This research aims at comparing the interactions between the water‐based printing ink and polylactide (PLA) printing base. As a reference base, a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film was chosen. The wettability of both films was investigated. The Owens–Wendt method was applied to calculate the surface free energy (SFE). The values of SFE and its polar and dispersive components were compared with the surface tension (ST) of the ink and the polar and dispersive components of ST. The wetting envelopes of the investigated PLA and PET films are presented. Finally, the bonding strength between the dried ink layer and the printing base was analyzed. The PET film exhibited higher values of SFE. However, the bonding strength between the dried ink layer and the printing base was higher for PLA films. Our results reveal that PLA films can be an excellent choice as packaging materials, with comparable or even better print quality than conventional fossil‐based plastics.