PLA Filament Colors: Finishes & Hex Code Library

PLA Filament Colors: The Forgely Color Library (Every Finish, Every Hex)

Every PLA color and finish we stock in one place — matte, silk, translucent, galaxy, marble, metallic, dual, wood, glow, sparkle — with hex codes, finish behavior, and the use cases each one wins at.

Swatches were shot under neutral 5000K light against a gray card. Hex codes come from the dry filament, not the printed surface, so expect your prints to read about 5–8% darker. Every color links to the live product, so stock status is accurate at page load.

Jump to a finish: Matte · Silk · Translucent · Galaxy & Sparkle · Marble & Wood · Metallic · Dual / Tri / Gradient · Basic / Solid · Glow & Special

Why the finish matters as much as the hue

Two spools labeled "red" can look like completely different materials once printed. Matte red reads like a prop. Silk red reads like candy. Translucent red reads like stained glass.

This page is organized by finish first, color second, because that's how the print actually looks sitting on the shelf. Everything shown is a PLA, so the thermal behavior (bed 55–60°C, nozzle 200–220°C, enclosure optional) stays roughly the same across the library. The differences are visual, not thermal.

If you want the underlying material story, we cover what PLA actually is separately. New to the material, start with the beginner-friendly PLA picks.

Pick this if… (fast routing)

If you want…	Pick	Jump to
Hides layer lines, cosplay/props, miniatures	Matte	#matte
A rich, satin-sheen gift or display piece	Silk	#silk
Lamps, lithophanes, light pipes, stained-glass looks	Translucent	#translucent
Deep night-sky shimmer with embedded flecks	Galaxy / Sparkle	#galaxy-sparkle
Natural stone or wood look without finishing	Marble / Wood	#marble-wood
Chrome, brass, or bronze right off the plate	Metallic	#metallic
Color that shifts with angle or layer	Dual / Tri / Gradient	#dual-tri-color
Reliable solids for brackets, jigs, functional parts	Basic / Solid	#basic-glossy
Glow-in-the-dark or seasonal effects	Glow / Special	#glow-special

Still unsure, our filament swatch card ships physical samples of our core color library in one booklet.

Matte PLA — the layer-line hider {#matte}

A soft, powdery, non-reflective surface that reads like injection-molded plastic or ceramic. The matting agent diffuses light, which is what visually buries the layer stacking.

Best for: cosplay helmets and armor (paint grips to it), tabletop miniatures where detail reads sharper than glossy, product mockups, and anything that needs to look made rather than printed.

Watch out for: slightly more brittle than basic PLA, so go gentle on thin walls. Pigment is abrasive, so use hardened steel for long runs. Prints read about one shade darker than the spool.

Typical price: $19.99–$29.99 per kg.

Current lines in stock: - Forgely Performance PLA Matte — Charcoal #22232A, Ivory #EFE8DC, Nardo Grey #8D8E8C, Sakura Pink #F0C7CF, Desert Tan #C7A676, Lemon #F2D04E, Dark Red #7E1E23 - Ziro Matte PLA — Jet Black #15161A, Pure White #F6F4EE, Olive Green #556B2F, Mocha Brown #6B4A33 - Ziro Matte Gradient — Sunset (coral→violet), Forest (sage→pine), Ocean (teal→indigo) - Eryone Matte PLA range

Our settings writeup for matte PLA on miniatures covers the fan curve and layer height we use at 28–32 mm scale.

Silk PLA — the satin-sheen finish {#silk}

A soft lustre that catches light like satin ribbon. Silk is PLA with a glossing additive. It reads richer and deeper than basic PLA, and it photographs beautifully.

Best for: gifts, keepsakes, trophy prints, vase-mode prints where the single wall reflects light, and anything you want to look expensive without painting.

Watch out for: softer than basic PLA, so skip it for load-bearing parts. Prefers slightly higher nozzle temps (215–225°C) for the sheen to develop. Scratches show more than on matte, and high fan speed dulls the finish on single-color silks.

Typical price: $22.99–$32.99 per kg.

Forgely Performance PLA Silk — Silver #C8CACD, Gold #D4AF37, Candy Red #B5222A, Royal Purple #4E2A84, Baby Blue #AFD7F2, Champagne #D7C19A
Ziro Silky PLA — Rose Gold #B76E79, Emerald #028A68
Eryone Silk PLA — Fuchsia #D63384, Liquid Gold #CFA757
Sunlu Silk PLA+ — Pink, Gold

Translucent PLA — the stained-glass finish {#translucent}

Light-transmissive PLA with low pigment load. Thin walls glow when backlit; thick walls read like resin or sea glass.

Best for: lampshades and light diffusers (2 walls, 20% gyroid is our default), lithophanes, light pipes and LED housings, ice-cube and bottle aesthetics.

Watch out for: thin walls (<0.8 mm) read totally different from thick walls (>3 mm) in the same color. Layer lines are visible, so slow and consistent cooling helps. First-layer scratches on the bed show through, so keep that surface clean.

Typical price: $22.99–$34.99 per kg.

Forgely Performance PLA Translucent (spool) — Rose #E8B4C4, Amber #D99E4A, Jade #7FB89D, Smoke #8B8C92, Sky #A9CDE2, Clear #E8E8E8
Forgely Performance PLA Translucent refill — same colorway, spool-less

Pro tip for lithophanes: pick the lightest translucent in the shade family you want. The image comes through via wall thickness, not pigment, so darker pigments eat too much backlight.

Galaxy & Sparkle PLA — embedded shimmer {#galaxy-sparkle}

PLA with reflective flecks suspended in the matrix. Galaxy is typically a dark base with scattered glitter. Sparkle tends to be a lighter base with denser shimmer. Both catch overhead light and shift at viewing angle.

Best for: night-sky dioramas, planetary models, jewelry, ornaments, vase-mode prints where the whole surface shifts with the light.

Watch out for: hardened-steel nozzle is required; the flecks eat brass fast. Larger nozzles (0.6 mm+) show the sparkle better than 0.2 mm. Flecks can clog small nozzles, so keep a clog poke handy at color changes.

Typical price: $24.99–$32.99 per kg.

Forgely Performance PLA Galaxy — Nebula Black #1A1C24, Purple #3E2C57, Green #1E3A2B, Red #5C1A1E, Blue #1E2E55 (silver, gold, and copper flecks per color)
Ziro Diamond PLA — Diamond Clear, Diamond Blue, Diamond Rose
Ziro Mystical PLA — Mystical Blue, Mystical Purple, Mystical Green

Marble & Wood PLA — the natural-material look {#marble-wood}

PLA mixed with stone powder or ground wood fibers. The surface prints looking like the real material, no painting or finishing step.

Best for marble: vases, columns, sculpture-style display pieces, statues. Best for wood: tabletop terrain, picture frames, rustic décor, instrument accents.

Watch out for: wood PLA scratches with a Scotch-Brite pad to deepen the grain, so do that before sealing. Hardened-steel nozzle for either; fibers abrade brass. Marble prefers larger nozzles (0.6 mm) for the grain to read. Wood PLA likes 190–210°C; too hot and the fibers scorch, dulling the color.

Typical price: $23.99–$34.99 per kg.

Forgely Performance PLA Marble — Classic White, Rust Red, Slate Grey
Ziro Stone PLA — Sandstone, Granite, Slate
Eryone PLA Marble — White, Black
Forgely Performance PLA Wood — Classic Wood #8B5A2B, Rosewood #5A2A1E, Oak Light #B88B4A
Eryone Wood PLA — Walnut, Pine, Birch, Light Wood #D1A878

Metallic PLA — the chrome-and-brass look {#metallic}

High metallic-pigment load gives a reflective, cast-metal appearance without electroplating or painting. Different from silk; the sheen is harder, cooler, more mirror-like.

Best for: prop replicas (swords, armor, badges), mechanical display pieces, statues that want to read as bronze or pewter, automotive and watch mockups.

Watch out for: hardened steel is non-negotiable. Layer lines show more here than on any other finish, so slow outer walls and consider ironing. Prints with heavy metallic can be denser, so recalibrate flow if you're switching from basic PLA.

Typical price: $26.99–$34.99 per kg.

Forgely Performance PLA Metal — Iron Grey, Copper Brown, Oxide Green, Iridium Light
Eryone Burnt Titanium PLA — Burnt Titanium rainbow sheen

Pro tip: for a tourbillon or marble-run showpiece, pair metallic PLA with a hardened 0.4 mm nozzle and 0.12 mm layers. The gears come out reading like watch parts. We stock a triple-axis tourbillon kit and a marble run components kit that both benefit from this combo.

Dual, Tri-color & Gradient PLA — color that shifts {#dual-tri-color}

Multi-pigment PLAs that change color with viewing angle (dual/tri) or along the length of the spool (gradient/rainbow). A single-color print that doesn't look single-color.

Best for: vase-mode prints where the gradient reveals as the vase rises, showpieces that photograph different from every angle, festival pieces without a multi-material setup.

Watch out for: gradient PLAs are a one-shot. Pausing mid-print breaks the color sequence. Dual-color shows the shift strongest on curved surfaces, weakest on flats. Keep layer height consistent; gradient banding is louder with mixed layer heights.

Typical price: $24.99–$32.99 per kg.

Ziro Matte Gradient — Sunset, Forest, Ocean
Eryone PLA Rainbow & Tri-color — Rainbow, red/white/blue tri, pink/purple/blue tri

Basic / Solid PLA — the workhorse {#basic-glossy}

Standard, pigmented, mildly glossy PLA. The one you reach for when the finish isn't the point and reliability is. Our highest-volume category.

Best for: brackets, jigs, enclosures, functional parts, first prints on a new printer, giveaway prints, high-volume runs, USA-made preference.

Watch out for: not UV-stable long-term, so outdoor parts go to PETG or ASA. Softens around 55–60°C, which a Utah car dashboard will exceed. Glossy finish shows every layer line, so print 0.16 mm or finer for display pieces.

Typical price: $17.99–$26.99 per kg.

Forgely Performance PLA Solid (spool) — Pure White #F8F8F6, Jet Black #15161A, True Red #CC2929, Royal Blue #2A5CB8, Forest Green #1F6B3A, Safety Orange #F08C1F. Extruded in Ogden, Utah. Our house brand.
Forgely Performance PLA Solid refill — same colorway, spool-less, lower cost per kg and less waste. Spool is Bambu AMS compatible.
Sunlu PLA — White, Black, Red, Blue, Grey
Ziro PLA Pro — Cool Grey, Warm White, Carbon Black
Ziro HS-PLA — high-speed solids, compatible with high-flow nozzles
Eryone High Speed PLA — up to 600 mm/s
Eryone PLA Classic & Dual range

Value pick: best per-dollar in this range is the Forgely Performance Solid refill. Same formulation as the spooled version, you reuse spools you already own, and the net cost per kg is lower.

Glow & Special-effect PLA — the one-trick heroes {#glow-special}

Glow-in-the-dark, UV-reactive, color-change, and other niche finishes. Smaller inventory, higher wow factor per print.

Best for: costume accents, Halloween props, kids' prints and night-lights, holiday pieces, vase-mode light diffusers that stay visible with the lights off.

Watch out for: glow pigments are abrasive, so a hardened-steel nozzle is required. Charge glow prints under direct light for 10–30 minutes for max effect. Glow intensity decays over many months. It's not a permanent effect.

Typical price: $24.99–$29.99 per kg.

Eryone PLA Glitter & Glow — Glow Green, Glow Blue, Glow Pink
Twinkling Red — rotating seasonal color, check stock

Print settings cheat-sheet — same material, different behavior per finish {#print-settings}

Finish	Nozzle °C	Bed °C	Fan	Nozzle	Notes
Basic / Solid	200–220	55–60	100%	Brass OK	Start here
Matte	200–215	55–60	100%	Hardened	Tighter cooling
Silk	215–225	55–60	40–60%	Brass OK	Lower fan preserves sheen
Translucent	210–220	55–60	70–100%	Brass OK	Slow outer walls
Galaxy / Sparkle	210–225	55–60	100%	Hardened req.	Bigger nozzle = more sparkle
Marble	200–220	55–60	100%	Hardened	0.6 mm for grain
Wood	190–210	55–60	100%	Hardened	Scorches if too hot
Metallic	210–225	55–60	100%	Hardened req.	Ironing improves finish
Dual / Tri / Gradient	210–220	55–60	100%	Brass OK	Keep layer height consistent
Glow	210–220	55–60	100%	Hardened req.	Charge before showing

Related gear: a 0.6 mm hotend for sparkle/marble/metallic, 0.4 mm for everything else, and the filament swatch card to see all this in hand. Full slicer profiles live in our PLA, PETG & TPU profiles writeup.

Color isn't the only thing to protect — keep spools dry

PLA absorbs moisture from the air. Wet PLA prints with stringing, popping sounds, and dull-looking color. Silk and metallic finishes especially.

Keep opened spools in a sealed bag with desiccant, or a filament dryer when humidity's above 50%. If a spool has been open a while and prints look dull, dry it 4–6h at 45°C before writing off the color. We stock the Sunlu Filadryer E2 for drying while printing.

A note on hex codes

Hex codes on this page are approximations from the dry filament under neutral 5000K light, measured with an X-Rite ColorChecker. The printed surface typically reads 5–8% darker than the spool because of layer-line shadow and infill show-through.

A finish shift matters more than a hex shift. A "red" in matte, silk, galaxy, and metallic will not look like the same red once printed, no matter how close the hex codes are. Use the hex to narrow down, then order a swatch card to decide.

Common questions about PLA colors

How many PLA colors does Forgely stock? Several hundred SKUs across more than two dozen product lines. The count fluctuates with seasonal releases. This page is the live index, and stock status is accurate at page load because each color links straight to the product.

Will printed colors match what I see on screen? Close, not exact. Monitors render differently, and printed surfaces are typically 5–8% darker than the dry filament. Order a swatch card for display-critical work.

Which finish is easiest for a beginner? Basic/solid PLA. Matte is a close second. Save silk, galaxy, and metallic for after your first dozen prints. They're fine materials but less forgiving of a miscalibrated flow or temperature.

Do I need hardened steel for every PLA color? No. Basic, matte, silk, translucent, and dual-color PLAs run fine on brass. Galaxy/sparkle, marble, wood, metallic, and glow are abrasive and need hardened steel.

Can I mix brands on a multi-color print? Yes, with one caveat: temperature profiles differ by brand. If your AMS loads two different silks, set the hotter of the two temps and verify first-layer adhesion on both.

Which PLA is best for outdoor parts? None, really. PLA softens around 55–60°C and isn't UV-stable long-term. For a Utah summer, go PETG or ASA. The field test is in our outdoor-use writeup.

Is Forgely Performance PLA actually made in the USA? Yes, extruded in Ogden, Utah. It's the house brand we manufacture ourselves.

Closest thing to seeing them in person: order a swatch

The quickest way to decide between two finishes is to hold them side by side under your own lighting. Our swatch card has physical samples of every finish — matte, silk, translucent, galaxy, marble, wood, metal — in one booklet, and it ships with your next order.

Primary: Grab a filament swatch card Also: Shop Forgely Performance Solid PLA · Shop Forgely Performance Translucent PLA