3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

rPLA vs PP

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

Recycled PLA (rPLA) guidePolypropylene (PP) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore rPLA comparisonsMore PP comparisons
rPLA vs PP — documented properties and sources
PropertyRecycled PLA (rPLA)PLAPolypropylene (PP)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 dated product listings$46.56/kg median; $31.99–$53.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[1][2][3]Polypropylene — a semi-crystalline polyolefin with no polar groups, so it neither absorbs water nor bonds to most bed surfaces[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.24 (ISO 1183)[1]0.91 (Prusa PP composite, ISO 1183) — the lightest common filament[6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools run 20–22[7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 27–53; the middle of the market is about 44[10][11][12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[14][15]27–53 across brands; Reli3D 32 on Amazon, SUNLU 44 at 0.8 kg, Fiberlogy 49 at 750 g, IEMAI 3D 53, and the 3DJake PP listing spans 27–49[10][16][11][12][13]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[2][3][9]Available from several mainstream brands[16][11][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[17][14][2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 kg spools are common[11]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[2][3]Living hinges, chemical-resistant containers, automotive clips and packaging prototypes[4]
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][18]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[1][3]210–230 (Braskem-type PE/PP window); Formfutura's Centaur PP melts at 205 ± 15 °C[4]
Bed temperature°C40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[1][3]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1][19]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[20][5]
Part cooling fan100 %[1]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[20]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPacking tape, a polypropylene sheet, or a PP-specific adhesive such as Magigoo PP — ordinary PLA and ABS adhesives do not hold it[20][5]
Warping tendency1–5None — brim not generally needed[1]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; PP's crystallinity drives shrinkage and Prusa recommends a brim on its PP grades[6][21]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[22]Very difficult — special plates or slurry required. PP bonds to almost nothing; a polypropylene-specific tape or adhesive is the normal answer[6][5]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[5]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[1][19]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; bed adhesion is the whole problem[5][6]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[19]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades — Simplify3D states no special hotend is required[20]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[23][19]Non-abrasive when unfilled[20]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[19]Low — Simplify3D lists no special hotend requirement for PP and clogging is not among its listed drawbacks[24][20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[25]Slightly sensitive[20]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[22]No special hot-end required (Simplify3D)[20]
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][18]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[6]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[1]0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers, measured on its PP composite)[6]
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedNo drying step is published for PP; uptake is below the level that affects printing[6]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[24]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle; Polymaker still advises a 70 °C dry for 4–6 h despite the low uptake[5]
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[24]Not applicable in practice — with equilibrium uptake at 0.04 %, there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure. Polymaker's sensitivity tiers put polyolefins below even PLA[6][24]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[26][22]No special storage needed[6]
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][18]12 at yield (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[4]
Young's modulusMPa2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[1][18]724 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D638; converted from 105,000 psi)[27]
Elongation at break%3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[1][18]Above 600 at break (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[4]
Flexural strengthMPa82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[1][18]31.0 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4500 psi)[27]
Flexural modulusMPa3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[1][18]402 flexural modulus (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D790) — an order of magnitude below any rigid filament[4]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[1][18]Izod notched 112 J/m on extruded PP stock, converted from 2.1 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[27]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[1][18]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[25][23]Very ductile — bends far before failing[4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[1][18]Rockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded PP stock (ASTM D785)[27]
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[28][29]Below average[4]
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)[30][25]Excellent — living hinges viable, the classic polypropylene application[4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[23]Semi-flexible[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[1][18]74 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 165 °F)[27]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[1][18]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented205 ± 15 melting (Formfutura Centaur PP)[4]
Continuous service temperature°C55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[3]Bounded by a melting point of 205 ± 15 °C and by the 158 °C heat deflection of the carbon-filled grade; no loaded-bar service figure is published for unfilled PP[4][6]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[31]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[26][32]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[25][33]Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polypropylene chalks under UV[5]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[32][25]Excellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents — the usual reason to choose PP[5]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water[26]Excellent — essentially unaffected[6]
Food contactFilamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[3][25]Polypropylene is a common food-packaging polymer, but no filament here carries a food-contact certification[5]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[3]Not biodegradable[5]
RecyclabilityThe feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[3][15]Mechanically recyclable as resin code 5, but printed waste is not accepted in household collection[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[34]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[34]
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[34]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[34]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[33][25]Sands poorly — the waxy surface loads abrasive paper[20]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint and adhesives do not key to untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is normally needed first[5]
Gluing & solvent weldingSuperglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[2]Nothing common bonds untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is needed before adhesives key[5]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[25]No practical vapour smoothing[20]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; no soluble support is rated for PP[20]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedShrinkage and warping dominate; the low modulus means parts flex rather than hold tolerance[6]
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.[35]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves it at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C — the xylene-solubles route.[36][37]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[35][38]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[36]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[39][38]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[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. 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. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  6. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  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. SUNLU product catalogue SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Fiberlogy PP Natural — product page 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Reli3D Low Warp PP Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI 3D PP 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 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. PP filament listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Prusament PP Glass Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  22. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  27. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  28. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · 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. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  36. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  37. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  38. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  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