temperature°C80 ± 10 (Prusament); 60–80 (Spectrum)[1][2]25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[4][6][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine — Spectrum states a closed chamber is not necessary[2]Open frame is fine[6][18]
Part cooling fan50 % (Prusament); up to 100 % (Spectrum)[1][2]100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[4][19]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[24][26]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[6][27][19]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[28]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[29][18]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[24][26]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[6][5][19]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[26]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[6][19][30]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; Spectrum describes printing as similar to standard PETG[2]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[18][19]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[18]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[1]Brass fine indefinitely[18]
Abrasiveness1–5Not documentedNon-abrasive[29][18]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — recycled PETG prints on the same hardware as virgin PETG: no special hot-end, no drybox and no hardened nozzle[31][18]Very low[18][19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[31]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[27][32]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[31]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[18]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[29][18]
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[24]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[5][6][33]
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]0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[5][6]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[6][5][32]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[34]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[34]
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[34]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[34]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[34][26]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[5][19]
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][24][2]35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[4][6][5][35][36]
Young's modulusMPa1500 printed horizontal, 1600 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 527-1) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG[1][24]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[4][6][5]
Elongation at break%4.5 at yield printed (Prusament); Spectrum quotes 400 at break on moulded specimens[1][2]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[6][5][4]
Flexural strengthMPa63 ± 1 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament), against 66 ± 2 for virgin Prusament PETG[1][24]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[4][6][5][37]
Flexural modulusMPa1800 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament)[1]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[4][6][5][37]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²12 ± 1 printed horizontal and 15 ± 3 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[1]3.3–7.9 (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, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[4][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa15 ± 5 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test), against 18 ± 4 for virgin Prusament PETG[1][24]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][5][36]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[27][29]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG[1][24]81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[4][38]
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[39][40][41][42]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[43][44]
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[45]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[45][27]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Rigid[29]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[6][5][36]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C68 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG; Spectrum quotes 70[1][24][2]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[4][6][5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C68 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[4][6][5]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented55–61 (DSC)[4][6][5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[23][6][5]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[29][36]
Annealing responseNot documentedBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[5][46]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[47]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[48]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[5][6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[27][23]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[23][27]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[26]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[6][27]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[5][49]
Food contactNot certified for food contact as filament[26]Base resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[27][49]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[26]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[49][27][5]
RecyclabilityThe feedstock itself — Spectrum describes collecting, shredding and re-homogenising PETG waste[2]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[49]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[50]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[50]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documented4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[50]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[50]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[50]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[50]None needed in a normal room[50]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[31]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[23][27]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[31]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[27][25]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[31]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[27]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[31]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[6][5]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[29][5][19]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[51][52]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[53]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[51]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[53][52]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[52]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[54][52]

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. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. GreenGate3D Recycled PET-G — product data GreenGate3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Filament PM RePETG technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  11. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  24. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  25. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  30. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  33. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  34. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  35. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  36. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  37. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  39. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  42. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  43. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  44. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  45. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  46. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  47. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  48. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  49. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  50. 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
  51. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  52. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  53. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  54. 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