In the third week of July 2026, the textile sector's bulk commodity price change list revealed eight rising and three falling items, tracing a clear pressure line along the supply chain: upstream raw material gains are spreading faster than downstream can absorb.
Upstream Raw Materials Surge, Chemical Fiber Chain Heats Up
Acrylonitrile stood out with a 5.11% weekly increase, rising from 9,133 yuan/ton to 9,600 yuan/ton, a year-on-year gain of 22.29%. This is a rare weekly jump in recent months. PTA and polyester staple fiber followed, up 1.48% and 1.30% respectively, with year-on-year increases of 25.68% and 12.73%. Polyester DTY, POY, and nylon POY, DTY also recorded gains between 0.25% and 0.75%. The entire chemical fiber chain was almost entirely in the green.
What does this mean? Industry data suggests that the upstream price hikes are not isolated. Acrylonitrile, a key raw material for acrylic fiber and ABS resin, often moves in tandem with crude oil and petrochemical intermediates. The rise in PTA directly lifts the cost center of the polyester chain. For polyester filament and staple fiber producers, rising raw material costs are quickly passing into ex-factory quotes, but acceptance at the downstream weaving stage remains uncertain.
Cotton Chain Under Pressure, Yarn Prices Weaken
In stark contrast, cotton yarn 32S and 21S fell 0.60% and 0.57% respectively, while raw silk edged down 0.14%. Although the declines are modest, their direction against the overall upward trend warrants attention.
From a supply chain perspective, the weakening of cotton yarn prices may reflect subdued purchasing appetite from downstream weaving and apparel makers. Despite cotton lint prices rising 0.13% to 17,729 yuan/ton (up 15.31% year-on-year), cotton yarn failed to follow, indicating limited end-user tolerance for high-priced yarn. This 'raw material up, finished product down' dynamic means cotton mills are squeezed from both sides: high cotton costs and inability to pass them on.
Divergence Signals Deeper Dynamics
The average weekly change of 0.54% appears moderate, but the underlying structure tells a different story. Gains were concentrated in chemical fiber intermediates like acrylonitrile, PTA, and polyester staple fiber, while polyester yarn, viscose staple fiber, and spandex held flat. This suggests the price hikes have not yet fully passed through to the spinning stage, creating a 'price gap' in the chain.
For buyers, the key risk is the lagged effect of cost pass-through. If acrylonitrile and PTA continue to rise over the next 1-2 weeks, a catch-up in downstream products like polyester and nylon yarn is almost inevitable. The current window for locking in costs may close quickly.