3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA vs PLA Silk

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

PLA (standard) guideSilk PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA comparisonsMore PLA Silk comparisons
PLA vs PLA Silk — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA (standard)PLASilk PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings$19.49/kg median; $9.75–$24.99/kg across 15 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[1][2]PLA with a gloss-forming additive package; suppliers publish the composition as polylactic acid only[3]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[1][4][2]1.27 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[5][6][7]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[8][9][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[11][12][13][14]10–25 across brands; CHCKX 10 in a 16-roll bundle, SUNLU 13, LANDU 18, YXPOLYER 20, Polymaker 22, Devil Design 25[15][16][17][18][19]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[20][21]Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][15][22]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[5][23][24][13][25]1.75 mm; 1 and 1.1 kg spools; dual- and tri-colour coextruded variants[26][24]
Typical applicationsConcept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[27]Decorative prints where surface gloss matters more than strength[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[1][5][28]±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[1][4][2]210–240 — 20 °C above the plain PLA window[3]
Bed temperature°C25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[1][4][2]35–45[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[4][20]Open frame is fine[3][20]
Part cooling fan100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[1][21]Fan on[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[4][29][21]Cool Plate SuperTack, smooth PEI or textured PEI[3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[30]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5None[31][20]None[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[4][2][21]Sticks to anything[21]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[4][21][32]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[20][21]Easy — minor profile tuning; hotter nozzle and slower cap of 250 mm/s[3]
Extruder requirementAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[20]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[20]Brass fine indefinitely[20]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[31][20]Non-abrasive[31][20]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[20][21]Very low[20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[29][33]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[29]
Hotend requirementAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[20]No special hot-end required[21]
Other hardware wearNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[31][20]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[2][4][34]Moderate — 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[2][4]0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[3]
Drying temperature & time50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[4][2][33]55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer, or 65–75 °C for 12 h on an X1 heatbed[3][33]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[35]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[35]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker 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[35]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[35]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][21]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][21]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa35–52 (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[1][4][2][36][37]33 (printed XY, ISO 527); eSun Silk broke 22 % below the 16-brand PLA mean on identical 4×4 mm bars[3][36]
Young's modulusMPa2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][4][2]2130 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Elongation at break%6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[4][2][1]2.8 (printed XY, ISO 527) — a quarter of PLA Basic at 12.2[3][2]
Flexural strengthMPa76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[1][4][2][38]75 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[1][4][2][38]2460 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[4][2]10.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); unnotched 18.5[3]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[1][2]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[1][2][37]25 (printed Z, ISO 527), and flexural Z collapses to 30 against 75 in XY; eSun Silk broke at 12.3 kg where twelve of the 16 plain PLAs managed 44.6–61.5 kg[3][36][39]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[29][31]Brittle — snaps with little warning[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[1][40]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[41][42]Poor — no silk-specific creep data published; plain PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[41][42]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[43][29]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[43][29]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[31]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][2][37]76 by tensile, 40 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1][4][2]60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1][4][2]56 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C55–61 (DSC)[1][4][2]57 (DSC)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[27][4][2]158 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 66 °C[3]
Continuous service temperature°C50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[31][37]50 — a loaded bar begins to move at this temperature (My Tech Fun, eSun eSilk PLA)[39]
Annealing responseBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[2][44]50–55 °C for 6–12 h[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[45]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][4]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[29][27]Degrades within weeks outdoors[29][27]
Outdoor durabilityNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[27][29]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[4][29]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[4][29]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[2][46]Good — insoluble in water[2]
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[29][46]Base resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[29]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[46][29][2]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[46][29]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[46]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[46]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[47]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[47]
VOC emission rateµg/min4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[47]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[47]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[47]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[47]None needed in a normal room[47]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[27][29]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[27][29]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[29][28]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[29][28]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[29]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[29]
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4][2]Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[3]
Dimensional accuracy & detailGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[31][2][21]55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges; gloss hides fine detail and is destroyed by sanding[3]
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.[48]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[48]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[48][49]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[48][49]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[50][49]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[50][49]

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 Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PLA Silk+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Panchroma Silk PLA collection Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Spectrum PLA Silk — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DJake ecoPLA Silk Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Sunlu Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1kg Sunlu Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Bambu Lab PLA Silk 1.75mm 1kg 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. CHCKX 16 Pack Silk Dual Color PLA Filament Bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. YXPOLYER Silk PLA Black&Gold product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. LANDU Silk Tri-Color PLA Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Overture Silk PLA 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  25. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. eSUN PLA-Silk Magic 1.75mm eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  27. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  28. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  29. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  32. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  34. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  35. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  36. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  37. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  38. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  39. Testing eSun PLA filaments: PLA-ST vs PLA+ vs Silk PLA My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  42. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  43. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  44. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  45. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  46. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  47. 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
  48. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  49. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  50. 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