menu

Fillamentum Talks Environmental Responsibility in the Polymer 3D Printing Sector

Published on November 28, 2022 by Madeleine P.

When it comes to 3D printing materials, polymer filaments still reign supreme worldwide with the market expected to be worth $8.1B by 2030 according to a report from Market Research Future. However, in a world increasingly aware of the impact of environmental concerns as well as numerous other crises, it can be difficult to know how to print responsibly. Luckily for FDM fans, there is Fillamentum. The Czech Republic-based company has been creating filaments for a number of years now and is currently distributing products in more than 62 countries. However, what is also very interesting about the company is its social responsibility, especially as it comes to sustainability. The company is passionate about reducing waste and has created its own line of fully biodegradable filaments, named NonOilen. We sat down with Josef Dolecek, the CEO and Founder of Fillamentum, to learn more about the company, its reaction to current global crises, its environmental actions and more.

3DN: Could you introduce yourself and your connection to 3D printing?

My name is Josef Dolecek, I am the CEO and founder of Fillamentum. My original education was chemical technology, and my profession centered around developing new polymer materials for global beverage packaging. Finally, after 10 years I left the corporate segment and with the help of my friends founded my own plastic factory focused on precise microtubing and advanced materials. And it was just a small step to manufacturing precise filaments. We moved into it a few years later when 3D printing was starting to be adopted massively.

Josef Dolocek, CEO and Founder of Fillamentum

3DN: How did Fillamentum come about? What is its mission?

The company Fillamentum got its name from the new product itself, which looks like a “violin string” – in latin “filamentum.” Additionally, it is Fillamentum with the amendment‚ ‘Ad(d)ictive polymers.’ Our goal was to introduce precise and valuable 3D printing filaments causing – literally – an addiction.  Essentially, our mission is to develop and manufacture high quality materials for additive manufacturing while maintaining a huge amount of respect for our environment. We believe that responsible modern technology can save the planet for the future.

3DN: There are a number of different crises happening in the world right now, how is Fillamentum addressing them in their work? Why is this important to you?

Today’s crises are a result of the loss of critical thinking in modern society. Our over-abundant civilization became less vigilant, lazier and more demanding than in the past. We in Fillamentum work with the principles of empowered company and critical thinking is a substantial element in our organization; we believe that giving more power to people can change the world. So this attitude has been helping us in these turbulent times. Our principles and vision, and also passion – the best things are only made with passion. And of course, we are working especially on sustainability and protecting our planet.

Fillamentum materials

Fillamentum materials come in a wide range of colors for FDM printing

3DN: Could you expand especially on the importance of sustainability and environmental action? What have you done?

It is safe to say that sustainability and environmental action are two of the cores of who we are. But how exactly do we address them? Firstly, we say “Think before you print.”  Every one of us can manage their own environmental impact and the easiest way is to judge if what we do is necessary or not. We are no exception. Our production halls and office buildings’ roofs have been covered with photovoltaic panels since 2011. So even if we are selling filament, we want to encourage our users to be aware of what they are making and the impact they might be having.

Additionally, we decided to bring a green alternative for each product, without compromising its properties. Notably, last year we introduced NonOilen – the first circular and compostable 3D printing material in the world. This unique and patented polymer composition is not only recyclable (100% biodegradable and made with renewable resources) but is more or less a suitable alternative to engineering polymers. We are very proud to be the trendsetters with our NonOilen.

For Fillamentum, passion and innovation are vital

And we are still going. Now we have moved to also recycling Nylon from fishing nets – Fishy filament by Fillamentum. This is our way! We are always working to do what we can to minimize our negative impact on the environment.

3DN: Any last words for our readers?

I would like to encourage the readers to come to visit our website and to check out some of our projects and case studies and learn more about what we do and who we are.

What do you think of Fillamentum? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.

*All photo credits: Fillamentum

Share Your Thoughts

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

de_DEen_USes_ESfr_FRit_IT
Stay Updated
Every wednesday, receive a recap of the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox.