Filamentive is a UK-based brand specializing in 3D printing filaments, with an emphasis on reducing the environmental footprint of additive manufacturing. Founded in response to the increasing demand for recycled materials, the company develops technical-grade filaments that balance print performance with sustainable sourcing. Its products are used across industrial, educational, and maker communities.
The company’s portfolio includes standard and engineering-grade materials such as PLA, PETg, ASA, and carbon fiber composites. A key feature of Filamentive’s approach is the use of post-industrial recycled input, which offers improved material consistency and minimizes the risk of contamination. This enables reliable printing results while addressing resource efficiency in material production.
To further reduce waste, Filamentive has introduced spool-less filament refills designed to work with multi-material printing systems. The reduced packaging volume and elimination of disposable spools address a significant contributor to plastic waste in desktop 3D printing environments.
Filamentive is also researching new materials capable of degrading under common disposal conditions such as home compost or landfill, aiming to align biodegradability claims with realistic end-of-life scenarios. These efforts reflect a broader move within the additive manufacturing sector toward integrating sustainability into material development, lifecycle design, and production workflows.
Insights from Ravi Toor
In an interview with 3Druck.com, Managing Director Ravi Toor outlines how Filamentive is addressing the challenges of sustainable material use in 3D printing—touching on market shifts, technical limitations, and future developments.
From your perspective, how has the 3D printing filaments market evolved in recent years, and what key trends are you seeing—particularly regarding the growing demand for sustainable materials?
Ravi Toor, Managing Director at Filamentive
The market has matured significantly, with sustainability becoming a key consideration for many 3D printing users. In fact, 89% of our customers now rate sustainability as either a “somewhat” or “extremely” important part of their 3D printing process.
This shift is reflected in the materials being used. PLA—a bio-based polymer—has become the dominant material, now used by over 90% of our customer base. Conversely, we’ve seen a decline in demand for traditional plastics like ABS, which we discontinued entirely in 2024 due to its environmental footprint and falling relevance.
At the same time, the industry is evolving beyond prototyping. As 3D printing is increasingly used for manufacturing aids and end-use parts, demand is rising for higher-performance materials. PETg—known for its strength and ease of use—is now used by more than 60% of our customers. We’re also seeing greater adoption of engineering-grade materials like carbon fiber PETg and ASA, which offer additional strength, durability, and resistance properties.
What are the main challenges in producing high-quality filaments from recycled materials, and how do you ensure their consistency and performance?
Producing recycled filament at a high standard is no small task. One of the primary challenges lies in material quality—recycled polymers can contain impurities and often vary more in diameter and mechanical properties, which directly affects print quality and reliability.
Another challenge is cost. Contrary to popular belief, recycled filaments can be more expensive to produce. The recycling process involves extra steps—collection, sorting, cleaning, and reprocessing—which require specialist equipment and tighter quality controls. That can limit availability and increase production costs.
At Filamentive, we tackle these challenges through rigorous sourcing and quality control. Our filaments are made from single-source, post-industrial (pre-consumer) waste streams—diverted from the manufacturing process before they reach the end user. This ensures cleaner input material and more consistent output. Our approach aligns with ISO 14021:2016, and every production batch is closely monitored to meet dimensional tolerance and performance benchmarks expected by professional users.
Despite not being post-consumer waste, third-party Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) demonstrate substantial reductions in CO2 emissions of 35–57% with recycled filaments, even when made from post-industrial recycled material.
Additive manufacturing has come a long way in recent years. From Filamentive’s perspective, what innovations or technological breakthroughs do you see as most transformative for the 3D printing industry?
One of the biggest disruptors in recent years has been Bambu Lab. Their 3D printers combine speed, precision, and usability at an accessible price point—making industrial-level capability available to hobbyists and professionals alike.
What’s particularly exciting is how Bambu Lab is also driving sustainable innovation. Their printers reduce waste through better reliability and fewer failed prints. More notably, they’ve championed the use of spool-less filament refills—offering a genuine alternative to plastic spools, which often account for 20% of a filament product’s total plastic content.
This has prompted us—and other material brands—to respond. At Filamentive, we’ve launched our own ReFill range, fully compatible with Bambu Lab’s AMS system. These refills are lighter to ship, easier to store, and eliminate unnecessary plastic waste—making it a win for both users and the planet.
How do you see the role of sustainable materials evolving in the future, and what innovations or new products is Filamentive working on to support that vision?
There’s growing demand for materials that are not just “less harmful” but truly sustainable. A recent poll we conducted showed that more than half of respondents are prioritizing truly biodegradable materials—a major shift from previous years.
Right now, most biodegradable claims are conditional—PLA, for instance, only breaks down in industrial composting environments. This creates a disconnect between perception and reality, especially for desktop users who don’t have access to such facilities.
Looking ahead, we’re focused on developing materials that can break down in more common environments—like home compost or even landfill—without leaving harmful residues. That would be a game-changer for the sustainability of 3D printing.
We’re also closely watching the rise of pellet extrusion (FGF). This large-format approach is attractive for industrial users because pellets are cheaper than filament, and the process consumes less energy. It also enables more direct recycling workflows—shredding failed prints and reusing them without re-extrusion into filament form. Companies like Rapid Fusion in the UK are pioneering this space and aim to reshape sustainable manufacturing.
Waste recycling is another critical area. In 2024, we launched the UK’s first free PLA recycling scheme. It’s simple, accessible, and already making a measurable difference:
– Over 1 tonne of PLA diverted from landfill – Participants now recycling more than 90% of their (PLA) 3D print waste – Serving manufacturing, education, 3DP services and more
We guarantee 100% landfill diversion through our recycling partner, 3D Printing Waste. Recycled PLA is transformed into new products, such as planters made by Future Makers. Our next step is expanding the scheme to cover PETg and ASA.
Here you can find further information on Filamentive and their materials.
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