Layer 01Materials
FDM printing in PLA and PETG.
Makr3D prints in PLA and PETG on a Bambu Lab FDM farm, and nothing else at launch. This page explains what FDM printing is, how to choose between the two materials, and exactly where our process stops, so you can list products that production will actually keep up with.
Powered by Yorkshire3D: 150,000+ orders shipped since 2019, rated 4.9/5.
Layer 02The process
What is FDM printing?
FDM printing (fused deposition modelling, also called FFF) builds a part layer by layer from melted thermoplastic filament. It is the process behind most ecommerce 3D printing: strong enough for organisers, stands, fixtures and light functional parts, detailed enough for figures, signs and personalised gifts, and priced sensibly enough to sell at marketplace retail.
At Makr3D, FDM is not a hobby printer in a spare room. Orders print on Yorkshire3D’s Bambu Lab farm in Huddersfield, hundreds of printers running 500+ plates a day, with a human production review before anything prints and every finished order QA-checked before it is packed.
Every FDM part shows its process: layer lines, seams and small tolerance variation are normal, and we say so up front rather than photographing around it. The print specification sets out exactly what standard production does and does not include.
If you slice your own Bambu or Orca project, Faithful 3MF Mode preserves your plates, supports, colour intent and nozzle choice. If you upload an STL, we slice it against validated farm profiles instead. Either way, the full production route is the same: reviewed, printed, QA-checked, packed and dispatched.
Layer 03The decision
PLA vs PETG: an honest decision guide
Neither material is better. They are tuned for different products, and most catalogues end up using both. Here is the same comparison the Makr3D team uses when a seller asks.
| Property | PLA | PETG |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Rigid and precise, with the cleanest detail and finish | Tougher, with a little flex before it breaks |
| Heat | Softens in hot environments, such as a car on a summer day | Better temperature resistance for warm rooms and vehicles |
| Handling | Can be brittle in thin sections | Copes better with knocks and repeated everyday use |
| Finish quirks | Standard FDM marks: layer lines and seams | Slightly more prone to stringing and small surface marks |
| Dispatch | Typically 1 to 2 working days | Adds one working day to the dispatch estimate |
When PLA wins
PLA is the default for a reason: it prints the sharpest detail with the widest colour choice. Choose it for figures, ornaments, desk signs, personalised gifts, display pieces and almost anything that lives indoors and is looked at more than it is load-tested.
When PETG wins
Choose PETG when the part has a job to do: clips, brackets, hooks, planters, garden items and anything that lives somewhere warm or gets handled every day. It trades a little of PLA’s crispness for toughness, and adds one working day to the dispatch estimate.
Dispatch is typically 1 to 2 working days and is an estimate, not a guaranteed date. PETG and fine or coarse nozzles (0.2mm and 0.6mm) add one working day to the dispatch estimate.
Both materials are quoted the same way: instantly, from your actual file, based on material, filament weight, print time, colours and nozzle. A £1 minimum fulfilment charge applies per dropship order before postage.
See pricing in detail for worked example prices, or the print specification for the full material limits.
Layer 04Colour
40+ stocked colours, from a working farm
Makr3D prints from Yorkshire3D’s stocked filament wall: 40+ colours, stocked and run in production since 2019. PLA carries the widest choice; PETG is stocked in a selected range of colours.
Multi-colour 3MF files are matched to stocked filament and auto-quoted up to four colours; five or more routes to the Makr3D team for review.
Colour names and previews are approximate: filament varies by manufacturer and batch. If exact colour matching is critical to your product, ask for approval and expect a test print, exactly as the print specification says.
Layer 05The honest bit
What we deliberately do not print
Plenty of processes get called 3D printing. Makr3D deliberately offers one: FDM. If your product needs any of the processes below, we are the wrong choice, and we would rather tell you on this page than after you have listed it.
Metal printing
SLS nylon
Resin (SLA and DLP)
The trade is simple: fewer processes, run at production depth. One farm, one process, materials we stock and know, and honest answers about the rest.
Layer 06The roadmap
ABS, ASA and TPU: planned, not quietly available
ABS, ASA and TPU are planned additions, not a hidden menu. Under the Makr3D print specification, materials beyond PLA and PETG are only used where the team has explicitly offered or approved them, so do not build a listing around a flexible or UV-stable part yet. If your product depends on one of these materials, tell us: it helps us sequence the roadmap.
Layer 07FAQ
Materials questions, answered straight
- What material is used in 3D printing?
- Most ecommerce 3D printing uses thermoplastic filament, which is what FDM printers run. At Makr3D the launch materials are PLA and PETG, printed on a Bambu Lab farm. Other processes use metal powders or liquid resins, which we do not offer.
- Should I choose PLA or PETG for my product?
- Choose PLA for detail, rigidity and finish on decorative and indoor products; it is the default. Choose PETG where the part needs toughness, a little flex or heat tolerance, such as clips, brackets and items that live in warm places. PETG adds one working day to the dispatch estimate.
- Can you 3D print metal?
- Metal 3D printing exists, but Makr3D does not offer it. Processes such as DMLS and binder jetting need entirely different machines and finishing. We run an FDM farm printing PLA and PETG, and we would rather say that plainly than quietly pass your order to someone else.
- Is PLA food safe?
- Not by default. Standard Makr3D prints in PLA or PETG are not certified for food-contact, medical, PPE or other regulated uses. Regulated-use claims need separate evidence and approval under the print specification.
- How long does 3D printing take?
- A typical Makr3D order is dispatched in 1 to 2 working days. PETG and fine or coarse nozzles (0.2mm and 0.6mm) add one working day to the dispatch estimate, and every estimate is an estimate, not a guaranteed date.
- Can my product be printed in more than one colour?
- Yes. Multi-colour 3MF files are matched to stocked filament and auto-quoted up to four colours; five or more routes to the Makr3D team for review. Colour matching is approximate across manufacturers and batches, so ask for approval where an exact shade is critical.
Pick a material. Upload a file. See the price.
Create a free early-access account and get an instant quote from your own file, in PLA or PETG, before you commit to anything.