Hemp-filled filament is PLA with milled hemp in it. It prints matte and wood-like, warps less than plain PLA, and it will destroy a brass nozzle within a couple of spools.
Milled plant fibre wears a standard brass nozzle measurably within a spool or two — the bore widens, extrusion becomes inconsistent, and the usual conclusion is that the filament is bad. It is not; the nozzle is worn.
Fit hardened steel or a ruby-tipped nozzle before the first print. Hardened steel costs a few euros, conducts heat slightly worse (print 5–10 °C hotter to compensate), and lasts indefinitely with filled filaments.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle | 0.5–0.8 mm hardened | Filler clogs a 0.4 mm bore; bigger is safer |
| Hot end | 195–215 °C | Above ~220 the fibre scorches and darkens |
| Bed | 50–60 °C | Adhesion is good; it warps less than plain PLA |
| Speed | 40–60 mm/s | Slower than PLA; filled material flows less evenly |
| Retraction | Reduce by ~30% | Long retractions pack filler into the heat break |
| Cooling | 50–100% | As PLA |
| Drying | 45 °C, 4 hrs | Plant filler is hygroscopic and it absorbs quickly |
Matte, slightly rough, hides layer lines far better than plain PLA. It sands and takes wood stain and wax, which plain PLA does not.
Its actual selling pointFiller displaces polymer, so it is weaker than plain PLA — typically 10–20% down on tensile strength and more brittle. Filled filaments are cosmetic, not structural.
Commonly claimed backwardsPLA is industrially compostable at best, and adding hemp does not change that. A hemp-filled print is still a plastic print with plant flour in it.
Worth being clear aboutThree usual causes in this order: a 0.4 mm nozzle partially blocked with filler, wet filament that needs drying, or a worn brass nozzle. Go up to 0.6 mm hardened, dry the spool, and it almost always resolves.
Typically 10–30% by weight, and sellers rarely say. More filler means a stronger wood effect, more abrasion and more clogging — so a spool that prints beautifully at 0.4 mm probably has very little in it.
Yes, which is the fun part. Sand lightly, then wood stain, oil or wax. The filler takes the colour and the plastic does not, so the grain effect deepens rather than the whole part turning uniformly darker.