3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA HS vs rPLA

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

High-Speed PLA guideRecycled PLA (rPLA) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA HS comparisonsMore rPLA comparisons
PLA HS vs rPLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyHigh-Speed PLAPLARecycled PLA (rPLA)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.99/kg median; $11.49–$32.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA with rheology and crystallisation tuned for high volumetric flow; melt index 15.4 g/10 min vs 7–11 for standard PLA[1][2]PLA regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[3][4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (ISO 1183, at 21.5 °C)[1]1.24 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[6][7][8]1 kg spools run 20–22[9][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg11–33 across brands; budget house brands 11–18, Prusament 33[12][13][14]16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[15][16]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[17][8][18]Available from several mainstream brands[4][5][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[6][8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[19][15][4]
Typical applicationsLarge or repetitive prints on printers that can sustain high flow[20][17]General-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[4][5]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic, rated to 258 mm/s)[21]±0.03 guaranteed by Prusa Research today; the 2021 datasheet specified ±0.05, against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PLA[4][3][22]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–230 for high-speed work; 190–210 at classic speeds[1][17]210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[3][5]
Bed temperature°C30–60 (Polymaker); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[1][23]40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[3][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[3][24]
Part cooling fanFan on[1]100 %[3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s≈24 at 300 mm/s with a 0.4 mm nozzle and 0.2 mm layer; 30 % more flow than regular PLA at the same temperature[1][17][20][25]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5None[1]None — brim not generally needed[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[26]Sticks to anything[26]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; needs a printer that can actually reach the flow rate[17][1]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[3][24]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[24]Brass fine indefinitely[24]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[27][24]Non-abrasive[27][24]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[24]Very low[24]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[28]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[28]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[26]No special hot-end required[26]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40 % equilibrium at 23 °C / 70 % RH[1]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[3][22]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.40 equilibrium at 23 °C / 70 % RH (Polymaker PolySonic)[1]0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[3]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6 h; 50 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[1][23]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[29]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[29]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[29]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[29]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[23][26]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[23][26]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa43.9 at 300 mm/s and 46.0 at 46.7 mm/s (printed XY, ISO 527); 58.6 on My Tech Fun bars for Creality Hyper PLA[1][30]49 printed horizontal and 55 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1, yield); virgin Prusament PLA gives 51 and 59 by the same method[3][22]
Young's modulusMPa2650 at 300 mm/s, 2878 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[3][22]
Elongation at break%15.1 at 300 mm/s, 21.5 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[3][22]
Flexural strengthMPa71.4 at 300 mm/s, 76.5 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[3][22]
Flexural modulusMPa2798 at 300 mm/s, 2868 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[3][22]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.0 at 300 mm/s, 6.1 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[1]Not documented
Other impact dataPrinting at 300 mm/s instead of 46.7 mm/s costs 4.6 % tensile strength and 18 % notched Charpy[1]Charpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[3][22]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32.4 at 300 mm/s, 37.3 at classic speed (printed Z, ISO 527); 35.3 for Creality Hyper PLA vs 23.0 for average PLA on identical bars[1][30]21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[3][22]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[28][27]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell78.7 Shore D measured on printed bars for Sunlu PLA Meta (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[31]80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[3][22]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 17.7 mm over 6 days at 1.25 kg[30]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[32][33]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[34][28]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[34][28]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[27]
Z strength as % of XY%74 at 300 mm/s, 81 at classic speed (printed)[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[3][22]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[3][22]
Glass transition (Tg)°C59 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C164 peak melt (DSC); crystallisation 96 °C, Vicat 61 °C[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C53 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[30]55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[5]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[35]96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[35]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[23][2]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[23][2]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[28][36]Degrades within weeks outdoors[28][36]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[1]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[2][28]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water[23]Good — insoluble in water[23]
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[28]Filamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[5][28]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[5][28]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[5]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[5]The feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[5][16]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[37]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[37]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedPrusament rPLA Corn Pigment uses organic waste pigments such as red algae, which give a noticeable scent while printing[4]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[37]None needed in a normal room[37]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[36][28]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[36][28]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[28][4]Superglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[4]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[28]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[28]
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[38]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[38]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[38][39]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[38][39]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[40][39]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[40][39]

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. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Prusament PLA Recycled Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2021-12 · tds
  4. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. PolySonic PLA 1.75mm/1kg — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Overture High Speed PLA 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. High Speed PLA filament collection Anycubic Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3D-Fuel ReFuel Recycled PLA 1kg 3D-Fuel · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Proto-pasta Black Recycled PLA 1kg Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Formfutura ReForm rPLA (White) 1kg Filament2Print · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PLA Meta filament collection Sunlu Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. QIDI PLA Rapido 1.75mm 1kg 3D Printers Depot · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Prusament PLA Prusa Pro Green 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Filamentive PLA (rPLA) 750 g CREATE Education · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. PolySonic PLA — product page Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Creality PLA filament collection Creality Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Polymaker Launches New High-Speed 3D Printing Filament — PolySonic PLA & PLA Pro Polymaker · 2023-11 · doc
  21. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  28. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — 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. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  35. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  36. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  37. 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
  38. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  39. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  40. 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