3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA vs PP

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

PLA (standard) guidePolypropylene (PP) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA comparisonsMore PP comparisons
PLA vs PP — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA (standard)PLAPolypropylene (PP)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings$46.56/kg median; $31.99–$53.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[1][2]Polypropylene — a semi-crystalline polyolefin with no polar groups, so it neither absorbs water nor bonds to most bed surfaces[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[1][5][2]0.91 (Prusa PP composite, ISO 1183) — the lightest common filament[6]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[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/kg10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[14][15][16][17]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][18][11][12][13]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[19][20]Available from several mainstream brands[18][11][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[7][21][22][16][23]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 kg spools are common[11]
Typical applicationsConcept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[24]Living hinges, chemical-resistant containers, automotive clips and packaging prototypes[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[1][7][25]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[1][5][2]210–230 (Braskem-type PE/PP window); Formfutura's Centaur PP melts at 205 ± 15 °C[3]
Bed temperature°C25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[1][5][2]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[5][19]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[26][4]
Part cooling fan100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[1][20]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[26]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[5][27][20]Packing tape, a polypropylene sheet, or a PP-specific adhesive such as Magigoo PP — ordinary PLA and ABS adhesives do not hold it[26][4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[28]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5None[29][19]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; PP's crystallinity drives shrinkage and Prusa recommends a brim on its PP grades[6][30]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[5][2][20]Very difficult — special plates or slurry required. PP bonds to almost nothing; a polypropylene-specific tape or adhesive is the normal answer[6][4]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[5][20][31]Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[19][20]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; bed adhesion is the whole problem[4][6]
Extruder requirementAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[19]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[19]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades — Simplify3D states no special hotend is required[26]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[29][19]Non-abrasive when unfilled[26]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[19][20]Low — Simplify3D lists no special hotend requirement for PP and clogging is not among its listed drawbacks[32][26]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[27][33]Slightly sensitive[26]
Hotend requirementAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[19]No special hot-end required (Simplify3D)[26]
Other hardware wearNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[29][19]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[2][5][34]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%0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[2][5]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 & time50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[5][2][33]No 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[32]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle; Polymaker still advises a 70 °C dry for 4–6 h despite the low uptake[4]
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[32]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][32]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][20]No special storage needed[6]
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][5][2][35][36]12 at yield (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[3]
Young's modulusMPa2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][5][2]724 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D638; converted from 105,000 psi)[37]
Elongation at break%6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[5][2][1]Above 600 at break (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][38]31.0 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4500 psi)[37]
Flexural modulusMPa2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][38]402 flexural modulus (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D790) — an order of magnitude below any rigid filament[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[5][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[1][2]Izod notched 112 J/m on extruded PP stock, converted from 2.1 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[37]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[1][2][36]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[27][29]Very ductile — bends far before failing[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][39]Rockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded PP stock (ASTM D785)[37]
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[40][41]Below average[3]
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)[42][27]Excellent — living hinges viable, the classic polypropylene application[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[29]Semi-flexible[3]
Z strength as % of XY%77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[5][2][36]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1][5][2]74 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 165 °F)[37]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1][5][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C55–61 (DSC)[1][5][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[24][5][2]205 ± 15 melting (Formfutura Centaur PP)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[29][36]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[3][6]
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][43]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[44]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][5]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[27][24]Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polypropylene chalks under UV[4]
Outdoor durabilityNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[24][27]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[5][27]Excellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents — the usual reason to choose PP[4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[2][45]Excellent — essentially unaffected[6]
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[27][45]Polypropylene is a common food-packaging polymer, but no filament here carries a food-contact certification[4]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[45][27][2]Not biodegradable[4]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[45]Mechanically recyclable as resin code 5, but printed waste is not accepted in household collection[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[46]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[46]
VOC emission rateµg/min4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[46]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[46]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[46]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[46]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[46]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[24][27]Sands poorly — the waxy surface loads abrasive paper[26]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint and adhesives do not key to untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is normally needed first[4]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[27][25]Nothing common bonds untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is needed before adhesives key[4]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[27]No practical vapour smoothing[26]
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5][2]Prints its own supports; no soluble support is rated for PP[26]
Dimensional accuracy & detailGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[29][2][20]Shrinkage 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.[47]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves it at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C — the xylene-solubles route.[48][49]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[47][50]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[48]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[51][50]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[48]

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. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  5. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  7. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 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. 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. PP filament listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  25. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 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. Prusament PP Glass Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  31. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying 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. 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. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  39. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  42. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  43. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  44. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  45. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  46. 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
  47. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  48. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  49. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  50. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  51. 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