As a designer with a passion for 3D printing, I’ve spent years watching this technology gain ground in fashion. But there’s one question I get asked all the time: can a 3D-printed bag really keep up with an ordinary day?
Short answer: a rigid PLA bag works as a decorative piece or for the occasional event. For daily use, though, it’s heavy, it rattles when you move and it limits what you can carry. A bag you’ll use every day has to be designed from the start to flex and carry weight.
A quick disclaimer up front: NodosbyG is my brand and my bags are designed for real everyday use. That’s why I’m comparing one of my bags with a PLA bag and showing you the test exactly as it happened, on video, so you can judge for yourself.
How I ran the test?
I took one of those PLA bags you can download from any online platform and print at home, and put it next to one of our Nodos designs.
- Bolso 1: A PLA bag printed from a downloadable file.
- Bolso 2: NodosbyG Tube Classic Black bag.
- Contents: I put the same things in both: a phone, a wallet and my keys.
- Use: I carried them over my shoulder and by the handle, moving around the way I would on a normal day.
You can watch the full test in the video (the video is in Spanish with English subtitles):
What happens with a rigid PLA bag?
PLA is a great material for prototypes, but it isn’t designed to flex. Three things stood out in the test:
- Weight: it already feels heavy when it’s empty, before you put anything in it.
- Noise: once you put your phone and keys inside, pick it up by the handle and start walking, it rattles a lot. Every item knocks against the rigid walls.
- Capacity: because it doesn’t give, what fits depends entirely on the exact shape of the bag.
That’s the problem with “download-and-print” 3D printing: the file may look beautiful, but it wasn’t designed for you to wear it, load it and move around with it.
When does a PLA bag make sense?
A PLA bag isn’t a bad idea in itself. It makes sense when:
- You want a decorative piece, or one for a one-off event where you carry very little.
- You want to experiment with your own printer and customise shapes and colours at low cost.
- You’re using it as a prototype to test a design before making it in a more suitable material.
For everyday use, with weight and movement, you need a bag that’s designed for it.
How is the Nodos bag designed?
Nodos bags are two in one:
- Outside: a 3D-printed shell made from plant-based biopolymers. Its signature zigzag pattern lets it flex with normal use without cracking. This flexible structure gives the bag its shape and protects it.
- Inside: a separate velvet inner bag with its own zip, which you can take out and use on its own. That inner bag holds your things, so the weight never rests directly on the printed piece.
In the video, I’m wearing the Nodos bag with its chain strap over my shoulder, loaded with my phone, wallet and keys. The bag moves with me instead of turning into an awkward block. Most importantly, it doesn’t rattle, and it adapts to what I carry rather than the other way round.
Would you carry a 3D-printed bag every day?
If you’re looking for a 3D-printed bag designed for daily use, take a look at the bag from the test, the Tube Classic Black, or browse all our 3D printed bags.
¿Has probado algún bolso impreso en 3D, en PLA u otro material? Cuéntame en los comentarios qué tal te ha ido: me ayuda a decidir qué probamos en el siguiente vídeo.