Demand for polyester staple fiber (PSF) in the water treatment sector is entering a phase of stability, as indicated by the latest fiber ball price data. On July 11, 2026, Henan Kaijie Water Treatment Co., Ltd. quoted ordinary fiber balls at 15,500 RMB/ton for diameters of 30mm, 40mm, and 50mm, unchanged from previous periods.
Signals from Price Stability
Fiber balls are key filtration materials in water treatment, primarily made from PSF. As a major supplier, Henan Kaijie's pricing serves as a benchmark. The flat price trend suggests two key insights: upstream PSF raw material costs have not fluctuated sharply, and downstream water treatment project procurement remains steady.
From an industry chain perspective, PSF accounts for over 60% of fiber ball production costs. Stable raw material prices indicate that the chemical fiber sector has not been impacted by sudden crude oil or PX price shocks. For the textile industry, this reinforces the current weak equilibrium in the overall PSF market.
Regional and Application Links
Fiber ball production is concentrated in Henan and Shandong, regions known for water treatment equipment manufacturing. Price movements from Henan Kaijie often reflect regional demand changes. Notably, fiber balls are not traditional textile products (e.g., apparel or home textiles) but represent industrial textiles, a stable and growing demand source for PSF.
Driven by national water pollution control initiatives, new and upgraded municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities have created rigid demand for fiber balls. However, since 2026, the pace of new projects has slowed, shifting toward retrofitting existing facilities, explaining the sideways price trend.
Broader Impact on PSF Market
The fiber ball sector consumes an estimated 150,000-200,000 tons of PSF annually, or 3%-4% of total PSF output. While the share is small, demand is highly inelastic and unaffected by apparel cycles. Amid pressures from volatile foreign orders and weak domestic demand, industrial textile applications provide a crucial buffer for PSF producers.
Yet, this stability implies limited growth. To expand, PSF producers must focus on recovery in traditional textile sectors or explore other industrial uses such as geotextiles or filtration materials.