R3D Premium PLA PLA or Polyactic acid is a bio-degradable industrial thermoplastic, which is easy to print, durable and relatively strong. It is also non-toxic and free of unpleasant odor. Parts printed with PLA are widely used in the prototyping stage of product development to prove a concept, check the shape, confirm fit, etc. Models and parts printed with PLA are widely used in product demonstration and presentation in architecture, gaming and movie industries.