Types of 3D Printer Filament: The Complete 2026 Guide (PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, Nylon, TPU & More)
The material you pick decides how strong, flexible, heat-resistant and good-looking your print will be. This guide covers all 43 FFF filament material types in the OpenPrintTag FFF material types list, from beginner PLA to aerospace-grade PEEK, and links to the ones CONSUM3D carries.
Temperatures are the OpenPrintTag default ranges. Always follow your spool label and printer profile.
Quick picks
- First printer? PLA.
- Functional parts? PETG, then ABS or ASA.
- Outdoors? ASA.
- Gears and wear? Nylon.
- Flexible? TPU or TPE.
- Extreme heat or strength? PC, PEI, PEEK, PPS.
- Supports? PVA or HIPS.
The everyday materials
PLA (key 0)
Easy, biodegradable-leaning and ideal for beginners, prototypes and models. Nozzle 180–220°C, bed up to 60°C, no enclosure. Variants include PLA+, silk, sparkle and color-shifting.
Push Plastic PLA · 3D-Fuel Standard PLA+ · Tough Pro PLA+ · Ambrosia PLA · Silk · Sparkle · COEX recycled PLA · All PLA
PETG (key 1)
Durable, strong and temperature-resistant, great for mechanical parts. Nozzle 220–250°C, bed 60–80°C.
Push Plastic PETG · 3D-Fuel Pro PETG · Ambrosia PETG · COEX PETG · All PETG
ABS (key 3) and ASA (key 4)
ABS is strong and heat-resistant and needs a heated bed and enclosure (nozzle 230–260°C, bed 90–110°C). ASA is similar with high UV and weather resistance, so it suits outdoor parts.
Push Plastic ABS · COEX ABS · Ambrosia Über ABS+ · Push Plastic ASA · Ambrosia ASA · All ABS · All ASA
PCTG (key 6)
A tougher PETG alternative with higher impact and chemical resistance. Push Plastic PCTG · 3D-Fuel Pro PCTG · All PCTG
Flexible: TPU (key 2) and TPE (key 13)
TPU is rubber-like for phone cases and vibration dampers (nozzle 210–240°C). TPE is a softer, more flexible class of elastomers.
Push Plastic TPU 100A · Ambrosia TPU 95A · Polymaker TPU95-HF · CoexFlex 40D TPE · All flexible
Engineering and high-performance
Nylons: PA6, PA11, PA12, PA612, PA66, PPA
Tough and wear-resistant; dry the spool before printing. Push Plastic Nylon · PA6 · PA12-CF · Carbon Fiber Nylon · All nylon
Polycarbonate (PC, key 5) and PBT (key 18)
Extremely strong, impact- and heat-resistant. Nozzle 270–310°C, bed 110–130°C, enclosure required. Push Plastic PC+PBT · Ambrosia PC-ABS · PC-CF · All PC
Ultra-high-performance: PEI, PEEK, PEKK, PPS
For industrial heat and chemical demands, with a high-temperature printer. PEI 9085 · PEI 1010 · ThermaX PEEK · PEKK-CF · Ambrosia PPS-CF · High-temp
Composites
Carbon and glass fiber add stiffness but are abrasive, so use a hardened nozzle. ASA-CF · CF PETG · PET-GF · All carbon fiber
Supports and specialty
PVA is water-soluble support (Polymaker PVA). HIPS dissolves in limonene as ABS support (Push Plastic HIPS). PMMA is clear acrylic (Push Plastic PMMA). PHA is a biodegradable PLA alternative (Ambrosia PHA).
All 43 FFF material types
"Shop" links appear only for materials we currently list; a dash means we do not currently carry it.
| Type | Name | Best known for | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | Polylactic Acid | Beginners, prototypes | PLA |
| PETG | Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol | Mechanical parts | PETG |
| TPU | Thermoplastic Polyurethane | Flexible, rubber-like | TPU |
| ABS | Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene | Heat-resistant parts | ABS |
| ASA | Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate | UV and outdoor | ASA |
| PC | Polycarbonate | Strength and heat | PC |
| PCTG | Polycyclohexylenedimethylene Terephthalate Glycol | Tougher PETG | PCTG |
| PP | Polypropylene | Living hinges, containers | — |
| PA6 | Polyamide 6 | Tough, wear-resistant | PA6 |
| PA11 | Polyamide 11 | Bio-based flexible nylon | — |
| PA12 | Polyamide 12 | Most common nylon | PA12-CF |
| PA612 | Polyamide 612 | Between PA6 and PA12 | — |
| PA66 | Polyamide 66 | Stiffer, heat-resistant | — |
| CPE | Copolyester | Chemical resistance (incl. PETG) | — |
| TPE | Thermoplastic Elastomer | Soft, rubbery | TPE |
| HIPS | High Impact Polystyrene | ABS support | HIPS |
| PHA | Polyhydroxyalkanoate | Tougher bio-based PLA alternative | PHA |
| PET | Polyethylene Terephthalate | Bottle plastic, strong | PET-GF |
| PEI | Polyetherimide (Ultem) | High thermal performance | PEI |
| PBT | Polybutylene Terephthalate | Heat and electrical insulation | PC-PBT |
| PVB | Polyvinyl Butyral | IPA-smoothable gloss | — |
| PVA | Polyvinyl Alcohol | Water-soluble support | PVA |
| PEKK | Polyetherketoneketone | Industrial high performance | PEKK |
| PEEK | Polyether Ether Ketone | Aerospace, medical | PEEK |
| BVOH | Butenediol Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer | Fast-dissolving support | — |
| TPC | Thermoplastic Copolyester | Flexible, chemical-resistant | — |
| PPS | Polyphenylene Sulfide | Thermal and chemical stability | PPS-CF |
| PPSU | Polyphenylsulfone | Medical-grade heat resistance | — |
| PVC | Polyvinyl Chloride | Rarely printed (toxic fumes) | — |
| PEBA | Polyether Block Amide | Energy-return TPE | — |
| PVDF | Polyvinylidene Fluoride | Chemical and UV resistance | — |
| PPA | Polyphthalamide | High-performance nylon | — |
| PCL | Polycaprolactone | ~60°C melt, hand-shapeable | — |
| PES | Polyethersulfone | High-temp, hydrolytic stability | — |
| PMMA | Polymethyl Methacrylate | Clear acrylic | PMMA |
| POM | Polyoxymethylene (Delrin) | Gears, bearings | — |
| PPE | Polyphenylene Ether | Dimensional stability, blends | — |
| PS | Polystyrene | Lightweight, brittle | — |
| PSU | Polysulfone | High-temp stability | — |
| TPI | Thermoplastic Polyimide | Extreme heat resistance | — |
| SBS | Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene | Flexible, easy-ish to print | — |
| OBC | Olefin Block Copolymer | Flexible, UV-resistant | — |
| EVA | Ethylene Vinyl Acetate | Soft, tough, stress-crack resistant | — |
FAQ
Do I need an enclosed printer?
Usually not for PLA, PETG or TPU. ABS, ASA, nylon, PC and the high-performance polymers do better in an enclosure.
Does CONSUM3D ship filament?
We ship to the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Consumable orders ship free at $95.00 or more; under that, the shipping cost is calculated at checkout. Handling takes 1–3 business days, then 3–10 business days for delivery. Questions? bsys@consum3d.com.
Ready to print? Shop all filament. Buy 4 or more Push Plastic 1kg spools (PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, PCTG) and 10% comes off automatically in your cart.