1.75mm PLA
1KG PLA Spools
2.25KG PLA Spools
4.5KG PLA Spools
Request for Customization?
filament@monofilamentdirect.com
PLA Filaments for Making Excellent 3D Prints
Monofilament Direct manufactures Polylactic Acid (PLA) Filament with the highest-quality resins. With 100% virgin plastic resins, we provide PLA filaments with consistency throughout its length.
We at Monofilament Direct give special attention and care in manufacturing these filaments, as if we use them for our own printers. We want our filament to be the trusted and the go-to filament for beginners, hobbyists and professionals.
Monofilament Direct PLA Printing Specifications
| Printing Temperature: | 180°C – 230°C |
| Bed Temperature: | 60°C |
| Bed Surface Material: | Blue Painters Tape, Glass, PEI, Buildtak, etc. |
How to Select the Right PLA filament?
- Filament Diameter
- Spool Weight
- PLA Filament Color Selection
Filament Diameter
We are offering both 1.75 mm PLA filament and 2.85 mm filament diameters for the best compatibility to any 3D printer available in the market.
Our 1.75 mm filament is compatible with most printers in the market, while our 2.85 mm PLA works with Ultimaker and Lulzbot Printers.
Spool Weight
Monofilament Direct caters to all customers, from beginners, hobbyists, professionals, and business owners. To accommodate your filament needs, we offer spools at different sizes at 1kg, 2.5 kg, and 4.5 kg. For special orders, you can keep in touch with us in our wholesale and bulk orders page.
| 1 kg (2.2 lbs) 1.75 mm PLA | 1 kg (2.2 lbs) 2.85 mm PLA |
| 2.5 kg (5 lbs) 1.75 mm PLA | 2.5 kg (5 lbs) 2.85 mm PLA |
| 4.5 kg (10 lbs) 1.75 mm PLA | 4.5 kg (10 lbs) 2.85 mm PLA |
PLA Filament Color Selection
We provide 3D PLA filaments in various colors in both 1.75 and 2.85 mm:
WHITE
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
BLACK
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
NATURAL
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
GRAY
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
PINK
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
RED
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
ORANGE
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
YELLOW
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
GREEN
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
BLUE
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
VIOLET
- 1kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 2.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
- 4.5kg (1.75mm or 2.85mm)
PLA Filament Guide: Tips for 3D Printing with PLA
What is PLA?
PLA, or Polylactic Acid, is a thermoplastic material based from natural resources, such as corn and sugarcane. PLA is known for being the easiest filament to print with.
Most 3D printers are capable of printing PLA since it prints at lower temperature and adheres to common bed surfaces. To help you start printing with PLA, below are some tips to print well with this material.
How to Print PLA
#1 Temperature
- We recommend printing PLA from 190°C - 230°C, and we find 200°C a good temperature for our filament.
- However, it is best to print a temperature tower everytime you change filaments
#2 Bed Adhesion
- Before printing anything, level the bed surface. The goal of bed leveling is to have the nozzle in the same clearance throughout the bed.
- Sometimes, print beds tend to “un-level” after some time. This is normal and could happen again, but less often as you use your printer.
- Make sure to set the part cooling fan to 0% for the first layer to improve bed adhesion.
- Having a thicker first layer could help in sticking to the bed as it increases surface area, and also helps compensate for small dips and scratches in the bed.
- If all else fails, you can apply additional adhesives on your build plate such as hair sprays and glue sticks to improve adhesion.
#3 Cooling
- The part cooling fan should be turned on for the rest of the print. Inadequate cooling of PLA when printing will result in droopy prints.
- Maximize the part cooling fan when printing PLA, especially when you print with overhangs (parts angled less than 45°), or bridges (parts that print in air, connecting two points)
#4 Speed
- Cooling and speed depend on each other when printing PLA. When you can cool the prints quickly, then you can print at faster speed. On the other hand, when you find droopy parts on your print, slow down your print.
- When printing highly detailed models, it’s better to print with slower speeds to cool layers and small details better to avoid a droopy print.
Why Print PLA?
Printing with PLA gives more successful and less frustrating prints than other 3D printing materials. Since PLA is known to be the easiest filament to work with, beginning 3D printing with PLA is the best way to start with this industry.
| Material | Extruder Temperature, °C | Bed Temperature, °C |
| PLA | 190-220 | 45-60 |
| ABS | 220-250 | 95-110 |
| PETG | 230-250 | 75-90 |
| TPU | 225-245 | 45-60 |
| Nylon | 225-265 | 70-90 |
| Polycarbonate | 260-310 | 90-120 |
PLA is easy to print because it works with relatively lower temperature than other materials. PLA starts to melt at 180°C than other materials available. The extruder hotend of 3D printers have different temperature limits, most having max temperature at 250°C. With that, all 3D printers in the market are capable of printing with PLA.
Although we recommend heating the bed at 60°C when using PLA, printing without a heated bed also works. And yes, not all 3D printers have a heated bed. Build surfaces like painter’s tape or glue-applied glass beds can hold PLA prints without heating the bed.
For other materials, a high bed temperature is required to print them successfully. That means other materials which require heated beds at elevated temperatures are not already printable with those machines.
Aside from that, there are other issues and conditions and requirements you have to meet with these materials. You can check out our complete filament guide for these materials.
Why Print with PLA: Benefits & Advantages
Easy to Print With
Derived from Plant Starch
Good for detailed models
Safe & doesn't emit toxic fumes
PLA vs ABS
PLA and ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) are the most common 3D printing filaments for their low cost and wide applications. However, both of them can have advantages over each, as discussed below.
PLA
Pros
- PLA Prints easier
- Sticks to bed with low temp/ no heated bed
- Can print detailed models without the risk of warping
Cons
- Low glass transition temperature, easy to be deformed
- Although made from organic substances, PLA is only biodegradable when certain conditions are met.
ABS
Pros
- Temperature resistant
- Chemical resistant
- Weather-proof, good for practical/outdoor prints
- Tougher Material
- Can achieve smooth finish with acetone smoothing
Cons
- Prone to warping during printing, which leads to bed adhesion problems
- Sensitive to drafts, causing layer breakage mid print
- Mostly require 3D printer enclosure to print well
- Warping/ shrinking behavior can lead to inaccurate prints
- Releases toxic fumes, so a need of an enclosure and good room ventilation will be required
What can you Print with PLA?
Given its advantages, PLA is best at printing details. Because PLA benefits from rapid cooling, you can form great models with a lot of details.
On the practical side, PLA can be used for prints that benchmark and calibrate printer settings, simple DIY Home repairs, and toys.
FAQ about PLA
Most frequent questions and answers
Polylactic Acid is a thermoplastic derived from natural starches mostly from corn, sugarcane, and other organic materials. It is popular as a 3D printer filament material as it prints easier than other plastic material filaments.
A PLA filament can be of good quality when:
- The product provides sufficient information about the filament (filament diameter, spool weight, printing temperature, tolerances, etc.)
- Filament is packaged well in vacuum-sealed bags and desiccant to avoid moisture.
- The filament is spooled uniformly, no tangles and bent filaments
- When loaded to the 3D printer and extruded, it does not produce a popping sound. A popping sound would signify that the filament has been exposed to moisture.
Naturally, PLA is food safe as it is made from corn starch, unlike ABS which is not certified for the toxic chemicals present. But, since PLA can only handle up to 60°C, PLA prints are not dishwasher-friendly as it is likely to warp and be unusable.
Generally speaking, 3D printed utensils are not recommended to be in direct contact with food, because of the surface finish 3D prints have. As 3D printed parts are made layer by layer, these will create small grooves that can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
PLA can biodegrade, but only with special digestive microbes and in certain conditions. The process to degrade PLA plastics needs a heating to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and then let it be exposed to special digestive microbes.
When your PLA filament breaks easily, your filament has absorbed moisture. Almost all filaments are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture from the air. The best thing to treat brittle filaments is drying them.
PLA filament absorb moisture from the air as they are hygroscopic. They tend to absorb more moisture as compared to ABS, but less hygroscopic than more sensitive filaments like Nylon or PVA.
The ideal condition to store PLA is to keep them in an environment having 15- 20 % humidity. You can store them in a sealed filament dry box, containing desiccants to keep moisture down. Depending on where you live, you can keep your filaments well enough indoors, or you may need good air conditioning systems for your workshop or offices.
Monofilament Direct manufactures and sells their filament straight from manufacturing to consumer, eliminating additional costs for the end user. Visit our shop for our ABS and PLA filaments or contact us for custom orders, contract manufacturing, or private labeling.