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United States paid the most for polytetramethylene ether glycol in Q2 2026: USD 4.55/KG, up 4.6% from USD 4.35 in Q1. Polytetramethylene ether glycol, PTMEG, is polymerised by ring-opening tetrahydrofuran into a soft-segment polyol almost exclusively used to manufacture spandex, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers, and specialty polyurethane systems requiring exceptional elasticity and recovery.
PTMEG-1000 and PTMEG-2000, named for their approximate molecular weight, serve different elasticity and processing requirements, with spandex-grade material typically drawn from a narrower molecular weight distribution than general-purpose grades used in other elastomer applications. China, Taiwan, and South Korea together host the overwhelming majority of global PTMEG capacity, closely tracking the concentration of spandex fibre manufacturing in the same East Asian region, making this a genuinely regionally concentrated market.
Spandex demand, driven by activewear, intimate apparel, and stretch fabric fashion trends, is PTMEG's dominant demand driver, giving this market a closer tie to apparel and fashion cycles than most other specialty chemicals in this pipeline. The United States hosts far smaller PTMEG capacity relative to its consumption, relying substantially on imports from the concentrated East Asian production base, which keeps American pricing structurally above the three Asian markets tracked here.
Comparing the four markets side by side, United States sat about 22% above China as Q2 closed. That kind of gap is common where import exposure and domestic production costs diverge as sharply as they do here.
Expect steady gains across all four markets through H2 2026 as spandex and elastomer demand continues its gradual growth. China should retain its cost advantage given its scale of integrated spandex and PTMEG production capacity. The United States should retain its premium given its far smaller domestic capacity relative to import-reliant demand. Activewear and stretch fabric fashion trends remain worth watching as the key demand driver, given spandex's outsized share of overall PTMEG consumption.
On balance, the first half of 2026 brought a 4.7% increase average move across the 4 markets covered here, a trend that should persist through year end absent a material change in the underlying drivers.
| Region | 2026 Price Range (USD/KG) | Outlook |
| Global Average | 3.93 - 4.34 | Balance of regional supply and demand conditions |
| China | 3.61 - 3.98 | Ample integrated spandex and PTMEG capacity met firming feedstock costs |
| Taiwan | 3.88 - 4.28 | Strong regional spandex export demand kept Taiwanese pricing rising in step with the broader Asian trend |
| South Korea | 3.82 - 4.22 | Firm domestic and export demand supported a steady quarter |
| United States | 4.41 - 4.87 | Import-reliant demand kept US pricing climbing |
In Q2 2026, China priced at USD 3.72/KG, up 4.8% from USD 3.55/KG the previous quarter, making it the most affordable of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.
Why did the price of Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol change in Q2 2026 in China?
Ample integrated spandex and PTMEG capacity met firming feedstock costs, supporting a steady increase, which puts China roughly 8.2% below the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.
Set against a 2.1% average quarterly pace over the six quarters this report tracks, China's move this quarter landed faster than that trend.
Taiwan reached USD 4.00/KG in Q2 2026, strong regional spandex export demand kept Taiwanese pricing rising in step with the broader Asian trend, ranking it the 2nd most expensive among the 4 markets this report follows.
Why did the price of Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol change in Q2 2026 in Taiwan?
Strong regional spandex export demand kept Taiwanese pricing rising in step with the broader Asian trend, working out to Taiwan trading about 1.3% below this quarter's 4-region average.
Measured against Taiwan's own average pace of 2.1% a quarter across the six quarters this report tracks, this move came in faster than that pace.
South Korea rose 4.8% to USD 3.94/KG in Q2 2026, firm domestic and export demand supported a steady quarter, placing it the 3rd most expensive across the 4 regions covered in this report.
Why did the price of Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol change in Q2 2026 in South Korea?
Firm domestic and export demand supported a steady quarter, leaving South Korea running roughly 2.8% below the 4-region average for the quarter.
That is faster than the 2.1% average quarterly move South Korea has posted across the six quarters this report tracks.
USD 4.55/KG. That is where United States landed in Q2 2026, up 4.6% from USD 4.35/KG in Q1 2026, putting it the priciest of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.
Why did the price of Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol 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, with United States now sitting about 12.3% above the 4-region average this quarter.
United States has averaged 2.1% a quarter over the six quarters this report tracks; this move came in faster than that longer-run pace.
In Q1 2026, China priced at USD 3.55/KG, up 1.5% from USD 3.50/KG the previous quarter, making it the most affordable of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.
Why did the price of Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol change in Q1 2026 in China?
Feedstock costs firmed modestly as the year opened, carrying through to a steady early-year increase, which puts China roughly 8.3% below the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.
Set against a 2.1% average quarterly pace over the six quarters this report tracks, China's move this quarter landed slower than that trend.
Taiwan reached USD 3.82/KG in Q1 2026, early-year spandex sector restocking supported a firm start to 2026, ranking it the 2nd most expensive among the 4 markets this report follows.
Why did the price of Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol change in Q1 2026 in Taiwan?
Early-year spandex sector restocking supported a firm start to 2026, working out to Taiwan trading about 1.3% below this quarter's 4-region average.
Measured against Taiwan's own average pace of 2.1% a quarter across the six quarters this report tracks, this move came in slower than that pace.
South Korea rose 1.4% to USD 3.76/KG in Q1 2026, consistent regional demand carried prices higher as the new year began, placing it the 3rd most expensive across the 4 regions covered in this report.
Why did the price of Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol change in Q1 2026 in South Korea?
Consistent regional demand carried prices higher as the new year began, leaving South Korea running roughly 2.8% below the 4-region average for the quarter.
That is slower than the 2.1% average quarterly move South Korea has posted across the six quarters this report tracks.
USD 4.35/KG. That is where United States landed in Q1 2026, up 1.5% from USD 4.29/KG in Q4 2025, putting it the priciest of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.
Why did the price of Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol change in Q1 2026 in United States?
Import demand held firm through the quarter, supporting a steady early-year increase, with United States now sitting about 12.4% above the 4-region average this quarter.
United States has averaged 2.1% a quarter over the six quarters this report tracks; this move came in slower than that longer-run pace.
The global average climbed steadily across the window, from USD 3.65/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 4.05 by Q2 2026, a gain of 11.0% over six quarters.
| Quarter | Price (USD/KG) | QoQ Change | Direction |
| Q2 2026 | 4.05 | +4.7% | ↑ Rising |
| Q1 2026 | 3.87 | +1.5% | ↑ Rising |
| Q4 2025 | 3.81 | +1.5% | ↑ Rising |
| Q3 2025 | 3.76 | +1.5% | ↑ Rising |
| Q2 2025 | 3.70 | +1.5% | ↑ Rising |
| Q1 2025 | 3.65 | - | - Stable |
| Q3 2026 | In Progress | - | - In Progress |
Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol pricing trended upward through 2025 on a global average basis, starting the year around USD 3.65/KG and ending it at USD 3.81, a 4.5% increase over the four quarters.
China prices moved from about USD 3.35/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 3.50 by Q4, up roughly 4.4%, placing China 4 of 4 tracked markets as 2025 closed out.
Taiwan prices moved from about USD 3.60/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 3.76 by Q4, up roughly 4.5%. Taiwan closed the year ranked 2 of the 4 markets this report tracks.
South Korea prices moved from about USD 3.55/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 3.71 by Q4, up roughly 4.4%, leaving South Korea in 3 place among the 4 tracked markets heading into the new year.
United States prices moved from about USD 4.10/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 4.29 by Q4, up roughly 4.5%. That left United States ranked 1 of 4 tracked markets heading into 2026.
Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol Price Intelligence
We monitor polytetramethylene ether glycol markets across every region with meaningful production or consumption, connecting the price you see to the tetrahydrofuran (THF) costs and demand conditions behind it. The result is a regularly updated view built from the ground up rather than a single static figure.
Our forecasts combine production capacity data with feedstock cost trends and regional demand signals, giving sourcing teams a defensible basis for budgeting and supplier negotiations beyond a single point estimate.
Get in touch with our analysts if you need a more detailed regional view, historical pricing beyond the six quarters shown here, or a sourcing analysis built specifically around your procurement footprint.
We track PTMEG-1000, PTMEG-2000, and spandex grade pricing separately, since general elastomer and spandex fibre manufacturers each specify a distinct molecular weight range suited to their process.
*While we strive to always give you current and accurate information, the numbers depicted on the website are indicative and may differ from the actual numbers in the main report. At Expert Market Research, we aim to bring you the latest insights and trends in the market. Using our analyses and forecasts, stakeholders can understand the market dynamics, navigate challenges, and capitalize on opportunities to make data-driven strategic decisions.*
Polytetramethylene ether glycol, PTMEG, is polymerised by ring-opening tetrahydrofuran into a soft-segment polyol almost exclusively used to manufacture spandex, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers, and specialty polyurethane systems requiring exceptional elasticity and recovery.
In Q2 2026, it averaged USD 3.72/KG in China, USD 4.00/KG in Taiwan, USD 3.94/KG in South Korea, USD 4.55/KG in United States, with United States the priciest of the 4 markets tracked in this report.
The global average moved from USD 3.81/KG in Q4 2025 to USD 3.87 in Q1 2026, then to USD 4.05 by Q2, a 6.3% increase across the two quarters.
Ample integrated spandex and PTMEG capacity met firming feedstock costs, a pattern echoed with local variation across the other markets this report follows.
Expect steady gains across all four markets through H2 2026 as spandex and elastomer demand continues its gradual growth.
Among the 4 regions this report covers, United States trades highest and China trades lowest, a gap driven by differences in local production cost, import exposure, and demand intensity rather than any single factor.
Tetrahydrofuran feedstock costs, the sole monomer input into production; Spandex fibre demand, the dominant end use by a wide margin; Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer demand, a substantial secondary market, along with broader macroeconomic conditions across the 4 regions this report tracks.
The United States hosts far smaller PTMEG capacity relative to its consumption, relying substantially on imports from the concentrated East Asian production base, which keeps American pricing structurally above the three Asian markets tracked here.
Spandex fibre relies on PTMEG's exceptional elasticity and recovery properties in a way that few other applications can substitute for, and spandex production has grown steadily alongside activewear and stretch fabric fashion trends worldwide. That concentrated reliance means PTMEG demand tracks the spandex industry's own fortunes more closely than almost any other end use.
Monthly, though our analysts flag any material shift in feedstock costs or regional demand as soon as it emerges.
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