One of the more telling numbers in the latest polymer AM market data isn't the headline growth figure. It's the gap between what's happening at the bottom of the hardware market and what's happening at the top. Sub-£1,000 desktop printers have been growing...
PETg sits in a useful middle ground: tougher and more impact resistant than PLA, but still straightforward enough for everyday printing without moving into specialist engineering polymers. It's the material most people reach for once a printed part needs to...
As of August 2026, there are a small number of genuine UK filament manufacturers actually extruding material on British soil — among them Altec3D, 3DQF, and 3DTomorrow. Alongside them sits Filamentive: not a manufacturer, but the UK's leading sustainable filament...
Why we launched ReFill 3D Printing Filament in the UK Most kerbside recycling in the UK isn't set up to handle the plastics filament spools are made from, so a lot of it ends up as landfill or general waste, regardless of good intentions. Filamentive opted for...
If you've ordered 0.75kg (750g) PLA or PETG filament from us in 1.75mm before, here's what's changing, why, and what to use instead. We're phasing out the 0.75kg PLA and PETG reels in 1.75mm diameter. The 0.75kg reels in 2.85mm will stay exactly as they are. And...
2.85 mm filament may no longer be mainstream for most 3D printers, but for industries, universities, and large-format print users in the UK, it remains mission‑critical. Whether you’re using Ultimaker, BigRep, or other professional-grade 3D printing systems, you...
Although there is currently no universally established, industry-standard recycling service available to all users of 3D printing, there are promising sustainable options already in existence. This article aims to serve as a comprehensive guide focusing on...
A Gap in the Market: No Matte ReFill for Bambu Lab Users Bambu Lab has changed how people 3D print. Faster speeds, automated multi-colour workflows, and the AMS system have pushed what’s possible on a desktop printer — but the filament market hasn’t always kept up....
In April 2026, Filamentive sponsored TechNet Scotland, an event which platformed technical staff to share knowledge, best practice and lessons learned in relation to sustainability to ensure laboratories and workshops operate in a sustainable way. For us, it was a...
When we launched the UK's first free PLA 3D printing waste recycling scheme in April 2024, our initial goal was straightforward: recycle one tonne of PLA waste within 12 months. Two years on, we've now diverted 2.5 tonnes of PLA 3D printing waste from landfill —...
At Filamentive we recently asked our LinkedIn community: “What’s your biggest hesitation about using recycled filament?” The responses were telling. About 44 % cited no clear cost/value benefit, 24 % pointed to “availability, 12 % worried about performance, and...
As 3D printing moves beyond prototyping into real-world product manufacturing, more designers, educators and businesses are asking an important question: What filament should you use if your 3D printed parts may be handled by children? From classroom models and...
