The Shengze yarn market on July 1, 2026, delivered a price sheet that appeared calm—most specifications across cotton, polyester, polyester-cotton, and rayon yarns held steady from the previous trading day. But beneath the surface, subtle demand shifts are setting the stage for near-term divergence.
Cotton Yarn: 32S Emerges as a Short-Term Winner
Cotton yarn prices showed a slight firming bias, but the real driver was not broad-based strength but a modest sales uptick for 32S specification. This count is primarily used in producing "fugui fang" (luxury satin) fabric, a high-density product with steady demand in summer women's wear and home textiles. From an industry perspective, the 32S movement is order-driven restocking by weaving mills rather than raw material cost push. Shandong-origin 10S OE yarn remained at 16,000 yuan/ton, and Jiangsu 16S and 32S held at 17,100 and 23,600 yuan/ton respectively. Unless cotton prices spike, the cotton yarn segment will likely see only isolated activity.
Polyester Yarn: 45S Stands Out as Staple Fiber Weakens
Polyester yarn prices were flat across the board, but 45S specification saw notably higher sales than other counts, with a central price of 15,300 yuan/ton. This count is widely used in air-jet looms for shirt fabrics and linings. However, upstream conditions are less favorable: polyester staple fiber (1.56*38mm) has softened to around 7,700 yuan/ton, with a weak adjustment trend. The combination of softer raw material costs and niche demand strength creates a price stalemate. Industry data shows polyester staple fiber operating rates remain high, with inventory pressure building toward the yarn segment. Polyester yarn is expected to consolidate sideways, with 45S acting as a temporary price anchor due to its demand resilience.
Rayon Yarn: Diamond Cotton Fabric Drives Niche Movement
Rayon yarn prices remained stable, but 10S and 30S specifications saw small-scale trading activity. Nantong 10S was quoted at 15,700 yuan/ton, and Suzhou 30S at 18,400 yuan/ton, unchanged from the previous day. This movement is tied to local air-jet loom production of "diamond cotton" fabric—a synthetic-cotton blend with special luster and drape used in summer dresses and curtains. Viscose staple fiber prices held steady at around 14,200 yuan/ton, providing no additional price catalyst. The rayon yarn activity appears more a rotation effect than a sign of broad demand recovery.
Polyester-Cotton and Polyester-Viscose Yarns: Silent Price Pressure
Both blended yarn segments showed virtually no price change. For example, T65/C35 32S from Anhui was 16,300 yuan/ton, and T65/R35 32S from Jiangsu was 14,200 yuan/ton. This stability reflects an extremely conservative procurement strategy among downstream weaving mills—they restock only against confirmed orders and are highly price-sensitive. The T80/C20 and T90/C10 series also showed no movement, indicating that price elasticity in blended yarns has been compressed to a very narrow range by both upstream and downstream forces.
Industry Impact: Order-Based Procurement Dominates, Inventory Management Is Key
As a bellwether for China's textile cluster, Shengze's current market—"prices flat, niche movement"—essentially reflects downstream caution. Fabric and garment mills are avoiding speculative inventory buildup, compressing stock turnover days to a minimum. This model demands higher precision from yarn traders and spinners:
- Accurate variety mix forecasting becomes more critical than price speculation.
- Supply chain capabilities for small-lot, multi-batch, fast-delivery orders become a core competitive advantage.