Nylon POY Price Drops to Mid-Year Median, Chemical Fiber Industry Faces New Round of Adjustment

The benchmark price of nylon POY settled at 13,650 CNY/ton on June 29, 2026, down 5.86% from the beginning of the month. This decline is not an isolated event. Over the past year, the price fluctuated from a low of 11,300 CNY/ton to a high of 16,950 CNY/ton before retreating to the current median level. The downward price shift is driven by a combination of increased caprolactam capacity release and insufficient operating rates in downstream weaving sectors.

Price Trends and Market Signals

From an annual perspective, the current price of 13,650 CNY/ton sits exactly at the median of the one-year range—neither extremely low nor high. However, it is worth noting that this price is still about 6.8% higher than the 12-month average of 12,779 CNY/ton, suggesting that the market has not yet entered a cost-support zone. The zero daily change indicates a temporary balance between buyers and sellers at this level, but this balance is becoming increasingly fragile as inventories accumulate.

The top-bottom spread for nylon POY is 3,300 CNY/ton, with a bottom gap of 2,350 CNY/ton, reflecting severe price volatility over the past year. For textile fabric buyers, this signals rising uncertainty in raw material costs, making the timing of price locks critical.

Industry Chain Transmission and Regional Impact

The price decline of nylon POY first transmits to downstream nylon DTY and FDY segments, subsequently affecting weaving enterprises in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces that specialize in nylon fabric processing. The operating rate of water-jet looms in clusters such as Shengze and Changxing saw a slight decline in late June, with some small and medium-sized mills opting to reduce production to protect prices. Meanwhile, upstream caprolactam plants maintained operating rates above 80%, with no concurrent supply-side contraction, causing industry profits to concentrate at the raw material end while squeezing processing margins in the polymerization and spinning stages.

This pattern of 'strong upstream, pressured midstream, and wait-and-see downstream' is not uncommon in the chemical fiber market over the past two months. Similar price adjustments have been observed in polyester filament yarn and viscose staple fiber. The entire chemical fiber sector is transitioning from the high prosperity range of 2025 toward rationalization, with the contradiction between capacity expansion and slowing demand growth gradually being reflected in prices.

Practical Recommendations

For Buyers - The current price is at the median level, not the lowest point. Adopt a batch purchasing strategy to avoid large one-time lock-ups, in case of further declines. - Monitor caprolactam price trends. If raw material prices soften, nylon POY may have room for another 200-300 CNY/ton decline, allowing for delayed replenishment. - Negotiate short-term floating price agreements with suppliers, using monthly average settlement to reduce single-point purchasing risk.

For Foreign Trade Companies - The decline in nylon POY prices helps improve the competitiveness of fabric export quotations. Include raw material cost adjustment clauses in quotes to prevent profit erosion from potential price rebounds. - For Southeast Asian markets, the dual drop in exchange rates and raw material costs provides an opportunity to increase export quotas for nylon-based fabrics and capture market share from competitors. - Monitor anti-dumping investigations by the EU and the US against Chinese textiles. While price advantages exist, be prepared for compliance costs arising from trade barriers.