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Eco PLA: the material your map is printed in

All our items — maps, keychains, magnets — are printed in PLA (polylactide): a bioplastic produced from plant feedstock such as corn starch. It's the most popular material in quality desktop 3D printing, and here's why we chose it.

Safe and pleasant

PLA is odorless, emits nothing harmful at room temperature and is safe for a home with kids and pets. To the touch it's smooth and warm; the layer lines give a distinctive pleasant texture.

Unlike many oil-based plastics, PLA is biodegradable under industrial composting. Environmentally it's one of the mildest plastics there is.

Precision that holds the streets

A city map demands fine detail: a small lane is a plastic path under a millimeter wide. PLA has minimal shrinkage while cooling, so the geometry doesn't drift: streets stay straight, building walls vertical, and the slots of multi-tile panels fit together.

Life at home: what's fine and what to avoid

On a shelf, wall or fridge PLA lives for years unchanged. The one real limit is heat: above +60 °C the material starts to soften, so don't leave the item on a car dashboard in summer or right next to an oven or radiator.

Dust comes off with a dry brush or a damp cloth. A keychain easily survives daily life with keys — scratches on matte plastic are barely visible.

Order an Eco PLA piece

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