How Many Meters of Filament Are in a 1kg Spool?
In short, A standard 1kg spool of 1.75mm PLA contains approximately 335 meters (1,100 feet) of filament. A 1kg spool of ABS contains roughly 400 meters (1,312 feet) because ABS is 16% less dense than PLA. Conversely, dense PETG contains ~327 meters (1,072 feet).
The Physics Formula Behind Filament Length
Filament is sold by weight (grams or kilograms), but your 3D printer consumes it by volume (extruding linear length through the feed gears). To convert mass to length:
Area (cm²) = π × (Diameter in cm ÷ 2)²
Length (m) = [Volume ÷ Area] ÷ 100
Because 1.75mm filament has a cross-sectional area of roughly 0.02405 cm², every cubic centimeter of plastic yields approximately 41.5 centimeters of filament length.
Complete 1kg Spool Length Reference Chart
| Polymer Material | Density | 1.75mm Length (Meters) | 1.75mm Length (Feet) | 2.85mm Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS | 1.04 g/cm³ | 400 m | 1,312 ft | 150 m |
| ASA | 1.07 g/cm³ | 388 m | 1,273 ft | 146 m |
| Nylon (PA6) | 1.14 g/cm³ | 365 m | 1,197 ft | 137 m |
| Carbon Fiber Nylon | 1.20 g/cm³ | 346 m | 1,135 ft | 130 m |
| TPU 95A | 1.21 g/cm³ | 343 m | 1,125 ft | 129 m |
| Standard PLA | 1.24 g/cm³ | 335 m | 1,100 ft | 126 m |
| PETG | 1.27 g/cm³ | 327 m | 1,072 ft | 123 m |
Why Does Slicer Length Matter?
When you slice an STL in Cura, PrusaSlicer, or Bambu Studio, the preview bar displays both estimated grams (e.g. 45g) and filament length in meters (e.g. 15.2m).
If you have a partial spool with only a few loops left and you don't have a scale handy, you can measure the diameter of your spool's inner hub (~20cm circumference per loop) and quickly count the loops to estimate remaining meters before hitting "Start Print".