A single nylon POY price has traveled from 11,300 yuan/ton to 16,950 yuan/ton and back over the past year, finally settling at 13,625 yuan/ton—a figure that sits precisely at the midpoint of the annual price range.
The Industrial Logic Behind the Midpoint Price
According to publicly available industry data, as of July 7, 2026, the benchmark price for nylon POY stood at 13,625 yuan/ton, down 0.18% from the beginning of the month, with zero daily change. More noteworthy is its annual price structure: a low of 11,300 yuan/ton, a high of 16,950 yuan/ton, and a midpoint of 14,125 yuan/ton. The current price is only 500 yuan away from the midpoint, a deviation of less than 4%.
What does this mean? Over the past 12 months, nylon POY has neither sustained an upward trend nor fallen into a deep decline, but has repeatedly oscillated within a wide range. Given the annual average of 12,803 yuan/ton, most of the year saw prices operating at lower levels, with the peak (16,950 yuan/ton) occurring during a specific period before quickly retreating.
Where the Upstream-Downstream Blockage Lies
For the chemical fiber industry chain, this sideways consolidation reflects a balance of forces. Continuous capacity releases upstream in caprolactam have weakened cost support for nylon chips, while downstream demand in weaving and apparel has fallen short of expectations, with procurement limited to just-in-time replenishment and little speculative stockpiling.
Looking at the annual spread, the top-end difference reaches 3,325 yuan/ton, and the bottom-end difference is 2,325 yuan/ton, indicating that the market does have elasticity for fluctuations but lacks a sustainable directional driver. Every sharp rally triggers hedging and capacity releases, while every sharp decline stimulates cost support and restocking, ultimately pulling prices back to the mid-range.
Actual Impact on Industrial Clusters
This pricing landscape has a direct impact on nylon clusters such as Changle in Fujian and Hai'an in Jiangsu. Changle, as China's largest base for nylon civil yarn, sees the prolonged sideways movement of POY prices compressing processing margins. While raw material volatility is low, competition in downstream grey fabrics and finished fabrics is fierce, making it difficult for weaving mills to pass on costs through price increases.
Differentiated nylon producers in Hai'an are relatively better off. Because demand for functional fabrics and high-end outdoor apparel is relatively stable, these companies can maintain profit margins through product differentiation, reducing their reliance on commodity-grade POY. Industry divergence is intensifying.
Short-Term Outlook and Operational Rhythm
Based on current data, nylon POY prices have formed a short-term equilibrium around 13,600 yuan/ton. The upcoming maintenance season for caprolactam plants may provide temporary cost support, but the fall/winter fabric order season has yet to kick off in full, leaving the demand side without a catalyst.
Overall, within the next one to two months, nylon POY is likely to continue oscillating within the 13,000-14,000 yuan/ton range. The real inflection point may come in Q4—if end-apparel destocking is completed, combined with Double 11 and pre-Spring Festival orders, the price center could shift upward.