PHA

Beginner

Polyhydroxyalkanoate

A fully biodegradable, bio-based polymer produced by bacterial fermentation of organic feedstocks. PHA decomposes in soil, compost, and marine environments — unlike PLA, which requires industrial composting. It prints similarly to PLA with slightly better flexibility and is the most environmentally friendly filament available for desktop 3D printing.

Nozzle Temp175200°C
Bed Temp40–60°C
Print Speed2545 mm/s

Printing Tips

  • Print at the lower end of the temperature range (175-185°C) to avoid thermal degradation — PHA is sensitive to overheating.
  • Use moderate cooling (50-70% fan) to maintain surface quality without making layers too brittle.
  • PHA blends with PLA are more common and easier to print than pure PHA — check the blend ratio on the label.
  • Store in a dry box; PHA is hygroscopic and moisture causes stringing, bubbling, and reduced biodegradability.
  • Parts printed in PHA will biodegrade over months if buried in active compost — do not use for permanent outdoor applications.
  • Reduce retraction distance to 2-3 mm to prevent stringing while avoiding filament grinding in the extruder.

Use Cases

Biodegradable packaging prototypesEco-friendly consumer product prototypesMarine-degradable research equipment tagsCompostable gardening tools and plant markersEducational models for sustainability demonstrationsDisposable event signage and displaysAgricultural seed coating molds

Compatible Printers

Find PHA slicer settings for your printer — browse all printers and select PHA from the filament selector.

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