Let’s be honest. When you’re standing in front of your printer with 3 different spools and no idea which one to load, it’s a genuinely frustrating moment. Most guides throw a wall of specs at you and leave you more confused than when you started.
This one won’t do that.
Whether you’re just getting into 3D printing in Australia or you’ve been at it for a while and want to stop second-guessing your material choices, this guide will give you straight answers.
Why the Filament You Choose Matters
Here’s something most beginners find out the hard way. A print fails and they immediately blame the printer, tweak the settings for hours, and try again with the same result.
Sometimes the problem isn’t the printer at all. It’s the filament.
The 3D printing material you choose affects:
- How strong the finished part is
- Whether it survives heat or outdoor conditions
- How it feels in your hand
- How smoothly it comes off the build plate
Pick the wrong one for the job and no amount of settings tweaking will save you. Once you understand what each material actually does, the decision becomes pretty straightforward.
PLA Filament – Start Here, No Question
If you’re new to 3D printing, PLA is where you begin. Full stop.
It’s the most widely used 3D printer filament in Australia and around the world, and there’s a very simple reason for that. It just works.
Why beginners love PLA:
- Prints at lower temperatures (190°C to 220°C)
- Resists warping on the build plate
- Available in hundreds of colours
- Affordable and easy to find locally
One thing worth knowing: PLA is often marketed as biodegradable, and technically that’s true, but only under commercial composting conditions. It won’t break down in your bin at home or in landfill, so keep that in mind if the eco angle matters to you.
Best for: Figurines, display pieces, desk accessories, phone stands, and prototypes that sit on a shelf rather than take a beating.
Where PLA falls short:
PLA softens at relatively low temperatures. An Adelaide summer afternoon is enough to warp a print left on your car dashboard. It’s also brittle under sharp impact. For anything that needs to survive heat or regular punishment, keep reading.
PETG Filament – The One Most People Graduate To
Once you’ve got PLA dialled in and want something with a bit more substance, PETG is the natural next step. Honestly, it’s where a lot of experienced printers spend most of their time.
What makes PETG worth the upgrade:
- Tougher than PLA and far less likely to snap under pressure
- Handles higher temperatures without going soft
- Has a slight flex that absorbs impact rather than cracking
- Prints at 230°C to 250°C, manageable for most modern printers
Best for: Brackets, enclosures, mechanical components, storage containers, and anything that gets used regularly.
One thing to watch: PETG has a tendency to leave thin wispy threads between parts of your print if retraction settings aren’t quite right. A handful of test prints usually sorts it out.
A note on food safety: PETG is often described as food-safe, and the material itself has that potential, but in FDM printing, layer lines create tiny gaps where bacteria can hide regardless of filament type. Real food safety depends on your nozzle type, settings, and how the part is finished. Don’t assume a PETG print is safe for regular food contact without doing proper research first.
TPU Filament – For Prints That Need to Flex and Bounce Back
This is where things get interesting.
TPU is a completely different beast from PLA or PETG. It’s a flexible 3D printing filament, rubbery, tough, and designed for parts that need to bend, compress, stretch, or absorb impact repeatedly without failing.
Drop a TPU print and it bounces. Drop a PLA print from the same height and you might be picking up pieces.
Best for:
- Phone cases and device covers
- Shoe insoles and wearables
- Cable protectors and grips
- Gaskets and seals
- Anything that needs give and flexibility
Tips for printing TPU successfully:
- Slow your print speed down to around 20 to 30mm per second
- Use a direct drive extruder where possible, it handles TPU much better than a Bowden setup
- Be patient with the first few prints while you dial in the settings
If you’ve been running into issues with TPU, our detailed guide on printing with TPU filament in Australia walks through the most common problems and exactly how to fix them. It will save you a lot of trial and error.
ABS, ASA and the Stronger Stuff
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, a whole tier of materials opens up for more demanding applications.
ABS
Strong, heat-resistant, and a long-time staple of desktop printing. The catch is that it warps easily and releases fumes while printing, so you need an enclosed printer and decent ventilation. Not the friendliest material to start with, but for high-heat or high-stress parts it earns its place.
ASA
Essentially ABS with better outdoor credentials. UV-resistant, so it won’t fade or go brittle sitting in the Australian sun. If you’re printing brackets, housings, or outdoor fixtures that need to hold up long term, ASA is hard to beat.
The Full Range at 3D Radical Prints
Beyond ABS and ASA, the 3D printing materials range extends to:
- Nylon (PA) – load-bearing, wear-resistant parts and gears
- Polycarbonate (PC) – industrial-level toughness and impact resistance
- HIPS – dissolvable support material for dual extrusion setups
- Polypropylene (PP) – lightweight, chemically resistant, fatigue-resistant designs
These are materials for when you really know what your printer can do, but they’re there when you’re ready.
So Which Filament Is Actually the Strongest?
It depends on what kind of strength you need. Here’s the honest breakdown:
| Filament | Strength Type | Weakness |
| PLA | Stiff and rigid | Brittle under sharp impact |
| PETG | Tough and impact-resistant | Can string if not tuned |
| TPU | Absorbs energy, bounces back | Not rigid at all |
| Nylon / PC / ASA | Engineering-grade performance | Harder to print |
The short answer:
- PETG is the strongest for most practical, everyday functional printing
- TPU wins when flexibility and impact resistance matter more than rigidity
- Nylon, PC or ASA are the answer when you need genuine engineering-grade performance
Quick Filament Selection Cheat Sheet
Not sure where to start? Use this as your go-to reference:
| What You’re Making | Best Filament |
| Models, figurines, display pieces | PLA |
| Functional parts, brackets, everyday use | PETG |
| Phone cases, gaskets, flexible grips | TPU |
| Outdoor parts, UV-exposed fixtures | ASA |
| High-heat or heavy-duty engineering parts | ABS, Nylon or PC |
| Support material for dual extrusion | HIPS |
Where to Buy Quality 3D Printer Filament in Australia
This part matters more than people realise. Cheap filament from unknown sources causes:
- Nozzle clogs
- Inconsistent extrusion
- Failed prints, even when your settings are perfect
Quality filament makes your printer’s job easier and your results more consistent every single time.
3D Radical Prints stocks PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, ASA, Nylon, Polycarbonate, HIPS, Polypropylene and more, all held locally in South Australia. Free shipping applies on orders over $150, and if you’re in Adelaide you can come in and pick it up in person.
If you’re also in the market for a new printer, something that will handle everything from beginner PLA right through to advanced engineering materials without a fight, take a look at the 3D printer range at 3D Radical Prints. The Bambu Lab lineup in particular is worth your time.
And if you’re not sure what you need, just ask. The team genuinely knows their stuff and won’t point you toward something that’s wrong for your project.
Good printing starts with the right material. Everything else is easier from there.