Infilament — Recycle Your PLA 3D Printing Waste
Australia's first PLA cashback program. Get cashback while we turn your 3D printing waste into premium, locally-made filament.
Why Infilament
- Get Cashback — Earn money for your PLA waste.
- Made Local — Re-extruded right here in Australia.
- Sustainable — Close the loop on 3D printing.
The Recycling Pipeline
- Send Waste — Calculate cashback and mail or deposit your PLA waste.
- Processing — We crush, melt, and respool.
- Get Paid & Shop — Receive cashback or credit and buy recycled spools.
Cashback Rates
Base rate: $4/kg. Clean PLA bonus: $2/kg additional. Final value determined upon inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Infilament?
Infilament is an Australia-based PLA recycling program for 3D printing waste. We collect PLA from makers and local businesses, then crush, melt and respool it into filament made here in Australia. Users can earn credit toward those recycled spools. The aim is a closed loop, where the failed prints you send us come back to you as filament you can print with.
Is PLA recyclable?
Yes. PLA is a thermoplastic, so it can be crushed, melted and respooled into new filament, and that process is what Infilament is built around. The catch is that PLA needs its own dedicated stream which is why we run a separate collection program instead of pointing you at your council bin.
Can I put PLA in my kerbside recycling bin in Australia?
Generally no. Most Australian kerbside recycling programs do not accept PLA. It softens at a much lower temperature than PET or HDPE, so it is treated as a contaminant in those streams. PLA also needs industrial composting conditions to break down, so it will not do much in a home compost heap or in landfill either.
What should I do with failed 3D prints?
Do not bin them. Failed prints, supports, purge blobs, brims and unused parts are all PLA waste, and all of it is worth something. Work out what your pile is worth with the cashback calculator.
How do I get paid for recycling my PLA waste?
You earn credit toward our recycled spools, and you can see current rates in the cashback calculator on this page. Store credit is live now; cash payouts open once our manufacturing pipeline is fully running. Credit is also the option that genuinely closes the loop, because your waste comes back to you as filament rather than as a one-off payment.
What is the difference between clean PLA and general PLA waste?
General PLA waste is the everyday mix: supports, failed prints and unused parts. Clean PLA is uncontaminated — no supports, no failed prints, no foreign material — and it earns a higher rate, because a purer input stream makes better filament. Keeping a separate tub for clean offcuts as you print is the easiest way to lift what your waste is worth.
Do you accept PETG, ABS or TPU?
Not at this stage. We accept PLA exclusively along with empty spools for re-use, for both individual deposits and business partnerships. Our extrusion process is tuned for PLA, and keeping the stream pure is what makes the recycled filament good enough to actually print with. Please leave other materials out of a deposit, because mixed plastics contaminate the whole batch.
Is recycled filament as good as new filament?
Our state-of-the-art pipeline and blend of virgin to waste material ensures that the new spools achieve near-original quality to that of 100% virgin filament. This research is what holds the diameter tolerance and print reliability you'd expect from a commercial spool, while still diverting real waste.
Where is Infilament based, and can I take part if I'm not in Brisbane?
We are Australia-based, with our collection network currently concentrated in Brisbane. If you are elsewhere in South East Queensland or interstate, get in touch anyway, we handle those case by case, and where the demand is tells us where to expand next. Collection is arranged with you directly once you register.
Is the Infilament program live yet, and can I sign up now?
Business collections are running now, and individuals can join the waitlist on this page. Our manufacturing pipeline is functional but still early-stage, so we are onboarding a limited number of early adopters rather than opening the floodgates. Sign up with your email and the materials you print with, and we'll come back to you as capacity opens up.
My business produces PLA waste — can we partner with you?
Yes, and the partnership is free. It's built for print farms, retailers, e-commerce brands and manufacturers. We accept PLA exclusively, starting under 20kg, then scaling up as your capacity grows. Partners also receive a marketing suite: recycling partner badges, social media templates and honest, ESG-ready copy for sustainability reporting.
For Businesses
Infilament also runs a free B2B collection partnership for makerspaces, print farms, retailers, e-commerce brands, and manufacturers. See Partner With Us, or host a collection bin in your space.
Contact
Email: admin@infilament.org