The second quarter of 2026 delivered a sharply divided picture for textile raw materials: spandex and viscose staple fiber posted strong gains, while the entire nylon chain, major polyester varieties, and acrylonitrile suffered deep collective declines. The overall average price dropped 5.15% quarter-on-quarter, but the underlying drivers behind the rises and falls differ significantly, leading to distinct transmission paths for downstream weaving, dyeing, and apparel procurement.
Rising Varieties: Supply-Driven and Demand-Supported
Spandex was the biggest winner of the quarter, surging 12.66% quarter-on-quarter and 21.09% year-on-year. This trend is no accident. Spandex capacity expansion has slowed over the past two years, while demand for elastic fabrics—such as yoga wear and sports tights—remained high, creating a supply-demand gap that materialized in Q2. Viscose staple fiber followed closely, rising 7.74% quarter-on-quarter and 9.06% year-on-year. Rayon yarn also rose 3.02%, indicating that cost pressures have partially passed downstream. Notably, the viscose chain's price increase was driven more by raw material costs (dissolving pulp) than by demand surges. Cotton rose 4.56% quarter-on-quarter and 15.88% year-on-year, while cotton yarn 21S and 32S increased 2.33% and 1.44% respectively, reflecting low global inventories and expectations of reduced planting area. For buyers of pure cotton fabrics, cost support remains in Q3.
Falling Varieties: Double Squeeze from Overcapacity and Weak Demand
In stark contrast, the nylon, polyester, and acrylonitrile chains suffered heavy losses. Nylon POY, acrylonitrile, and nylon FDY fell by 13.20%, 12.89%, and 12.72% respectively, while nylon DTY dropped 12.49%. The root cause of the nylon collapse is continuous capacity expansion in upstream caprolactam, combined with destocking in downstream apparel end-markets, exacerbating supply-demand imbalance. The polyester chain also buckled: polyester DTY fell 11.89%, POY 11.41%, FDY 10.59%, staple fiber 10.52%, and yarn 6.56%. PTA, as a raw material, dropped 11.79%, reflecting crude oil price volatility and oversupply from high polyester plant operating rates. The broad decline in polyester prices means rapidly falling costs for synthetic fabric buyers, but it severely pressures polyester producers' margins.
Industry Impact: Procurement Windows and Risk Signals
This extreme divergence means different things for different players. For weaving mills and fabric traders, current polyester and nylon prices are at yearly lows. If Q3 orders recover, July-August could be a restocking window. However, caution is needed: continued acrylonitrile declines may drag down acrylic and carbon fiber precursor prices, affecting industrial textile cost structures. Spandex's strong rally pressures elastic fabric producers, especially those in sportswear and underwear categories where spandex is a key auxiliary material. It is advisable to lock in long-term contract prices early to avoid further spikes in the peak Q4 season. The relatively moderate performance of the cotton chain means pure cotton product price volatility is low, making them suitable as stable procurement targets.