Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) is a synthetic, water-soluble polymer. PVA is used to create other polymers and is used in such products as a thickener in polyvinyl acetate glues, paper coatings, play putty or movie effects, eye drops, and as film for water transfer prints.

PVA can be used as support material in 3D printing. It easily dissolves in water, so the user can place the printed 3D part in water and wait until the PVA support material simply dissolves away. PVA works best with PLA plastic. By using dissolvable PVA support material, the printing of even more complex structures is now possible.