Ecological and sustainable 3D printing

Company and project background

Felfil Srl was founded in 2016 with the mission to make 3D printing more ecological and sustainable. The company develops and manufactures small-scale plastic recycling systems that allow users to recycle plastic waste and create filament for 3D printing.
The Up2Circ-supported project, “Felfil As A Service (FAAS)”, aims to transition from a traditional sales model to a rental-based model, making access to recycling equipment more affordable and broadening its reach among makers and hobbyists.

Our core products are filament extruders and plastic recycling systems for desktop 3D printing. The circular FAAS project started in October 2024 as part of our broader mission to reduce plastic waste and democratize access to sustainable prototyping tools. Through the rental model, we extend the product lifecycle and reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing.

What motivated you to make your business more circular?

The motivation came from both internal values and user feedback. Over 90% of our users report concerns about plastic waste in 3D printing. We recognized a market need and opportunity to shift toward a more inclusive and sustainable model. Moving to a rental approach aligns with customer expectations and improves our ecological footprint.

Implementation process

What were the main objectives of your feasibility study?

The study aimed at evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of offering Felfil systems as a service. Specific goals included waste reduction, improved user accessibility, and carbon footprint reduction. Key KPIs included the amount of plastic recycled per user and projected CO₂ savings.

What activities did you carry out during your project?

The project had a 6 months breakdown as follows:

Month 1: We defined pricing and rental conditions.

Month 2–5: We conducted surveys, market outreach and worked on early adopter engagement.

Month 3–4: We redesigned products and packaging for durability and shipping reuse.

Month 5: We produced 5 rental units.

Month 6: We launched a pilot rental program in Italy.

What feedback did you receive from stakeholders (customers, suppliers etc.)?

Initial feedback from surveys and early adopters has been positive. Our community appreciated the lower entry cost and the strong environmental focus. Their input was crucial in order to adjust logistics and instruction clarity, also we changed our initial plan after their feedback on the price.

Impact & Outcomes

What were the main results and outcomes of the project for your company?

The goal of our project is to reduce plastic pollution, allowing to recycle 3D printing waste for as many users as possible (SDG12).
So, we developed a rental-based circular model, allowing makers to basically use our product for only a few weeks, reducing their initial investment.

With this purpose we are going to monitor the amount of plastic that each consumer will recycle.

Considering the rental, delivery and repair time for each user, we consider that each recycling unit can reach 12 people/year, therefore one every month. This would allow to reach 60 users with a 90% reduction in terms of products manufactured.

Did you detect a positive impact of circular transition for your company and for the environment?   

Yes. Environmentally, the project reduced emissions: each rental avoids manufacturing a full unit, saving ~42 kg of CO₂/year per machine. Plastic waste is reduced by ~30 kg per user/month.

Have you already implemented any changes?

The rental model is at a pilot stage for Italian based customers. It is now integrated into operations and we plan to expand across 5 European countries using 10 units per country.

Before doing that, we would like to automate the contract and payment phases, which are now made manually.

Furthermore, it will be crucial to search for new European partners, to lower logistic costs for each country.

Lessons learned

What key lessons did you learn regarding circular innovation?

Throughout the development of the FAAS project, we realized how crucial it is to involve users from the very beginning. Their feedback helped us fine-tune the service, making it more aligned with real market needs. We learned that circular innovation isn’t just about the product itself—it extends to everything around it: logistics, packaging, usability, and communication.

One of the most important takeaways was understanding how a rental model can significantly extend product lifespan and reduce environmental impact, without compromising the user experience. This approach also made our systems more accessible to a broader audience, supporting our mission to encourage more sustainable 3D printing practices.

Did you encounter any challenges?

Naturally, we encountered some challenges along the way. The main difficulties were technical: we needed to make our machines more robust, easier to transport, and suitable for use by non-experts. Defining a sustainable economic model for the rental service was also demanding, requiring a detailed analysis of production, repair, and shipping costs.

While drafting the business plan, we encountered a new challenge: renting high-value machinery to private individuals. For this reason, it became essential to contact a law firm to prepare a contract that clients would need to sign at the time of rental.

From a technical standpoint, there are no major barriers. We plan to implement an automated payment system that includes a deposit or another method to ensure coverage of the rental equipment’s value in case it is not returned.

If you could do your project again, what would you do differently?

If we had to start the project again, we would probably involve external partners with specific expertise from the outset. This would have allowed us to accelerate certain phases and make a better use of our resources.

Future plans & recommendations

What are your next steps towards circular transition?

We aim to scale the FAAS model to 5 EU countries with a network of local resellers who will manage rentals, repairs, and logistics, further reducing our carbon footprint.

Is there any advice you would give to other SMEs looking to adopt a circular business model?

Start small with a clear use case and validate it through users’ feedback. Think about durability, reuse and end-of-life from day one.

How can policymakers or financial institutions better support businesses in adopting circular practices?

Subsidies or tax incentives for rental/shared models, grants for redesigning products for circular use and support for logistics innovation would help. More clarity and guidance on CO₂ and waste KPIs would be welcome.

Do you have any additional comments or reflections about your participation in the Up2Circ project?

The Up2Circ grant was key in enabling us to de-risk our business model shift and to explore an innovative circular solution that could scale.