Caprolactam prices surged by about 500 yuan/ton within a week to 12,400-12,500 yuan/ton, while nylon 6 chips followed suit to 12,900-13,000 yuan/ton, both rising over 4%. This sharp upstream cost increase is rapidly transmitting down the supply chain, triggering a wave of stockpiling in Shengze and Jiaxing, two major nylon filament hubs.
Accelerated Cost Pass-Through
Caprolactam and nylon 6 chips are the core raw materials for nylon filament, and their price volatility directly impacts weaving mills' production costs. The current price hike is not isolated: stronger benzene prices upstream, coupled with maintenance shutdowns at some caprolactam plants, have tightened supply. For nylon filament producers in Shengze and Jiaxing, raw material costs rose about 3%-4% in a week, squeezing margins and making price hikes inevitable.
Differentiated Demand Across Varieties
Nylon-6 FDY 40D/12F and 70D/24F were the main drivers of this restocking wave, with mainstream prices at 15,500 yuan/ton and 14,400 yuan/ton (domestic), respectively, and shipment volumes notably expanding. Demand for full-dull series also recovered, signaling a gradual start to outdoor and sportswear fabric orders. 100D nylon-6 FDY saw active trading, mainly used in spray-bag fabrics, aligning with the upcoming peak season for bag exports in the second half of the year.
160D nylon air-textured yarn traded steadily at around 15,600 yuan/ton, primarily interwoven with 70D/24F nylon-6 FDY to produce taslan fabric. Notably, honeycomb taslan has become a market highlight, valued for its breathability and abrasion resistance, with growing demand in outdoor backpacks and workwear.
30D/1F semi-dull nylon monofilament (prime grade) saw a slight uptick in demand, used for spray-woven window screens and wedding fabrics—a niche but higher-margin segment. Meanwhile, bright nylon FDY sales remained average, though its interwoven product with rayon, flash nylon-cotton fabric, is emerging as a new specialty that could gain traction in the second half of the year.
Order Recovery and Price Outlook
On the fabric market side, export orders for autumn/winter fabrics increased modestly, and domestic sportswear and outdoor apparel sales showed signs of picking up. These demand-side changes, combined with raw material price expectations, are driving weaving mills from 'wait-and-see' to 'restocking.' Industry public data indicates that nylon filament inventories in Shengze and Jiaxing are at medium-low levels; if raw material prices continue to rise next week, restocking intensity will increase further.
Trading volumes for nylon filament are expected to expand further next week, with prices likely to adjust upward. For buyers, the current period is a window to lock in short-term orders, but they must guard against high inventory risk.