Why 2.85mm Filament Keeps Getting Harder to Find
1.75mm vs 2.85mm: the technical facts, and why BEDROCK 3D keeps investing in both diameters
In this article, we dive into 1.75mm vs 2.85mm filament diameter – where the two standards came from, what actually sets them apart, and why 2.85mm is quietly becoming harder to find for the businesses and prosumers who still rely on it.
The debates in the 3D printing world never end. Which printer is best, what settings work well, which material suits the job? But one of the most fundamental choices is made the moment you buy a 3D printer: the diameter of your filament.
This isn’t a minor detail. The diameter, 1.75mm or 2.85mm, largely determines what your printer can do, and how fast and stable your prints turn out.
> Spoiler: at BEDROCK 3D we’ve made a deliberate choice to keep producing this diameter – read on to find out why that matters for your machine park.
In this article, we walk through the background, the technical facts, and how to work out which diameter fits your application. We also explain why BEDROCK 3D, against the market trend, keeps investing in a broad portfolio for both diameters.
1.75mm and 2.85mm: The Technical Basics
Many3D printing uses filament: a thermoplastic material wound onto a spool. A 3D printer builds up an object layer by layer from this material. Filament comes in different diameters. The two most common are the modern standard, 1.75mm, and the sturdier, more industrial 2.85mm.
Diameter matters for more than just the object you’re printing – it’s also a practical matter, since your printer is built around it. Feed the wrong diameter into your machine, and printing usually just won’t work.
Where the diameters came from
To understand the difference, we need to go back to the early days of 3D printing and the RepRap movement. The first printers were built by hand, using whatever materials were already available: plastic welding rod*, roughly 2.85mm in diameter.
That diameter turned out to fit well with the flexible tubing (Bowden tubes*) available at the time for feeding filament to the extruder – their inner diameter sat around 3mm, and 2.85mm fit comfortably inside. That’s how 2.85mm quickly became the standard for sturdy, stable machines.
As 3D printing technology advanced, motors became more precise and print heads lighter, and a thinner filament was introduced: 1.75mm. This soon became the new standard for mass-market and high-speed printers.
What’s the Difference Between 1.75mm and 2.85mm Filament?
In short: 1.75mm is the choice for speed and detail, while 2.85mm is the steady workhorse built on robustness and consistent flow. Here’s how they compare:
Property
1.75mm Filament
2.85mm Filament
| Extrusion Force (torque) | Lower resistance. Needs less force, which keeps Direct Drive* systems light and fast. | Higher resistance. Needs more torque, but ideal for long Bowden setups*. |
| Print Speed | The thinner strand heats up faster, making higher print speeds (high-speed printing) easier. | More thermal mass. Takes longer to heat, but delivers greater stability. |
| Detail & Resolution | Ideal for prints with fine detail, thin lines, small parts and tight tolerances. | Suited to larger, coarser or functional prints. |
| Material Flow | Finer control, perfect for detailed prints and smaller objects | Sturdier material, more stable flow for larger or longer extrusion runs. Less prone to instability. |
| Printer Compatibility | Fits most consumer and prosumer printers. Think Prusa, Bambu Lab and Creality. | Fits (often older) more industrially-focused printers. Think BigRep, UltiMaker, BCN3D and LulzBot. |
| Material & Range | Wide range: PLA, ABS, PETG, TPUs and more. Plenty of colour and material options. | Smaller range, and it keeps shrinking. |
| Ease of Use | Best suited to smaller, detailed work, prototyping, hobby use, and multi-material or multi-colour prints. | Stronger for large or coarse prints, heavy parts, functional components, and industrial prints where stable material flow matters. |
*Bowden tube: a flexible tube that guides filament from the motor to the hotend, used in a Bowden setup.
*Bowden setup: the motor sits away from the print head and pushes filament through a long tube to the hotend. Keeps the print head lighter, but needs more force.
*Direct Drive: the motor sits right on the print head, close to the hotend. Gives fine control, ideal for flexible materials like TPU.
*Plastic welding rod: plastic rod originally made for welding plastic parts. Used in the early days of 3D printing as a precursor to filament.
Bottom line: which diameter is ‘better’ depends entirely on your printer and application –
not on what’s trending.
The Market Shift: Why Manufacturers Are Dropping 2.85mm, and BEDROCK 3D Isn’t
This is where things get a bit sensitive in the 3D printing world today. Fast-growing brands are all betting on 1.75mm. That makes sense – it’s the diameter of the mass market and higher volumes mean lower production costs. The direct result: many filament manufacturers are shrinking their 2.85mm range, or dropping it altogether , to focus capacity on what sells fastest.
But the consequences are just as real for the B2B market. Businesses, schools and design agencies have spent recent years investing in professional printer fleets: UltiMaker’s, BigReps, BCN3D machines e.g. These are sturdy, expensive machines built around 2.85mm. As the market shrinks, finding high-quality filament for them keeps getting harder.
Worried your 2.85mm supply is at risk as the market shrinks? It doesn’t have to be.
At BEDROCK 3D, we don’t chase trends – we look at what the user actually needs. And we know there are still plenty of machines in use across the EU and beyond that depend on 2.85mm filament.
So we’re making a deliberate choice: for now we keep producing 2.85mm filament. Whether you need PLA, TPU or another technical compound, you’ll find a solid range with us. Running a Bambu Lab or Prusa? Then you get the speed and precision of 1.75mm. Running an UltiMaker, BigRep or BCN3D? Then you can rely on the robustness of 2.85mm. Whatever printer you use, our promise stays the same: stability, reliability, prime-quality.
Curious What Fits Your Needs?
Browse our full range – yes, in both diameters – and see what European-made filament can do. Looking for TPU, Foaming TPU or another technical compound? Check out our product pages directly.
Not sure if your machine park will still have access to enough 2.85mm filament? Get in touch or request a quote – we’re happy to think it through with you.
