Choosing Filament: PLA, PETG & ABS Explained
Written by Rehman • 7 min read • Jun 20, 2026
Filament is the raw material of FDM printing — a long strand of thermoplastic, wound on a spool, melted and redrawn by the printer into the shape we want. Different plastics behave very differently, and choosing between them is the first real decision of any print.
PLA (polylactic acid) is the workhorse of decorative printing, and the material behind most of our catalog. It is made from plant starches, prints with crisp detail, and comes in beautiful finishes — matte, silk, marble-filled, even wood-filled. Its one weakness is heat: a PLA piece left on a car dashboard in an Indian summer will slowly sag. On a shelf indoors, it will outlast the shelf.
PETG is the tough sibling — the same family of plastic as water bottles. It flexes rather than snaps, shrugs off heat that would soften PLA, and suits pieces that get handled a lot: planters, trays, functional holders. The trade-off is that it prints with a slight gloss and slightly softer detail.
ABS is the industrial classic — very strong, heat-resistant, and sandable to a glass-smooth finish. But it is fussy to print and needs a controlled, ventilated environment, so we reserve it for specific custom commissions that genuinely need it.
When you browse our pieces, the material is listed under Details & Dimensions on every product page. And if you are commissioning something custom, we will always recommend the material honestly — including telling you when the cheaper option is the better one.
