15,500 CNY per ton—this figure reappeared on July 11, 2026, in Henan Kaijie Water Treatment Co.'s quotation for ordinary fiber balls. From 30mm to 50mm in diameter, all three specifications were priced identically, and this price has remained unchanged for seven consecutive months since late 2025.
Among the downstream applications of polyester staple fiber, the market performance of water treatment fiber balls is becoming a microcosm of industry supply-demand imbalance. While prices for textile-grade polyester staple fiber fluctuate with crude oil, this niche segment has entered a rare pricing stalemate.
Event Background: Market Signals from a Quotation Sheet
On July 11, 2026, Henan Kaijie Water Treatment Co. published its commodity quotation dynamics for ordinary fiber balls. Data showed that three specifications—30mm, 40mm, and 50mm in diameter—were all quoted at 15,500 CNY/ton, with delivery in Zhengzhou, Henan Province.
Notably, this quotation was not a temporary adjustment but a continuation of the price level set in late 2025. Against a backdrop of volatile chemical raw material prices, what does this prolonged sideways movement imply? Industry public data indicates that the main raw material for water treatment fiber balls is polyester staple fiber, which experienced an approximate 8% price decline in the first half of 2026.
The fact that fiber ball producers have not simultaneously lowered their finished product prices suggests two possibilities: either companies are compressing their own profits to maintain price stability, or inventory cost support prevents them from reducing prices. Both scenarios point to insufficient buying interest from the demand side.
Industry Impact: Reshaping Downstream Demand Structure for Polyester Staple Fiber
The stalemate in the fiber ball market is not an isolated event. It reflects that the application of polyester staple fiber in non-textile fields is facing growth bottlenecks. Industrial uses such as water treatment and filter materials were once key directions for differentiated development of polyester staple fiber, but current price signals indicate that demand growth in these areas has failed to keep pace with capacity expansion.
From an industry chain transmission perspective, the frozen fiber ball price means upstream polyester staple fiber producers cannot pass on cost pressures through price increases. China Customs data shows that in the first half of 2026, polyester staple fiber export volume grew by 5% year-on-year, but the average export price fell by 3%, indicating fierce competition in international markets as well.
For the textile industry as a whole, this phenomenon carries a warning significance. When demand for traditional textile-grade polyester staple fiber is affected by the global economic slowdown, growth in industrial-use areas was supposed to act as a buffer. However, the price trend of fiber balls suggests this buffer may be thinner than expected.