The July 2, 2026, Shengze yarn market data reveals an accelerating divergence. While pure cotton yarn prices held steady and 32S and J40S varieties remained active due to demand for air-jet nylon-cotton fabrics, pure polyester yarn unexpectedly weakened—21S, 32S, and 45S grades all fell by 100 yuan per ton, with polyester staple fiber center price slipping to 7,550 yuan/ton. This is not an isolated price fluctuation but the result of combined cost transmission and changing terminal order structures.
Pure Polyester Yarn: Squeezed by Costs and Demand
The weakness in pure polyester yarn is not new. On July 2, 21S pure polyester yarn was quoted at 10,300 yuan/ton, and 32S at 11,400 yuan/ton, both down 100 yuan from the previous day. Concurrently, polyester staple fiber (1.56*38mm cotton type) center price fell to 7,550 yuan/ton, with the decline largely synchronized, indicating that raw material cost reduction was the main driver. However, the deeper issue lies in trading volume—pure polyester yarn saw low transaction volumes, with downstream weaving mills showing significantly lower purchasing willingness compared to pure cotton products.
What does this imply? In the Shengze market, polyester yarn is primarily used in blends with cotton or viscose, or as a substitute raw material. The current decline in polyester staple fiber prices theoretically benefits polyester yarn cost structures, but insufficient terminal orders have rendered price elasticity ineffective. For buyers, the short-term trend of pure polyester yarn will remain anchored to PTA and polyester staple fiber futures; if upstream raw materials continue to weaken, further declines are possible.
Pure Cotton and Rayon Yarn: Stability Supported by Structural Demand
In contrast to pure polyester yarn, pure cotton yarn remains firm. 32S pure cotton yarn was quoted at 23,600 yuan/ton, and J40S at 26,800 yuan/ton, with prices flat for consecutive days. Notably, demand for 40S pure cotton + 100D spandex covered yarn has increased, primarily used in elastic nylon-cotton fabrics—a niche demand pointing to elastic categories in apparel fabrics such as casual pants and jackets, indicating sustained growth in consumer demand for comfort and functionality.
As for rayon yarn, 30S was quoted at 18,400 yuan/ton, and 40S at 19,500 yuan/ton, with overall trading volume moderate and prices stable. Viscose staple fiber averaged 14,000 yuan/ton, but industry data indicates capacity utilization is already high. If downstream rayon fabric orders fail to scale up proportionally, rayon yarn prices will face adjustment pressure. The Textile Circle editorial team predicts a narrow fluctuation of 50-100 yuan/ton for rayon yarn over the next two weeks.
Blended Yarn: Undercurrents Beneath a Calm Surface
Polyester-viscose and polyester-cotton blended yarn prices remained flat across the board, but trading volumes were equally light. T65/R35 32S polyester-viscose yarn was quoted at 14,200 yuan/ton, and T65/C35 32S polyester-cotton yarn at 16,300 yuan/ton, both unchanged. This price freeze is often a signal of market uncertainty and wait-and-see attitudes. For foreign trade enterprises, the pricing logic of blended yarn relies more on raw material mix costs. Currently, the price spread between polyester staple fiber and viscose staple fiber has widened to nearly 6,500 yuan/ton, theoretically leaving room for polyester-viscose yarn cost reduction, but actual transaction prices haven't followed, indicating limited downstream acceptance.
As a major yarn distribution hub in China, Shengze's market movements often lead other producing regions. The current pattern of 'cotton strong, polyester weak' essentially reflects a shift in terminal consumption structure from bulk chemical fiber fabrics to differentiated cotton-based fabrics. For buyers and mills, tracking raw material price changes alone is no longer sufficient; understanding the category structure changes in downstream fabric orders is equally crucial.