16,250 yuan per ton—the benchmark price of nylon FDY as of July 17, 2026, representing a mere 0.31% decline from the start of the month. Behind this seemingly stable figure lies a year-long price turbulence in the chemical fiber industry. From July 2025 to July 2026, nylon FDY prices fluctuated between a low of 14,175 yuan/ton and a high of 19,950 yuan/ton, a spread of 5,775 yuan. Although the current price sits in the mid-low range, it remains 3,700 yuan below the historical peak, indicating that profit distribution along the industrial chain is undergoing a deep reassessment.
Decoding the Price Signal
As a key chemical fiber variety, nylon FDY's price movements directly reflect upstream caprolactam costs and downstream weaving demand. Over the past year, the median price was 17,062.5 yuan/ton, while the average was only 15,637.16 yuan/ton. The median significantly exceeding the average suggests that prices have lingered in the lower range for extended periods, with occasional rebounds lacking sustainability. This pattern points to two core variables: first, sustained capacity release of upstream raw materials has weakened cost support; second, slowing order growth in end-use apparel and home textiles has extended inventory digestion cycles.
From a regional perspective, industrial clusters in Shengze, Changxing, and Fujian reported generally low operating rates in the first half of 2026, with some small and medium-sized factories opting for production cuts to defend prices. Prices remaining below the median for long periods mean compressed gross margins across the sector, with cash flow pressures cascading to midstream supply chains. For buyers, while current prices are relatively low, they are not yet at the historical bottom—the bottom difference of 2,075 yuan/ton suggests further downside if demand deteriorates.
Chain Transmission and Game Logic
The price trajectory of nylon FDY is not an isolated event. Over the past year, other chemical fiber varieties such as polyester filament and spandex have also faced price pressure, with the industry overall in a destocking cycle. Nylon FDY's daily change has been reported at 0.00% for consecutive days, reflecting thin market activity and a standoff between buyers and sellers: suppliers are reluctant to cut prices further, while buyers are waiting for clearer bottom signals.
This impasse stems from a mismatch in supply and demand. On one hand, new caprolactam capacity released domestically between 2025 and 2026 has kept nylon chip supply ample, limiting cost-side price support. On the other hand, downstream weaving enterprises have been cautious about restocking due to overseas inflation and exchange rate fluctuations affecting export orders. Notably, the growth rate of textile and apparel exports in the first half of 2026 slowed by about 3-5 percentage points year-on-year, directly curbing incremental procurement of chemical fiber raw materials.