Textile Raw Material Market Shows Divergence: PTA Leads Gains, Acrylonitrile Falls Over 4%

The second week of July 2026 saw clear divergence in textile raw material prices: PTA rose 2.25% week-on-week, while acrylonitrile plunged 4.20%. Of the 17 monitored varieties, only four advanced, nine declined, and the overall average change was -0.38%. This data reveals the reality of uneven cost transmission and mismatched supply-demand rhythms across the textile chain.

PTA's Strength: Cost Support and Supply-Demand Dynamics

PTA prices climbed from 5,780.66 yuan/ton to 5,910.50 yuan/ton, with a year-on-year increase of 21.80%. This performance was driven by three factors: firm upstream PX prices providing cost support, tight spot supply due to plant maintenance, and sustained rigid demand from downstream polyester producers despite slightly lower operating rates. However, the sustainability of PTA strength hinges on polyester inventory digestion. The broad weakness in polyester filament yarns—FDY down 1.68%, DTY down 1.28%, POY down 0.77%—suggests weaving mills have limited capacity to absorb high-priced raw materials, potentially capping PTA upside.

Acrylonitrile's Plunge: Capacity Release Meets Weak Demand

Acrylonitrile dropped 4.20% from 9,533.33 yuan/ton to 9,133.33 yuan/ton, the biggest loser of the week. Despite still being up 15.61% year-on-year, the sharp short-term decline signals a shift in industry fundamentals. New domestic capacity has been coming online, while downstream sectors like acrylic fiber and ABS face tepid demand, highlighting a growing supply-demand imbalance. For acrylonitrile producers, profit margins are compressing; for buyers, this means temporary cost relief but also heightened price volatility risk.

Cotton Chain: Modest Recovery but No Clear Direction

Cotton yarn 32S and 21S rose 0.61% and 0.28% respectively, while raw cotton fell 0.92%. The divergence—yarn prices edging up while raw material costs declined—suggests a slight improvement in spinning margins. This aligns with some mills restocking at lower prices, but overall transactions remain need-based, with speculative buying absent. Viscose staple fiber and spandex prices were flat, and rayon yarn held steady, indicating a wait-and-see stance in substitute markets. Notably, raw silk edged down 0.07%, with a year-on-year decline of 10.07%, reflecting persistent pressure on the sericulture chain.

Polyester Filament Yarn Weakens: Pressure from Weaving

Polyester FDY, DTY, and POY all fell, with declines ranging from 0.77% to 1.68%. This contrasts sharply with PTA's rise, highlighting polyester mills' inability to pass on higher costs downstream. Weaving mills maintain low operating rates and high finished product inventories, keeping raw material purchases cautious. Polyester staple fiber bucked the trend with a 0.95% gain, supported by production switching and substitution demand, but sustainability is uncertain.

Practical Recommendations

For Purchasers - For PTA and polyester staple fiber, maintain just-in-time procurement in the near term; avoid chasing prices. Monitor PX trends and plant maintenance schedules—if maintenance ends collectively, prices may correct. - After acrylonitrile's sharp drop, consider building modest inventory with stop-loss limits to guard against further downside from new capacity. - For cotton yarn, adopt a batch-purchasing strategy, locking in some forward costs using current low raw cotton prices.

For Textile Mills - Keep polyester filament yarn inventory low, prioritizing existing orders; negotiate price adjustment mechanisms with downstream clients to cushion margin erosion from raw material volatility. - Monitor the viscose-polyester staple fiber price spread and adjust production mix to optimize raw material costs. - For persistently weak varieties like raw silk, minimize inventory exposure and shift to fast-turnaround models.