The polyester staple fiber (PSF) market is undergoing a quiet price divergence. On July 3, 2026, public quotes showed the price gap between industrial fiber balls (30-50mm diameter) and conventional spinning-grade PSF (1.56dtex×38mm) had widened to over 8,000 yuan per ton. The former held steady at 15,500 yuan/ton, while the latter ranged between 6,940 and 7,320 yuan/ton. This is not a short-term fluctuation but a direct reflection of shifting downstream demand structures.
Price Overview: High-End Firm, Low-End Under Pressure
On that day, Henan Kaijie Water Treatment Co., Ltd. quoted fiber balls (ordinary grade, diameters 30/40/50mm) all at 15,500 yuan/ton, with origin and delivery in Zhengzhou, Henan. These products are mainly used in environmental protection fields such as water treatment and air filtration, representing a high-value-added segment of industrial PSF.
In contrast, spinning-grade PSF showed significantly lower prices. Zhejiang Tianchen Textile Supply Chain Co., Ltd. quoted multiple origins: Zhonglei (Huzhou, Zhejiang) at 7,320 yuan/ton, Xintuo (Xuzhou, Jiangsu) at 7,200 yuan/ton, and Yida (Suqian, Jiangsu) at 7,150 yuan/ton. Hebei Chujiao Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. quoted Huahong (Wuxi, Jiangsu) as low as 6,940 yuan/ton. For the same specification (1.56dtex*38mm, first-grade, melt direct-spun, cotton-type), the price spread among different brands reached 380 yuan/ton.
What does this imply? In the upstream textile sector, production concentration has not translated into uniform pricing power. Different mills, due to variations in location, raw material procurement costs, and operating rates, have adopted clearly divergent pricing strategies.
Industry Impact: Environmental Demand Props Up High Prices; Spinning Faces Capacity Consolidation
The high price of fiber balls is no accident. As industrial wastewater discharge standards tighten, demand for water treatment filter media continues to grow. Polyester fiber balls, with their corrosion resistance, good elasticity, and strong contaminant capture ability, have become a preferred alternative to traditional quartz sand and activated carbon. Although this niche market is smaller in volume than spinning-grade PSF, its profit margins are significantly higher and the competitive landscape is relatively stable.
The situation for spinning-grade PSF is more complex. The price range of 6,940-7,320 yuan/ton is already close to or even below the full cost line of some small and medium-sized mills. For melt direct-spinning processes, although raw material prices for PTA and MEG have recently fallen, fixed costs such as electricity, labor, and depreciation have not declined simultaneously. Low-end quotes are more often a passive choice by mills to maintain cash flow and clear inventory.
Regionally, the Zhonglei (Huzhou, Zhejiang) quote is higher than those for Xintuo (Xuzhou, Jiangsu) and Yida (Suqian, Jiangsu), while the Huahong (Wuxi, Jiangsu) quote is the lowest. This reflects more intensive capacity and fiercer competition in southern Jiangsu, while Zhejiang, with its relatively concentrated demand for high-end fabrics and differentiated fibers, offers slightly stronger price support.