PLA vs PETG vs ABS — Which Filament Should You Use?
You've got your 3D printer set up, you're ready to print — and then you open up the filament options and see PLA, PETG, ABS, Hyper PLA, Silk, Matte, TPU, ASA… and your head starts spinning. Sound familiar?
Don't worry. For the vast majority of what most people print at home, the choice comes down to three materials: PLA, PETG and ABS. Here's the plain-language breakdown of each one, when to use it, and which we'd recommend picking up first.
Quick Answer — Which One Should You Start With?
PLA — The Beginner's Best Friend
PLA (Polylactic Acid) is the world's most popular 3D printing filament. Made from plant-based materials like corn starch — biodegradable, low-odour and very easy to work with. If you've just unboxed your first printer, PLA is what you should have loaded.
What PLA is great for:
- Figurines, models and decorative prints
- Phone stands, desk organisers, cable clips
- Cosplay props and accessories
- Prototypes and design mockups
- Educational models and school projects
Where PLA falls short:
- Heat sensitivity — softens at 55–60°C, don't leave prints in a hot car
- Not waterproof — fine indoors, not for outdoor use
- Brittle under stress — will snap rather than flex if overloaded
🌿 Just Colours tip: We stock SA Filament Hyper PLA (locally made, great value) and Creality Hyper PLA for high-speed printing. SA Filament is a great starting point — quality South African made.
PETG — The Tough All-Rounder
PETG sits between PLA and ABS in difficulty — noticeably more capable than PLA, but without the headaches ABS brings. When PLA isn't strong enough, PETG is your next material.
What PETG is great for:
- Functional parts — hinges, clips, brackets, enclosures
- Water-resistant containers and outdoor items
- Mechanical components that take some stress
- Car interior parts — handles heat up to 75–85°C, well above PLA's 55–60°C limit
- Parts that need to be slightly flexible without snapping
Where PETG falls short:
- Hygroscopic — absorbs moisture from the air. Important for Garden Route makers: in coastal or humid climates like George, an open PETG spool can absorb enough moisture within hours to cause stringing and weak layers. Store in an airtight container with silica gel and dry at 65°C for 6–7 hours before critical prints. We stock filament dryers in-store.
- Strings more than PLA — usually resolved by drying the filament and correct retraction settings
- Needs slightly slower print speeds than Hyper PLA for best results
🔧 Print settings tip: PETG prints best at 230–250°C nozzle and 70–85°C bed. If you're seeing stringing despite good settings, a wet spool is usually the culprit — dry it first.
ABS — The Old-School Workhorse
ABS is what LEGO bricks are made from — tough, heat-resistant and impact-resistant. But it's the most demanding of the three to print: it warps, releases fumes, and needs an enclosed printer.
What ABS is great for:
- High-heat environments — near engines, appliances, outdoor sun
- Parts that need machining, drilling or tapping after printing
- Acetone smoothing for mirror-smooth finishes
- Engineering prototypes requiring rigidity
Where ABS falls short:
- Warps badly without a heated enclosure
- Releases fumes — always print with ventilation or enclosed with carbon filtration
- Much harder to dial in than PLA or PETG
⚠️ ABS warning: ABS fumes contain styrene, a mild irritant. Always print in a well-ventilated space. If unsure, PLA or PETG will handle most jobs safely.
TPU — The Flexible Filament Explained
TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) is what you reach for when a part needs to bend, flex or absorb impact without cracking — phone cases, RC car tyres, gaskets, grip handles, watch straps, vibration dampers.
Understanding Shore Hardness — What Does 90A and 95A Mean?
The Shore A hardness rating measures resistance to indentation — a rubber firmness scale. Lower number = softer and more flexible. Higher = firmer.
- 85A — feels like a shoe insole. Very squishy. Hard to print, direct-drive only, very slow speeds.
- 90A — feels like a firm rubber grip or soft car tyre. Excellent shock absorption. Best on direct-drive setups.
- 95A — feels like a shopping cart wheel. Firm but still bends. Easiest TPU to print — works on most setups including some Bowden configurations.
🧪 Tensile strength explained: This measures how much pulling force a material takes before it tears, quoted in MPa. Creality CR-TPU (95A) delivers ~44–55 MPa with over 600% elongation at break — it can stretch 6× its length before failing. Both 95A and 90A are more than strong enough for everyday prints like phone cases and car tyres.
Which TPU should you choose?
- Start with 95A — most forgiving, widest machine compatibility. Creality CR-TPU is confirmed 95A Shore hardness.
- Choose 90A for softer grip surfaces, vibration dampers and parts that compress under load. Requires direct-drive and slower speeds.
⚠️ TPU printing tip: Like PETG, TPU is hygroscopic — store sealed with desiccant and dry at 65–70°C for 4–6 hours before printing, especially in coastal climates like George. Use direct-drive, print at 20–35mm/s, and keep retraction near zero.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Here's everything in one place so you can compare at a glance:
What About All the Other Filament Types?
- Hyper PLA — formulated for high-speed printing (up to 500mm/s). Same ease of use, much faster prints.
- Silk PLA — shiny metallic sheen. We stock Creality Dual Silk in Pink/Purple and Gold.
- Matte PLA — flat finish that hides layer lines beautifully. Perfect for cosplay and props.
- Glow-in-the-dark PLA — we stock Creality Hyper Luminous PLA in green.
- Rainbow PLA — multicolour prints without changing spools. Great for kids' projects.
- Resin — a completely different process producing extremely fine detail. Great for miniatures and jewellery.
Where to Buy Filament in the Garden Route
At Just Colours in George we stock a curated range of quality filaments — PLA, PETG, ABS, Hyper PLA, Silk, Matte, Glow-in-the-dark, Rainbow and TPU — from Creality, SA Filament and eSun. Buy in-store and start printing the same day, or order online for nationwide delivery.
✅ Shipping info: Standard shipping from R99, free over R1,500. Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and everywhere in between. Most orders 3–5 business days.
Not Sure Which Filament to Choose?
Pop into our George store and we'll help you pick the right material for your project — no charge, no pressure.