Polyester Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

United States paid the most for polyester in Q2 2026: USD 1,295/MT, up 3.8% from USD 1,248 in Q1.

Polyester, chemically polyethylene terephthalate, is the world's single most widely used synthetic fibre, polymerised from purified terephthalic acid and mono-ethylene glycol into fibre grade for textiles, film grade for packaging and industrial uses, and resin or bottle grade for beverage containers.

China hosts the overwhelming majority of global polyester fibre capacity, a position built over decades of integrated investment from PTA and MEG feedstock through to finished fibre and fabric, giving it a structural cost advantage that other producing regions have struggled to match.

Because PTA and MEG are themselves actively traded petrochemical commodities derived from paraxylene and ethylene respectively, polyester pricing tracks that upstream value chain closely, with apparel and home textile demand setting the pace on the consumption side.

Recycled polyester fibre, made predominantly from post-consumer PET bottles, has grown rapidly as apparel brands commit to recycled-content targets, creating a second, increasingly significant price signal for polyester fibre that runs somewhat independently of virgin PTA and MEG costs.

China's polyester industry has consolidated significantly over the past decade around a small number of very large integrated producers spanning PTA, MEG, and finished fibre, giving the country's cost structure an efficiency advantage that smaller, less integrated producers elsewhere have struggled to match.

China remained the most affordable origin tracked in this report, trading roughly 28% below United States through Q2 2026. Procurement teams sourcing across borders should factor that spread against their own freight and duty costs before comparing landed price.

Polyester Price Forecast for 2026

Expect steady gains across all four markets through H2 2026 as apparel and home textile demand continues its seasonal build. China should retain its structural cost advantage given decades of integrated capacity investment. The United States should retain its premium given its far smaller domestic capacity relative to import-reliant demand. Growing recycled-content commitments from major apparel brands are worth watching as a structural demand shift that increasingly runs alongside, and sometimes independently of, the underlying virgin feedstock cost trend.

Taken together, the 4 markets in this report averaged a 4.0% increase quarter on quarter through the first half of 2026, a pace we expect to broadly continue barring a shift in the underlying cost or demand picture described above.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

Polyester Prices Q2 2026:

• China: USD 1,010/MT
• India: USD 1,085/MT
• United States: USD 1,295/MT
• Turkey: USD 1,155/MT

Polyester Prices in China

China reached USD 1,010/MT in Q2 2026, ample integrated capacity met firming feedstock costs, putting it the most affordable of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.

Why did the price of Polyester change in Q2 2026 in China?

Ample integrated capacity met firming feedstock costs, supporting a steady increase, with China now sitting about 11.1% below the 4-region average this quarter.

China has averaged 1.9% a quarter over the six quarters this report tracks; this move came in faster than that longer-run pace.

Polyester Prices in India

India rose 4.1% to USD 1,085/MT in Q2 2026, growing domestic textile manufacturing capacity kept Indian pricing rising in step with the broader Asian trend, making it the 3rd most expensive of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.

Why did the price of Polyester change in Q2 2026 in India?

Growing domestic textile manufacturing capacity kept Indian pricing rising in step with the broader Asian trend, which puts India roughly 4.5% below the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.

Set against a 2.0% average quarterly pace over the six quarters this report tracks, India's move this quarter landed faster than that trend.

Polyester Prices in United States

USD 1,295/MT. That is where United States landed in Q2 2026, up 3.8% from USD 1,248/MT in Q1 2026, ranking it the priciest among the 4 markets this report follows.

Why did the price of Polyester change in Q2 2026 in United States?

Import-reliant demand kept US pricing climbing, even as it remained the highest-cost market of the group, working out to United States trading about 14.0% above this quarter's 4-region average.

Measured against United States's own average pace of 1.9% a quarter across the six quarters this report tracks, this move came in faster than that pace.

Polyester Prices in Turkey

Turkey's price gained 4.1% to USD 1,155/MT, strong regional textile export demand supported a firm quarter, placing it the 2nd most expensive across the 4 regions covered in this report.

Why did the price of Polyester change in Q2 2026 in Turkey?

Strong regional textile export demand supported a firm quarter, leaving Turkey running roughly 1.7% above the 4-region average for the quarter.

That is faster than the 1.9% average quarterly move Turkey has posted across the six quarters this report tracks.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

Polyester Prices Q1 2026:

• China: USD 972.00/MT
• India: USD 1,042/MT
• United States: USD 1,248/MT
• Turkey: USD 1,110/MT

Polyester Prices in China

China reached USD 972.00/MT in Q1 2026, feedstock costs firmed modestly as the year opened, putting it the most affordable of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.

Why did the price of Polyester change in Q1 2026 in China?

Feedstock costs firmed modestly as the year opened, carrying through to a steady early-year increase, with China now sitting about 11.1% below the 4-region average this quarter.

China has averaged 1.9% a quarter over the six quarters this report tracks; this move came in slower than that longer-run pace.

Polyester Prices in India

India rose 1.4% to USD 1,042/MT in Q1 2026, early-year textile sector restocking supported a firm start to 2026, making it the 3rd most expensive of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.

Why did the price of Polyester change in Q1 2026 in India?

Early-year textile sector restocking supported a firm start to 2026, which puts India roughly 4.7% below the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.

Set against a 2.0% average quarterly pace over the six quarters this report tracks, India's move this quarter landed slower than that trend.

Polyester Prices in United States

USD 1,248/MT. That is where United States landed in Q1 2026, up 1.4% from USD 1,231/MT in Q4 2025, ranking it the priciest among the 4 markets this report follows.

Why did the price of Polyester change in Q1 2026 in United States?

Import demand held firm through the quarter, supporting a steady early-year increase, working out to United States trading about 14.2% above this quarter's 4-region average.

Measured against United States's own average pace of 1.9% a quarter across the six quarters this report tracks, this move came in slower than that pace.

Polyester Prices in Turkey

Turkey's price gained 1.4% to USD 1,110/MT, growing regional export demand supported a modest early-year gain, placing it the 2nd most expensive across the 4 regions covered in this report.

Why did the price of Polyester change in Q1 2026 in Turkey?

Growing regional export demand supported a modest early-year gain, leaving Turkey running roughly 1.6% above the 4-region average for the quarter.

That is slower than the 1.9% average quarterly move Turkey has posted across the six quarters this report tracks.

Quarterly Polyester Price Trends

The global average climbed steadily across the window, from USD 1,034/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,136 by Q2 2026, a gain of 9.9% over six quarters.

What was Polyester Price in 2025?

The global polyester average moved steadily through 2025, opening near USD 1,034/MT in Q1 and closing the year at USD 1,078, a 4.3% increase.

Polyester Prices in China in 2025

China prices moved from about USD 920.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 958.73 by Q4, up roughly 4.2%. That left China ranked 4 of 4 tracked markets heading into 2026.

Polyester Prices in India in 2025

India prices moved from about USD 985.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,027 by Q4, up roughly 4.3%, placing India 3 of 4 tracked markets as 2025 closed out.

Polyester Prices in United States in 2025

United States prices moved from about USD 1,180/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,231 by Q4, up roughly 4.3%. United States closed the year ranked 1 of the 4 markets this report tracks.

Polyester Prices in Turkey in 2025

Turkey prices moved from about USD 1,050/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,095 by Q4, up roughly 4.3%, leaving Turkey in 2 place among the 4 tracked markets heading into the new year.

How We Can Help

Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Polyester Price Intelligence

Tracking polyester prices means tracking what actually moves them: purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) costs, regional demand shifts, and the policy decisions that touch both. Our team maintains that view across every region in this report, refreshing it as conditions change.

Rather than a single static figure, our forecasts blend capacity data, feedstock cost trends, and demand signals from across the regions we cover, built specifically to support procurement budgeting and supplier negotiations.

Reach out to our analysts for a deeper regional breakdown, historical data extending beyond the six quarters shown here, or a custom polyester sourcing analysis tailored to your specific procurement footprint.

We track virgin and recycled polyester fibre pricing as related but increasingly distinct markets, since brand recycled-content commitments are reshaping demand patterns faster than the underlying feedstock chain has changed.