3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

rPLA vs PLA Wood

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

Recycled PLA (rPLA) guideWood-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore rPLA comparisonsMore PLA Wood comparisons
rPLA vs PLA Wood — documented properties and sources
PropertyRecycled PLA (rPLA)PLAWood-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 dated product listings$34.49/kg median; $13.99–$76.40/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[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/cm³1.24 (ISO 1183)[1]1.15 (colorFabb) to 1.23 (Fiberlogy), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.21[6][5][7]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools run 20–22[8][9][10]1 kg spools cluster near 25; counting the 0.5 kg specialty spools the middle of the market is about 34[11][12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[14][15]14–76 across brands; SUNLU 14, ELEGOO 19, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 44, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools, colorFabb 76[12][11][16][17][18][13]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[2][3][10]Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][12][17][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[19][14][2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.85 and 1 kg spools[17][7][11]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[2][3]Decorative and model-making prints that are sanded and stained like timber[6][5]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 guaranteed by Prusa Research today; the 2021 datasheet specified ±0.05, against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PLA[2][1][20]±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[1][3]190–240 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb advises 195–220 for its PLA/PHA base[6][5]
Bed temperature°C40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[1][3]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–70 (Fiberlogy)[6][7]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1][21]Open frame is fine[6]
Part cooling fan100 %[1]Fan on[6]
Warping tendency1–5None — brim not generally needed[1]None[6]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[22]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[1][21]Easy — minor profile tuning; pre-drying is required and the wood content chars if it sits hot[23][6]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible; Bambu Lab does not recommend the AMS lite[23]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[21]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[23][24]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[25][21]Moderately abrasive — wood fill[23]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[21]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; wood particles char and block small nozzles[23]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[26]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[22]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 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[1][20]High — 1.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, the highest in the PLA family[6]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[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][23]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[27]Bambu Lab flags pre-drying and ventilation as specific requirements for this grade[23]
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[27]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[27][6]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[28][22]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa49 printed horizontal and 55 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1, yield); virgin Prusament PLA gives 51 and 59 by the same method[1][20]26 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 28.4 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy quotes 35 at yield[6][5][7]
Young's modulusMPa2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[1][20]2360 ± 190 (Bambu Lab) and 2479 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 2950[6][5][7]
Elongation at break%3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[1][20]4.5 (colorFabb) to 15.3 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 6.5[6][5][7]
Flexural strengthMPa82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[1][20]55 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Flexural modulusMPa3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[1][20]2780 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented3.81 (colorFabb) and 6.3 ± 2.2 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[6][5]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[1][20]Charpy unnotched 12.28 (colorFabb) and 15.7 (Bambu Lab), printed, ISO 179[6][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[1][20]15 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 28 against 55 in XY[6]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[26][25]Brittle — snaps with little warning[6]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[1][20]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no recycled-PLA creep data published; virgin PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[29][30]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][31][32]
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)[33][26]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[33][6]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[25]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°C55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[1][20]60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[1][20]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]
Continuous service temperature°C55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[3]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[34]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[28][35]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[26][36]Degrades within weeks outdoors[26]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[35][26]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water[28]Not documented
Food contactFilamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[3][26]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[3]Not documented
RecyclabilityThe feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[3][15]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[37]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[37]
Hazardous species emittedPrusament rPLA Corn Pigment uses organic waste pigments such as red algae, which give a noticeable scent while printing[2]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[37]None needed in a normal room; Bambu Lab specifically advises ventilation for this grade[23]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[36][26]Sands and stains like timber — the usual reason for choosing it[5]
Gluing & solvent weldingSuperglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[2]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[26]Not documented
Support material pairingNot documentedSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[6]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedWood grain hides layer lines; colour darkens with nozzle temperature[6][5]
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 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, 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 the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes 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 attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[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. Prusament PLA Recycled Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2021-12 · tds
  2. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  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. 3D-Fuel ReFuel Recycled PLA 1kg 3D-Fuel · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Proto-pasta Black Recycled PLA 1kg Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Formfutura ReForm rPLA (White) 1kg Filament2Print · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA Wood — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. PLA+ WOODJet - Natur (1,75 mm; 0,5 kg) Filament PM shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Filamentive PLA (rPLA) 750 g CREATE Education · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. woodFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. SUNLU Optimized Wood PLA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  21. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  29. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  34. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  35. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  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