Care & materials
Look after it and it outlives the gift.
What it is made of
Almost everything here is PLA, a rigid plastic made from corn starch rather than oil. It holds fine detail, it comes in a proper matte finish, and it does not smell. It is also the reason a printed piece feels denser than you expect.
Where a piece needs to take heat, moisture or a bit of flex, we print it in PETG instead. Ask and we will switch it; it usually costs a couple of dollars more.
The one real rule: keep it under 50 °C. PLA starts
to soften around 60 °C. A closed car in a Lebanese August passes
70 °C on the dashboard, so a piece left there will sag and it cannot
be flattened back. Direct summer sun on a windowsill will do it too,
slowly.
Cleaning
A dry brush or a puff of air for the detailed pieces. A soft toothbrush is perfect for the tree canopy. For anything smooth, a damp cloth with a drop of dish soap, then dry it. Never use alcohol, acetone or any solvent cleaner: it will haze the surface permanently.
Heat, water and weight
- Food and drink. These are decorative and desk pieces rather than tableware. A wrapped sweet is fine. If you want something for food or drink, ask us first and we will tell you whether we can print that piece in a material suited to it.
- Not dishwasher safe. The heat alone will deform it.
- Not for standing water. A tray will warp if you leave liquid in it.
- Not structural. Please do not hang a shelf on anything we printed.