Recycled vs bio-based filaments which holds up better?

[Madalena_Gotts]

I’ve been experimenting with a few eco-friendly filaments this year like mainly recycled PLA from 3D Fuel and a hemp-based composite from Proto-pasta. Both have printed surprisingly well, though the hemp one needs a slightly higher nozzle temp. I’m based near Burlington, and we’ve got a few local makerspaces that bulk-order filament from regional suppliers to keep costs and waste down. The only catch is color consistency... yeah recycled batches sometimes vary a bit.Anyone else tried those newer biopolymers or recycled PETG lines? I’m curious how they hold up long-term, especially for functional prints in Vermont’s temperature swings.

 

[p21nt and90]

@Madalena_Gotts oh, I like 3D Fuel's rPLA. and the color randomness is just the price of being green, haha.
about the durability, for functional parts in cold temps, the main risk with any PLA is brittleness, it gets super weak when cold.
a little tip from me, before printing functional parts, dry your rPLA aggressively (8 hours minimum). Dry filament is much less brittle!

 

[Robr0y]

I’ve been experimenting with a few eco-friendly filaments this year like mainly recycled PLA from 3D Fuel and a hemp-based composite from Proto-pasta

I like the Protopasta hemp composite, that stuff looks incredible. Just a heads up, these natural composites are moisture magnets. Make sure you keep them in a dry box or bake them before printing, especially with VT humidity! It cures stringing issues instantly