Not the plastic you’re picturing
What they’re made of
Cheap giveaways are injection-moulded from petroleum plastic, and they feel like it. Ours are printed from Bambu Lab engineering filament — a published technical sheet and safety sheet for every spool. The one we use most, PLA, is a bioplastic: grown from corn starch and sugarcane, not pumped out of a well. Across the range Bambu lists these as odourless and no hazard on skin contact.
The four we print in
PLA
The everyday one
A bioplastic — made from corn starch and sugarcane rather than crude oil, the same family of material as compostable cups and cutlery. Rigid, holds fine detail, and the richest colours of the four, in matte, satin or silk finishes.
Good for Keychains, name tags, give-away discs — anything that lives on a keyring.
PLA Tough+
When it gets knocked about
Roughly three times the impact strength of standard PLA, and Bambu rates its toughness on par with ABS. Still plant-based — it just bends further before it gives, instead of snapping the way ordinary PLA can.
Good for Bag tags, tool tags, workwear, anything that gets dropped or sat on.
PETG
The outdoor one
The same polymer family as the PET in drink bottles. Shrugs off water, oil and grease, and stays firm to about 69 °C rather than 55 °C — so it survives a dashboard in July. Slight gloss.
Good for Car keys, boat and yard tags, anything living outside or in a hot vehicle.
TPU
The flexible one
Rubbery, like a phone case or a watch strap. Folds right over and springs back rather than cracking, and it won’t dig in when worn against the body. The priciest of the four.
Good for Soft luggage tags, pet collars, wristbands, anything worn.
Side by side
Figures from Bambu Lab’s published data sheets
| Property | PLA | PLA Tough+ | PETG | TPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feel in the hand | Rigid, matte or satin | Rigid, less brittle | Rigid, slight gloss | Soft, rubbery |
| Starts to soften | around 55 °C | around 61 °C | around 69 °C | stays flexible |
| Impact strength | 19–27 kJ/m² | about 80 kJ/m² | about 32 kJ/m² | flexes instead |
| Made from | Plants | Plants | Petroleum | Petroleum |
Ask us for the published technical data sheet on any material here.
Why it holds up
The colour runs through the whole piece, not painted on, so it can’t chip or scratch off — and nothing in there rusts or tarnishes the way a printed metal tag does.
Two things we’ll tell you straight
A printed piece isn’t a certified food-contact item — the layer texture is hard to sanitise. And PLA composts in an industrial facility, not a backyard bin.
Which one you want
Special materials are available on bulk orders
Most orders
Standard PLA. It is what give-away discs, name tags and retail charms are printed in, and it carries the richest colour.
Rough handling
PLA Tough+ for keys and workwear, PETG if it will sit in a car or live outdoors.
Worn on the body
TPU for collars, wristbands and soft luggage tags — anything that needs to give.
Not sure which
Tell us where the piece will live — a keyring, a kit bag, a dashboard, a dog’s collar — and we’ll tell you which material to print it in and what it does to the price.