PP (Polypropylene)
✓ Food Safe
⬡ Chemical Resistant
220–240
°C
Print Temp
85–100
°C
Bed Temp
100
°C
Max Service
Overview
Polypropylene — the definitive living hinge material. Chemically inert, food-safe in natural form, lightweight, and capable of flexing millions of times without fatigue failure. Notoriously difficult to print due to extreme warping and terrible bed adhesion, but no other material can match its living hinge performance.
Properties
Difficulty
expert
Flexibility
semi-flex
Layer Adhesion
poor
Enclosure
required
Heated Bed
required
Dry Storage
no
Pros
- Exceptional fatigue resistance — true living hinges
- Chemically inert to most solvents and acids
- Food-safe (natural/uncolored grade)
- Lightweight — one of the lowest density filaments
- Low friction surface
- Good impact resistance
Cons
- Terrible bed adhesion — needs PP tape or dedicated surface
- Extreme warping
- Very poor layer bonding
- Cannot be glued with standard adhesives
- Difficult to paint
- Significant shrinkage
- Very challenging to print
Best For
- Living hinges|Chemical-resistant containers|Food storage containers|Lab equipment|Flexible snap caps|Medical device housings
Avoid For
- Beginners|Dimensional-critical parts|Load-bearing structural parts|Any part needing paint or adhesive
Storage
Low moisture absorption — more forgiving storage than most engineering filaments. Still keep sealed. Dry at 55°C for 4h if needed.
Brands
Polymaker PolyPropyleneBASF Ultrafuse PPVerbatim PPFillamentum PP