Textile Raw Material Prices Diverge: Viscose Yarn Edges Up, Raw Silk Drops, Supply Chain Profits Reshuffle

The textile raw material market is undergoing a structural price divergence. On June 12, 2026, viscose yarn and cotton edged up by 0.14% and 0.05% respectively, while raw silk plunged 0.68%, and polyester staple fiber and PTA fell 0.24% and 0.18%. The overall daily average change was -0.06%, masking significant profit redistribution across categories.

Supply-Demand Logic Behind Divergence

Viscose yarn's slight rise contrasts with stable viscose staple fiber prices at 14,060 yuan/ton, up 6.84% YoY. This indicates cost-push rather than demand recovery. Cotton at 17,350 yuan/ton, up 16.85% YoY, is near a two-year high, driven by domestic production cuts and import quota tightening. However, cotton yarn 21S and 32S prices rose only 5.41% and 4.11% YoY, showing margin squeeze in spinning.

Raw silk's 0.68% daily drop and 7.7% YoY decline reflect destocking pressure. Increased spring cocoon supply in Sichuan and Guangxi, plus weak export demand from India, have tipped the balance. The silk chain is now in a buyer's market.

Polyester Chain: High YoY Gains Mask Short-Term Risks

PTA surged 35.62% YoY, polyester staple fiber 20.43%, and various polyester filaments 15-22%. Yet daily declines of 0.18% and 0.24% suggest market fear of high prices. PX price softening is the immediate trigger for PTA's pullback. Polyester filament transactions now involve hidden discounts, as downstream weaving mills adopt a wait-and-see approach.

Acrylonitrile held steady at 9,933 yuan/ton, up 24.17% YoY, driven by demand from carbon fiber and acrylic sectors, decoupling from conventional textile dynamics.

Spandex and Nylon: Resilient High-Margin Segments

Spandex rose 21.77% YoY to 29,833 yuan/ton, stabilizing after past volatility. Operating rates in Zhejiang and Jiangsu exceed 80%, with moderate inventory. Nylon chains (DTY, FDY, POY) posted 8.4-13.6% YoY gains with no daily fluctuation, supported by stable demand from sportswear and premium underwear.

Practical Recommendations

For Buyers - Cotton: Purchase on demand; monitor state reserve release policies for potential price corrections. - Raw silk: Extend procurement cycles, buying in tranches during downtrend; watch weather risks in Guangxi and Sichuan. - Polyester filament: Negotiate floating-price contracts with suppliers to hedge against volatility.

For Exporters - Include raw material price adjustment clauses in contracts, especially for silk and polyester products, to mitigate exchange rate and input cost risks. - Monitor Southeast Asian capacity recovery; Vietnam and Bangladesh are increasing polyester staple fiber imports, offering a second-half export window. - Maintain stable quotes for spandex and nylon due to their price resilience and customer acceptance.