The Top Unusual 3D Printing Filaments
Sick of using plain-colored filament for your 3D models? Luckily, there’s a world of awesome possibilities when it comes to unique 3D printer filaments. This list will fill you with inspiration while providing our recommendations for the top brands in each category. Happy printing!
The Best Rainbow Filament for 3D Printers
Want your model to pop with a kaleidoscope of colors? Rainbow filament is great for toys, figurines, and vases. Recommended for large prints to allow more time for the colors to change, rainbow filaments are crowd favorite when used on the right models.
CC3D Silk Rainbow Multicolor
This filament features a smooth, shiny finish and a muted rainbow coloring. This rainbow filament is perfect for those looking for a low-key multicolor effect without the “crayon box rainbow” look of other filaments.
The CC3D Silk Rainbow Multicolor is PLA with recommended printing temperature between 195-230°C. A heating bed is not required but can be set at around 60°C.
AMOLEN Multicolor Rainbow
AMOLEN makes two different rainbow PLAs: the Multicolor and Multicolor Silk. The Multicolor filament features a bubble-gum bright rainbow palette while the Multicolor Silk uses a more pastel color scheme and shiny finish. We love both the quality of these filaments and the beautiful color gradiation achieved in large prints.
Both the Multicolor and Multicolor Silk filaments print at a recommended 190-220°C and a print bed temperature of 0-50°C.
The Best Metallic Filament for 3D Printing
Want to make your models look like a bronze sculpture or a piece of machined metal? Metallic filaments give your models a shiny finish and are specially colored to mimic common metals. Give your prints an industrial steel look or a luxurious gold finish with the help of metallic filaments.
TTYT3D Shiny Copper PLA
TTYT3D makes a ton of interesting PLA filaments but we like their metallic options the most. These models come out smooth, shiny, and true to their name as far as color. If you’re looking for a nice copper or gold, this company has you covered.
Recommended settings include an extruder at 190-230C, and while you don’t need a print bed, heating your bed to 50-80C will improve adhesion.
MIKA3D Shiny Silk Gold Silver Copper PLA Filament Bundle
MIKA3D is another company who makes a whole range of unique PLA filaments. Their Silk Gold Silver Copper Bundle represents some of their finest filaments as well as a great value! Experiment with all three metallic bundles or buy each color individually. Each bundle comes with 1.5kg of PLA.
To print with this filament, simply set your extruder to 205-230C and your print bed to 50-60C.
The Best Temperature Color Changing (Thermochromic) Filament for 3D Printing
This color-sensitive filament changes color with the temperature. The model appears one color at room temperature but will change when heated. That makes this unique filament ideal for a variety of models from bath toys to coasters. Often, just touching a model made from this filament is enough to change the color.
Zi-Rui 3D Printer PLA Filament
This filament changes into three different colors depending on the temperature. Go from yellow, to orange, to black. This creates an awesome fire-and-brimstone effect for your models.
For best results, print using 190-220°C extruder temp and a print bed temperature of 0-50°C.
MG Chemicals Thermochromic ABS 3D Printer Filament
MG Chemicals makes two colors of color-changing filament: purple and green. Both change to a lighter version of their original color when exposed to heat. Notably, both colors come in ABS, not PLA.
To print with this filament, set your extruder to 220-240C with your print bed around 110C.
The Best Glow-in-the-Dark Filament for 3D Printing
Glow-in-the-dark filament is pretty self explanatory. Like other glow-in-the-dark products, simply expose your finished model to the sun or other source of UV light. This “charges” the model and makes it glow… well, in the dark! When it comes to the best glow-in-the-dark filament, you want a bright glow and dependable quality.
AMOLEN Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
If you want the strongest glow and the smoothest flow, look no further than AMOLEN’s Glow-in-the-Dark PLA. This filament is extremely reactive, emitting a powerful glow on finished models. Even better, it comes in three great colors: green, blue, and red.
As with all AMOLEN PLAs, print this filament at 190-220°C with a print bed temperature of 0-50°C.
HATCHBOX Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
Hatchbox are often celebrated for the excellent quality and consistency of their filaments and this type is no different. The Hatchbox Glow-in-the-Dark PLA prints like a dream with any 3D printer. Models appear white in the light, but in the dark they turn a spooky green color.
While there’s no heating bed required, Hatchbox recommends extruder temperatures of 180-220C. If you choose to use a heated bed, about 60C provides solid adhesion.
