Textile Raw Material Market Diverges: Rayon Yarn Edges Up While Silk and Polyester Staple Face Pressure

On June 12, 2026, commodity price monitoring data revealed a clear divergence in the textile raw material market. Rayon yarn and cotton edged up by 0.14% and 0.05%, respectively, while raw silk, polyester staple, and PTA fell, with raw silk dropping 0.68%—the day's biggest loser. The sector's average daily change of -0.06% signals a lack of clear direction, but internal structural differences warrant attention from buyers and producers.

Cotton Chain Shows Resilience, Rayon Yarn and Cotton Rise Together Rayon yarn rose from 17,825 to 17,850 yuan/ton, up 2.88% year-on-year, while cotton climbed to 17,350.67 yuan/ton, a 16.85% YoY increase. This combination indicates supply-side support for cotton and its substitutes like viscose. Cotton yarn 21S and 32S prices held steady at 23,366.67 and 24,700 yuan/ton, with YoY gains of 4-5.5%, suggesting downstream mills are not aggressively passing on costs, instead digesting inventories or maintaining order margins. From an industrial belt perspective, Xinjiang cotton processors have maintained steady shipments, while inland mills show strong demand for high-quality cotton, supporting the slight uptrend even in the off-season. For spinners, the narrowing spread between rayon yarn and viscose staple (stable at 14,060 yuan/ton) may compress future margins.

Chemical Fiber Under Pressure: PTA and Polyester Staple Decline Polyester staple fell 0.24% to 7,870.61 yuan/ton, and PTA dropped 0.18% to 6,619.08 yuan/ton. Though modest, their YoY gains of 20.43% and 35.62% indicate prices remain historically high. As the upstream core of the polyester chain, high PTA prices have driven up costs for polyester POY, DTY, and FDY—up 15-22% YoY—but on June 12, polyester FDY already saw a 0.09% dip, suggesting downstream weaving mills are resisting and pressuring upstream. Polyester yarn held at 12,133.33 yuan/ton, up 4.30% YoY, but if PTA continues to weaken, expectations for polyester yarn price cuts will grow. For chemical fiber plants, this tightens inventory management: reluctance to stock at high raw material costs, and any finished product price decline quickly erodes margins.

Raw Silk in Deep Slump, Spandex Defies Trend Raw silk plunged from 440,400 to 437,400 yuan/ton, down 0.68% daily and 7.70% YoY, the weakest performer. This reflects persistently sluggish downstream demand, especially in high-end apparel and home textile exports. Prices have been under pressure for months, with reeling mills in Guangxi and Zhejiang facing losses, and some small plants cutting capacity. In contrast, spandex held at 29,833.33 yuan/ton, surging 21.77% YoY, supported by robust demand from sportswear and stretch fabrics. The contrast between spandex's strength and raw silk's weakness underscores a shift in textile end-use toward functional, athletic-oriented products, while traditional silk markets still need time to recover.

Practical Recommendations ### For Buyers - Be cautious with raw silk: The current downtrend suggests adopting small-lot, short-cycle orders to avoid inventory depreciation risks. - Monitor PTA-polyester staple linkage: If PTA continues to fall, polyester staple and downstream yarns may follow; consider delaying large price locks until a clearer bottom emerges.

For Textile Mills - Narrowing rayon-cotton yarn spread: Adjust product mix by increasing blended or differentiated yarns to avoid homogeneous competition. - Spandex supply tightness: Secure quarterly contracts with suppliers to lock in current prices, preventing further margin erosion from potential hikes.