On August 4, 2026, polyester POY quotes from several Zhejiang-based fiber makers clustered between 8,250 and 8,550 CNY per ton, a spread of just 300 CNY that nonetheless reveals deep shifts within the industrial belt. With feedstock costs largely converging, this quote gradient is not mere market-following but a composite reflection of inventory levels, product mix, and customer stickiness. For buyers, decoding the composition of this 300-yuan gap is far more valuable than chasing daily price ticks.
Quote Gradient: Different Calculations under the Same Spec
The quoted POY products are all 150D/48F semi-dull, first-grade, a mainstream spec with high market liquidity. Rongsheng Petrochemical and Zhejiang Juxing Chemical quoted the lowest at 8,250 CNY/ton, while Tongkun Group's Hengteng Differential Fiber led at 8,550 CNY/ton. Others, including Shenghong Chemical, Jiabao New Fiber, and Senkai New Materials, fell between 8,300 and 8,450 CNY/ton.
Notably, the price spread does not strictly correlate with company size. Tongkun, as an industry leader, quotes above smaller players, indicating a focus on quality premium and differentiation rather than sheer volume. Conversely, some large makers opt for lower prices, possibly to digest inventory or secure anchor orders. This suggests that quotes for identical specs are no longer a unified market anchor but an individualized expression of corporate strategy.
Industrial Belt Signal: From Scale Competition to Efficiency Competition
Zhejiang is the core production hub for polyester filament, with this round of quotes concentrated in Hangzhou and Shaoxing, covering the entire chain from feedstock to spinning. A 300-yuan spread is not historically rare, but with PTA and MEG price fluctuations easing, the gap now largely reflects differences in processing margins.
Low-quoting companies often possess stronger cost control or more flexible sales policies, while high quoters may offer added value in product stability, lead times, or after-sales service. For downstream weavers, purchasing decisions are shifting from pure price comparison to a holistic evaluation of unit fabric cost and quality consistency. This transformation implies that the competitive dimension within the industrial belt is expanding from production scale to operational efficiency and customer responsiveness.
Price Outlook: Narrow Range in the Short Term, Demand-Led in the Medium Term
From a supply-demand perspective, social inventories of POY are at moderate levels, and downstream weaving operating rates remain stable, reducing the likelihood of sharp unilateral moves in the near term. However, vigilance is warranted: any oil price shock or seasonal downturn in garment orders could pressure POY quotes.
Over the medium to long term, the premium for differentiated products will become increasingly pronounced. Tongkun's high quote is not an isolated case; the industry is intensifying R&D into functional and green polyester fibers. This means future POY competition will not just be about price but also about value addition and supply chain resilience. For foreign trade firms, it is especially important to monitor shifts in overseas demand for recycled or low-carbon footprint products, which could reshape export pricing structures.