Caprolactam rose another 500-600 yuan per ton within a week, reaching 13,100-13,200 yuan/ton, while nylon 6 chips followed suit to 13,500-13,600 yuan/ton. This upstream surge is rapidly transmitting to the nylon filament market in Shengze and Jiaxing, with 70D/24F nylon 6 FDY quotes climbing to 14,800-14,900 yuan/ton and volumes expanding notably. Raw materials are rising, demand is picking up, and prices are following, but market sentiment is already tinged with caution about a potential peak.
Raw Material Side: Cost-Push Logic
The consecutive hikes in caprolactam are the direct driver behind this round of nylon filament price increases. From the start to the end of the week, a 500-600 yuan per ton rise is not small in recent raw material trends, and nylon 6 chips rose accordingly, directly compressing margins in polymerization and spinning. For nylon filament plants in Shengze and Jiaxing, higher raw material costs mean either absorbing them or passing them downstream, and this week's market performance shows the pass-through channel is largely smooth.
Demand Side: Autumn Orders and Sportswear Fabrics
Demand is not without support. Foreign trade autumn/winter orders have increased slightly recently, and domestic sportswear fabric demand is showing signs of picking up, providing a real demand base for nylon filament price increases. By product structure, 70D/24F nylon 6 FDY saw strong sales, mainly flowing to water-jet looms producing nylon taffeta, nylon-polyester blends, and taslan for domestic fabrics—typical materials for autumn/winter outerwear and sportswear. In contrast, 100D/36F, 140D/48F, and 210D/36F saw average trading, with 210D/36F mainly used for polyester-nylon oxford, where demand is relatively stable.
Structural Highlights: ATY and Dull Yarn Trends
160D nylon 6 ATY deserves attention. Supported by demand, prices rose for both full dull and semi-dull variants, with downstream taslan and peach-skin fabrics widely used in autumn/winter outdoor and casual wear. Additionally, 70D/24F full dull nylon FDY saw decent shipments with prices moving up, keeping demand for dull nylon taffeta and dull taslan stable. Nylon monofilament, however, was flat, with 20D and 30D trading average, and 30D/1F bright trilobal and round cross-section yarns quiet, indicating that differentiated products are not broadly thriving, and the market remains focused on regular specs.
Outlook: Volume Up, Prices Steady, but Peak Risks
Raw material price surges show signs of peaking, yet upstream support remains in the short term. It is expected that nylon filament trading volumes may continue to expand, with prices likely to stay firm and adjust slightly upward. For buyers, current prices are at a cyclical high, and the risk of chasing and hoarding is accumulating. For weavers, whether grey fabric quotes can keep pace with raw material gains will directly impact profit margins. Although foreign orders are increasing, if raw materials continue to rise, pricing strategies for new orders need to be more cautious.