Bambu Lab PLA Silk+ vs Polymaker Panchroma Silk PLA

Who this comparison is for

This page is for anyone choosing between these two specific spools: Bambu Lab PLA Silk+ in Gold with spool, and Polymaker Panchroma Silk PLA in Silk Gold (SKU CA03006, "Spool (New Formula)"), both 1.75 mm and 1 kg. Polymaker says Panchroma Silk was "Formerly called PolyLite™ Silk PLA," and it still sells an older-formula spool (PA03001) and a refill (CA03039) in the same color, so check the model number before you buy. Bambu also sells PLA Silk+ as a refill without a spool. If you're still choosing a silk finish, see the silk PLA filament shortlist, and for other effect filaments, the specialty filament shortlist.

How we compared them

This is a research-based comparison. Every figure below comes from the makers' own data sheets, product pages, and wikis, listed in the sources. We haven't tested either filament, so nothing here is a measured result of ours. Where a maker describes its own product, such as "Shiny Like Chrome, Smooth Like Silk," we label it as the maker's claim.

We only put numbers side by side where both makers publish the same kind of value under the same named test standard. Where they don't, or where the test setups differ, we say so rather than force a comparison.

Side-by-side specs

Temperatures and build plate

The nozzle windows overlap at 210–230 °C. Bambu's runs hotter, to 240 °C, and Polymaker's starts lower, at 190 °C. The bed ranges overlap at 35–45 °C, with Polymaker's reaching both lower and higher, to 25–60 °C.

Plate choice is where Bambu's own documents disagree. Its data sheet lists Cool Plate SuperTack, Smooth PEI Plate, and Textured PEI Plate, but its store page's printing tips say PLA Silk+ is "Not compatible with Cool Plate SuperTack." We follow the store page, so use a PEI plate. Polymaker says to "Use glue when needed on PC or textured PEI and allow the plate to cool before removal," and that Panchroma Silk needs no special printing requirements: "This will print great on any stock 3D printer!" It adds that you "will just want to print slower on stock, older style printers."

If you print on an enclosed Bambu Lab printer, Bambu's filament guide says that for filaments that soften below 60 °C, including PLA, with the bed above 45 °C, you should open the front door or remove the top glass cover so chamber heat doesn't soften the filament.

Gloss and print speed

Both makers sell these on shine, and how you get it differs.

• Bambu Lab PLA Silk+. Bambu says it "features an enhanced sheen and gloss," for "models that require a luxurious silk or metallic finish." For the best gloss, it says to "Lower the outer wall speed to 50 mm/s," and it adds that a concentric top surface pattern "can optimize the print quality of top shells." It says slowing the outer wall doesn't cost adhesion: "No need to worry about the reduced adhesion found in generic PLA Silk."
• Polymaker Panchroma Silk. Polymaker says its new formula "Maintains rich, silky shine even at 150mm/s, solving the dulling issue common with high speed silk PLA prints." Its printing tips still say to reduce speed "when the intended shine, sparkle, or dual-color effect looks muted at higher speed."

Both quote 250 mm/s as a ceiling. Bambu's data sheet lists the printing speed as below 250 mm/s without stating a line width or layer height. Polymaker's data sheet says its "Up to 250mm/s" is "based on 0.4mm line width and 0.2mm layer height," and "varies with different line width and layer height." These are each maker's own figures, not a measured race, and neither is a speed for best gloss.

Nozzles

Bambu's data sheet lists 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 mm nozzles, but its store page says PLA Silk+ is "Not compatible with ... Hotend with Hardened Steel Nozzle 0.6mm / 0.8 mm." It doesn't say why. If you use one of those hotends, swap it before printing Silk+. Polymaker says to use "a 0.4 mm or larger nozzle." Bambu's filament guide counts PLA Silk as standard PLA, without hard, large-particle fillers. Neither maker publishes an abrasion note for these filaments.

Strength and heat figures: same standards, different specimens

Both data sheets name the same standards for several figures: ISO 306 for Vicat softening, ISO 527 for tensile, and ISO 179 for notched Charpy impact. For density, Bambu's data sheet names ISO 1183, and Polymaker names it on its product page rather than its data sheet. The specimens weren't prepared the same way, though. Bambu printed at 230 °C on a 35 °C bed at 200 mm/s with 100% infill, and annealed and dried all its specimens at 55 °C for 8 hours before testing. Polymaker printed at 230 °C on a 50 °C bed in an ambient environment, with two shells, three top and bottom layers, 100% infill, and the fan on. It doesn't state a print speed or any annealing. Print settings and annealing both change PLA results, so these are each maker's figures, not a head-to-head.

The Z figures, which measure strength between layers, sit close together at 25 and 23.8 MPa, and both are below each maker's X-Y figure. Bambu also publishes heat deflection, 56 °C at 1.8 MPa and 60 °C at 0.45 MPa, which Polymaker doesn't. With Vicat softening in the mid-60s °C for both, our reading, not a maker's, is that neither suits a hot car, a sunny windowsill, or parts near heat.

We left several figures out. Bambu publishes Z modulus, elongation at break, bending figures, melt index, glass transition, and water absorption that Polymaker doesn't. Bambu's X-Y impact row also gives a second value, 18.5 ± 1.6 kJ/m², without labelling it notched, and its Z impact figure, 8.5 ± 1.1 kJ/m², has no Polymaker counterpart.

Spools, refills, and the AMS

This listing of Bambu PLA Silk+ comes on Bambu's ABS spool, 200 mm across and 67 mm high, rated to 70 °C. That fits the AMS's documented spool range of 50–68 mm wide and 197–202 mm in diameter. Bambu says "All printing parameters are embedded in RFID, which can be read through our AMS," and lists PLA Silk+ as "All AMS Series Compatible." Its refill "needs to be used with a spool."

Going by Polymaker's announcement, Panchroma Silk ships on cardboard. Polymaker moved all its filaments to recycled cardboard spools in 2021, with 4 mm pressed cardboard faces, and its FAQ says Panchroma Silk "is compatible with AMS and other multi-material systems." The product page doesn't publish the spool's dimensions. Bambu's own AMS notes "highly recommend" plastic spools that fit correctly and "strongly advise" a spool adapter or adapter ring for cardboard spools, to reduce slippage and debris. Our AMS filament compatibility guide covers spool sizes and adapters.

Drying and storage

Bambu is stricter about drying.

• Bambu Lab PLA Silk+. Bambu says that although it's dried and vacuum-sealed before shipping, "We strongly recommend drying it right after opening and storing it in a sealed container with desiccant or AMS." The data sheet gives 55 °C for 8 hours in a blast drying oven, or 65–75 °C for 12 hours on an X1 Series heatbed, and storage below 20% RH, sealed with desiccant. Bambu's drying wiki gives 45 °C for 12 hours in an AMS 2 Pro or AMS HT for PLA Silk. Mind the spool's 70 °C rating when drying on the spool.
• Polymaker Panchroma Silk. The product page gives 55 °C for 6 hours, "Only if the material has absorbed moisture," and the data sheet lists PolyDryer level 1 for Silk. Polymaker's FAQ says each spool is "vacuum-sealed for protection against moisture." Polymaker doesn't publish a temperature rating for its cardboard spool, so check your dryer's documentation.

Our filament dryer vs dry box guide covers the options. Polymaker says Panchroma Silk "resists clogs, snapping, and stringing" compared with generic brands. If you see stringing anyway, our stringing guide covers the causes.

What each maker says it's for

• Bambu Lab PLA Silk+. Bambu says there's "No need to make any trade-offs between layer adhesion and appearance," and that Silk+ "is engineered for strength, providing enhanced layer adhesion and performance," with "superior resistance to bending and impact." These are the maker's claims.
• Polymaker Panchroma Silk. Polymaker says it's "perfect for home décor, cosplay props, flexi toys, sculptures, miniatures, and gifts." It also says plainly that silk PLA "is designed for aesthetics" and is "not meant for high-load or mechanical parts."

Bambu Lab

Bambu Lab PLA Silk+ (Gold, 1.75 mm, 1 kg, with spool)

Best for

Bambu Lab AMS users who want a glossy single-color silk with documented layer strength.

Skip this if

You print at full speed and won't slow outer walls, or you need parts that survive heat.

Specs, strengths, and limitations

Material

PLA (silk)

Diameter

1.75 mm

Net filament

1000 g (filament only, not packaged weight)

Format

plastic spool

Maker's nozzle range

210–240 °C

Strengths

• Manufacturer states enhanced sheen and gloss with 'no need to make any trade-offs between layer adhesion and appearance'.
• TDS lists a Z-axis (layer) tensile strength of 25 ± 4 MPa, high for a silk PLA.
• Manufacturer states all printing parameters are embedded in an RFID tag read by the AMS.

Limitations

• Gloss depends on slowing down: Bambu says to lower the outer-wall speed to 50 mm/s for the best gloss.
• Bambu says to dry it right after opening. Its store page lists 0.6/0.8 mm hardened steel nozzles and Cool Plate SuperTack as not compatible, while its data sheet lists 0.6 and 0.8 mm nozzles and the SuperTack plate; follow the stricter store-page note.
• Like other PLA, the TDS heat deflection temperature is low (about 56–60 °C).

View on Amazon ↗ (opens Amazon in a new tab)Details checked 2026-10-07 against the manufacturer. Price and availability are on Amazon.

Polymaker

Polymaker Panchroma Silk PLA (Silk Gold, 1.75 mm, 1 kg, spool (new formula))

Best for

Shiny decorative prints, vases, cosplay props, and gifts on any standard PLA printer.

Skip this if

The part needs strength or heat resistance more than looks.

Specs, strengths, and limitations

Material

PLA (silk)

Diameter

1.75 mm

Net filament

1000 g (filament only, not packaged weight)

Format

cardboard spool

Maker's nozzle range

190–230 °C

Strengths

• Manufacturer states the silk shine is maintained even at 150 mm/s.
• Manufacturer states it prints on most FDM printers without special hardware.
• Manufacturer states the new formula improves layer adhesion and resists brittleness and clogging.

Limitations

• Low heat resistance: the data sheet's data table lists a Vicat softening temperature of 64.7 °C (ISO 306) for Silk.
• A decorative finish rather than a functional material; Polymaker markets it for décor, cosplay props, and display models.
• Cardboard spool: Polymaker says its spools are AMS compatible, but Bambu Lab's general AMS guidance recommends an adapter or ring for cardboard spools. Check your unit.

View on Amazon ↗ (opens Amazon in a new tab)Details checked 2026-10-06 against the manufacturer. Price and availability are on Amazon.

Verdict: which should you buy?

Choose Bambu Lab PLA Silk+ if…

• You print on a Bambu Lab printer and want the AMS to read settings from the spool's RFID tag.
• You want a plastic spool that matches the AMS's documented spool size without an adapter.
• You're happy to slow the outer walls to 50 mm/s for gloss, and you print on a PEI plate rather than Cool Plate SuperTack.

Choose Polymaker Panchroma Silk PLA if…

• You print on a non-Bambu printer, or want the lower 190 °C nozzle start and the wider 25–60 °C bed range.
• You want gloss that Polymaker says holds up to 150 mm/s.
• You prefer a cardboard spool and are happy to check its fit in your feeder, or add an adapter if your material system's maker recommends one.

Safety and limits

How this page was checked

Every temperature, speed, drying setting, spool detail, and test figure above comes from the manufacturer documents in the sources section, retrieved on 2026-10-10. We haven't printed with either filament for this page, so nothing here is a measured result of ours. Bambu's data sheet extracts out of line in plain text, so we read its values with a table-aware extraction and checked each row against its label. Polymaker's Panchroma data sheet covers several finishes in one table, and we checked each Silk value against the product page's properties panel. The data table gives a Vicat softening point of 64.7 °C for Silk, while the data sheet's summary chart shows 64 °C. We've used 64.7 °C. The product page lists Young's modulus as 2403 with a GPa label, while the data sheet gives 2403 ± 74.5 MPa. We've used the data sheet's unit. Bambu's data sheet lists Cool Plate SuperTack and 0.6 and 0.8 mm nozzles that its store page excludes, so we've followed the store page. Values vary by color and revision, so check the current data sheet for your spool. Read more in our editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.

Specialty materials: what to check before you buy a spool ↗