Nylon POY prices have entered a delicate mid-range equilibrium in late July. According to industry public data, the benchmark price of this product stood at 14,000 yuan/ton on July 24, 2026, up 2.56% from the beginning of the month. However, the annual price fluctuation range is as high as 5,650 yuan/ton. The current price is neither high nor low, sitting exactly near the mid-line of the year. This 'neither up nor down' pattern is precisely the strongest signal of intense game-playing between upstream and downstream in the industrial chain.
Dual Squeeze from Costs and Demand
Looking at the annual statistical range, nylon POY hit a low of 11,300 yuan/ton and a high of 16,950 yuan/ton over the past year, with an average of 12,862.98 yuan/ton. The current price of 14,000 yuan is about 8.8% above the average, but still 2,950 yuan/ton below the peak. This means that the price increase from raw materials—mainly caprolactam—has not been fully absorbed, while downstream weaving and garment fabric companies have not accepted higher procurement costs.
For nylon POY producers, the cost transmission chain faces pressure from two directions: upstream caprolactam supply is tight due to maintenance at some plants, keeping quotes firm; but downstream nylon filament and grey fabric inventory digestion is slow, limiting the room for POY price increases. The zero daily increase on July 24 already indicates the market is waiting for new drivers.
Industrial Significance of the Mid-Range Price
The 'one-year mid-range' position often has directional significance in textile raw material pricing. Looking at the price trajectory: from July 2025 to July 2026, nylon POY experienced a complete cycle of 'surge-decline-stabilization'. The current mid-range price of 14,000 yuan reflects a neutral assessment of supply and demand fundamentals.
For buyers, this price range means:
- If raw material shortage expectations materialize, prices may move toward the peak, giving current procurement a certain safety margin;
- If downstream orders remain weak, prices may test the average or even lower levels again.
From an industrial cluster perspective, weaving enterprises in Changle, Fujian, and Yiwu, Zhejiang, are generally adopting a 'procure on demand, buy as needed' strategy, unwilling to build large positions at mid-range prices. This wait-and-see attitude in turn suppresses the upward elasticity of POY.
Key Variables for Late Q3
Two sets of data are worth tracking in the coming months. The first is the pace of new caprolactam capacity coming online. If supply recovers after maintenance, upstream cost support will loosen; if unexpected outages occur, POY prices could break out of the current mid-range. The second is the performance of export orders for downstream textile and apparel. In the first half of 2026, the growth rate of nylon fabric exports slowed compared to the same period in 2025, as overseas brand destocking has not yet fully concluded.
Historically, nylon POY prices tend to show seasonal fluctuations in August-September. With the added variable of raw material supply this year, whether the price center moves up or down may become clear around the Mid-Autumn Festival.