Textile Raw Material Price Divergence Intensifies: Rayon Yarn Edges Up, Raw Silk and PTA Lead Declines

On June 12, 2026, price monitoring data for textile bulk commodities revealed clear structural divergence: rayon yarn and cotton rose 0.14% and 0.05% respectively, while raw silk, polyester staple fiber, and PTA fell 0.68%, 0.24%, and 0.18%. The industry average price edged down 0.06%, but year-on-year increases remained in double digits, indicating that cost-side pressure has not truly eased.

Cost Pass-Through Stalled: PTA Retreats from Highs, Chemical Fiber Chain Under Pressure

PTA fell 0.18% to 6,619 yuan/ton on the day, yet its year-on-year gain of 35.62% was the highest among all textile materials. Polyester staple fiber also dropped 0.24%, with a 20.43% year-on-year increase. This pattern of 'high-level consolidation and small pullbacks' reflects growing resistance to cost pass-through from upstream to downstream. Weaving and dyeing companies generally remain cautious about high-priced raw materials, with weak restocking intentions, leading to technical corrections after the earlier sharp rally. For polyester filament yarn buyers, prices of POY, DTY, and FDY were flat on the day, but year-on-year gains above 15% mean that end-fabric costs have risen significantly from a year ago, challenging the price competitiveness of export orders.

Raw Silk Plunges: Silkworm Market Supply-Demand Imbalance Worsens

Raw silk fell 0.68% to 437,400 yuan/ton, and its year-on-year decline of 7.70% made it the only textile category with a negative annual comparison. This marks several consecutive weeks of weakness, driven by a worsening supply-demand imbalance in the silkworm chain. On one hand, cocoon output in major producing regions like Guangxi and Zhejiang has recovered steadily over the past two years, increasing supply pressure. On the other hand, the recovery of the high-end international silk market remains sluggish, especially with orders from Europe and Japan showing no significant rebound, leading to inventory buildup. For home textile and apparel companies, lower raw silk prices reduce procurement costs for high-end fabrics, but they must guard against inventory impairment risks if prices fall further.

Rayon Yarn and Cotton Edge Up: Viscose Chain Cost Support Appears

Rayon yarn edged up 0.14% to 17,850 yuan/ton, with a year-on-year increase of 2.88%. The rise was modest but directional, driven by upstream cost pressures from dissolving pulp rather than demand. Viscose staple fiber prices were flat at 14,060 yuan/ton, up 6.84% year-on-year. Cotton inched up 0.05% to 17,350.67 yuan/ton, with a year-on-year gain of 16.85%, remaining in a high range. The strength in cotton is linked to global production-demand deficit expectations, but flat cotton yarn prices (21S and 32S) indicate that profit margins in spinning are being squeezed, leaving cotton mills facing the dilemma of 'rising raw material prices but stagnant yarn prices.'

Practical Recommendations

For Buyers - Chemical fiber raw materials (PTA, polyester staple fiber) may see further downward adjustments in the short term; consider phased restocking in small batches and avoid chasing highs. - Raw silk prices are at year-to-date lows; buyers of high-end silk fabrics may lock in costs through forward contracts. - Rayon yarn and cotton yarn prices are relatively stable, but monitor viscose staple fiber and cotton trends closely and plan Q3 replenishment in advance.

For Exporters - Export order quotations should fully account for the cost increase of over 20% year-on-year for PTA and polyester staple fiber to avoid losses from underpricing. - For raw silk exports, consider adjusting product mix to increase high-value-added jacquard or printed silk items to hedge against raw material price volatility. - Closely monitor RMB exchange rate movements and use forward exchange tools to lock in profit margins in combination with raw material price trends.