SUNLU Filament Silk PLA+

Silk (PLA+) is a type of polylactic acid (PLA/PLA+) filament that has a slight sheen or luster, reminiscent of silk fabric. It is distinguished from glossy and matte PLAs by having an intermediate level of reflectiveness. The terms gloss, silk, and matte originate from paint finishes that indicate different degrees of light reflection.

Silk is formulated with additives that provide a subtle sheen without appearing overly glossy. Many PLAs contain various modifiers to achieve ideal printing characteristics or aesthetics. In silk PLA+, the additives create the characteristic silk-like shimmer. While mica is a common additive for sheen in paints, most silk PLA+ uses a small amount of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) to achieve the desired effect.

Since silk PLA+ is a polymer blended with specialty additives, optimal settings depend on the specific material, brand, and color. Fine-tuning is required to achieve the best results with each silk PLA+ formulation. For printing silk PLA+, the print temperature is slightly higher than that of normal PLA.