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WillowFlex: Flexible, Friendly FilamentAugust 19, 2015

Berlin-based BioInspiration has produced a new flexible 3D printer filament that has anunusual property: it’s compostable.

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This filament, WillowFlex, can be considered environmentally friendly, as it willdecompose after use. It’s made from non-GMO corn starch and has passed both EU EN13432 and USA ASTM D6400 compostability standards. So, it’s official.

The target market for the company’s filaments is environmentally sensitive locations suchas schools, which often do not have suitable ventilation for using in-room 3D printers,particularly if they are printing with smelly ABS plastic. WillowFlex is said to have verylittle aroma when heated.

The company hopes to build on their current crowdfunding campaign by adding a seriesof non-flexible, but similarly environmentally friendly filaments in the near future.

We’ve begun to see a series of new 3D printing materials that specifically address theenvironmentally friendly market. Evidently someone’s realized that after a few years ofowning a 3D printer, your shelves begin to fill with far too many plastic dragons. All of thismust be dealt with somehow, and BioInspiration believes it can be done with composting.

But for now, the best way to get some of this unusual printing material is to head to theirKickstarter page, where you can order various quantities and sizes of WillowFlex. Youcan get a 300g sample spool for €26 (USD$29), or up to five 1Kg spools for €365(USD$406, or about USD$81 per kg).

WillowFlex: Flexible, Friendly Filament http://www.fabbaloo.com/blog/2015/8/16/willowflex-flexible-...

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In materials Tags @_BioInspiration, filament, flexible, environment

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Via BioInspiration and Kickstarter

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WillowFlex: Flexible, Friendly Filament http://www.fabbaloo.com/blog/2015/8/16/willowflex-flexible-...

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