In the 34th week of 2026 (August 24-28), textile commodity prices exhibited a striking divergence: polyester filament yarns—POY, DTY, and FDY—rose by 2.00%, 1.76%, and 1.70% respectively, while acrylonitrile fell 4.46% and PTA dropped 3.67%. This is not accidental; it reflects deep-seated cost transmission and supply-demand dynamics within the chemical fiber chain.
Background
According to data from Shengyi She (a commodity monitoring platform), ten textile products rose during the week, while only three fell, resulting in a negligible average gain of 0.03%. However, structurally, the polyester chain's strength contrasted sharply with the weakness in acrylonitrile and PTA. POY opened at 8,596 CNY/ton and closed at 8,767.5 CNY/ton; DTY and FDY reached 9,930.71 and 8,970 CNY/ton respectively, with year-on-year gains exceeding 21%. Acrylonitrile dropped from 11,966.67 to 11,433.33 CNY/ton, though still 44.12% higher year-on-year, signaling a potential turning point.
Notably, PTA—the direct raw material for polyester—fell 3.67% to 6,213.25 CNY/ton, yet remained 26.54% higher year-on-year. This means that while PTA prices declined, polyester filament prices rose against the trend, shifting profit margins from upstream raw materials to downstream processing. For polyester plants, lower input costs and higher product prices imply improved profitability.
Industry Impact
The collective rise in polyester filament is closely tied to seasonal restocking by downstream weaving mills. Late August to September is the traditional preparation period for autumn/winter fabric orders. Clusters like Shengze and Changxing see rising loom utilization, providing solid demand for POY and DTY. Meanwhile, high crude oil prices sustain PX cost support, and despite the short-term PTA pullback, market expectations of tight supply persist.
In contrast, acrylonitrile's decline stems from its own supply-demand imbalance. New domestic capacity continues to ramp up, while downstream sectors like ABS and acrylic fiber show insufficient demand, intensifying inventory pressure. If this downtrend persists, it will erode cost support for acrylic yarn, affecting substitution ratios with cotton blends. For knitting mills using acrylic blends, lower raw material costs may offer temporary relief, but they must also guard against inventory devaluation risks.
Another product worth noting is raw silk. It edged up 0.85% to 427,500 CNY/ton but remained 9.16% lower year-on-year, indicating the sericulture sector has yet to bottom out. Under weak consumption and competition from substitute fibers, raw silk's softness may persist, prompting silk reeling enterprises to control inventory cycles.