Materials used in the glowforge must be CO2 laser compatible. CO2 laser compatible means the material is safe to use with a laser. Glowforge sells its own line of compatible materials called Proofgrade materials, but you can also purchase laser safe materials from other vendors.
Library staff must approve your materials if you want to use anything other than the Proofgrade materials sold by Glowforge. You must provide a receipt or tag that states what the item is made of. We reserve the right to refuse material if we deem it to be unsafe, inappropriate, or we cannot confidently identify what it is..
Glowforge Pro 
The typical cutting area is 12″(width) x 20″(length) x 1/4″ (height). However, you can remove the crumb tray and work with items up to 2″ in height using supports. The Glowforge can cut some ½” (13mm) hardwood and acrylic; for best results, ¼” (6mm) or thinner materials are recommended. Unfortunately, there are no rotary abilities so it cannot engrave on rounded objects.
It is highly recommended that you bring extra material for testing so that your final item comes out correct.
Approved Materials for Glowforge Pro
Cut & Engrave
Engrave Only
Glowforge Aura Coming Soon! 
The typical cutting area is 12″(width) x 12″(length) x 1/4″ (height). However, you can remove the crumb tray and engrave items up to 3/4″ in height. The Glowforge Auraccan cut ¼” (6mm) or thinner materials. Unfortunately, there are no rotary abilities so it cannot engrave on rounded objects.
It is highly recommended that you bring extra material for testing so that your final item comes out correct.
Approved Materials for Glowforge Aura
Cut & Engrave
Engrave Only
Prohibited Materials
Idea Lab sells the following materials:
Vendor Options:
Here are some vendors who sell laser compatible materials. When you purchase from vendors other than Glowforge, you will have to manually enter settings for your projects. Library staff must approve materials before you can use them in a Glowforge. Please bring in a tag or receipt for material verification.
K & A Tool and Die Engraving is the best local place we know for small, custom jobs. They have stronger and bigger lasers that can handle more materials and also make larger pieces. Their standard rate is $60 per hour of laser cutting, but you can reach out for a direct quote. They are also good at improving designs so that they cut and engrave faster.
You can reach them by emailing Gary or calling at (814) 835-1405.
If you are interested in cutting your item out of different materials after you have learned and tested at the Idea Lab, you can reach out to laser services. They often have an industrial set up and are able to cut your design out of a wider variety of materials.
The below links do not represent endorsements. They are simply options you can contact and explore if you wish.