Polyester (PET) Chips
Fiber-grade (semi-dull) PET chips — carpet BCF needs IV ~0.85–1.05 · HS 3907.61/.69
PET chips are the raw material behind polyester — the second great furnishings fibre. Melt-spun into BCF or staple yarn, polyester now rivals polypropylene in machine-made rugs and dominates home textiles and upholstery fill. Its cost runs on different chemistry than PP — paraxylene → PTA plus MEG — so the two fibres' prices can and do move apart; right now they are trading near parity, a historically narrow gap.
$/ton China domestic (VAT-inc) · VAT-inclusive domestic print
Correction from the war-driven high
Still above the late-2025 trough
Since the war: price trajectory
$/ton China domestic (VAT-inc) · midpoint of the landed range · Nov 2025 → present
Leading indicators
These move the cost of any PP-based input — carpet yarn, upholstery fabric or moulded parts. Tap any row for the live source.
Outlook
The war premium is unwinding: PTA is ~11% off its June spike with futures in backwardation, MEG has round-tripped fastest, and chronic Chinese chip overcapacity caps any pass-through. Chips have fallen ~11% off the peak and SunSirs pegs the July band at roughly 7,200–7,600 RMB — lower-to-flat from here.
What it means for buyers
PET and PP are trading near parity (~$1,050–1,075/ton), with PET slightly cheaper — a historically narrow gap. If you spin or buy both fibres, this is the moment to compare quotes side by side: filament (POY) is falling faster than chip, so spinner margins are squeezed and yarn quotes should soften into Q3.
A benchmark, not your invoice — and why your quote may differ
Where the number comes from. We don't take a price from any single seller. The headline is the China domestic PET chip print (SunSirs daily national average) — the world's most liquid free polyester reference — with fiber-grade semi-dull implied within roughly ±$15–30 of it; the exact semi-dull print is paywalled (CCFGroup). The feedstock indicators (PTA and MEG) move first, which is what lets the tracker anticipate where chip prices are heading. Fiber-grade level implied from the free SunSirs China chip print (7,122.5 RMB/t on 2026-06-30, ~$1,050 at 6.78 CNY/USD); exact semi-dull fiber-grade is paywalled. China domestic prints include 13% VAT — strip it for an ex-VAT comparison against CFR quotes. Confirm with your supplier before transacting.
Why two honest quotes still differ
- ·Grade — different specs price differently. (Fiber-grade (semi-dull) PET chips — carpet BCF needs IV ~0.85–1.05 · HS 3907.61/.69.) Apparel-grade chip (IV ~0.64) is the wrong spec for carpet face yarn — if a quote looks cheap, check the IV. Recycled (rPET) chip is mainstream; ask for GRS certification if recycled content matters.
- ·Where you buy — importing a container directly vs smaller lots from a local distributor, who adds a margin.
- ·How much & how you pay — full-container contracts beat small spot lots; cash beats credit (which adds financing and KKDF).
- ·Origin & timing — Gulf vs Korean vs Indian material, and the exact day you ask.
Bottom line — treat this as a directional benchmark, then translate it to your own situation — your market's import stack, your grade, volume and terms. The indicators tell you which way it is all heading.
Data caveat
Prices are estimates, may be revised, and are subject to change. FurniPulse provides this for general market research only — it is not a transaction price or investment advice, and not a guarantee of accuracy or fitness for any commercial, customs, or financial decision. Validate against your supplier.
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When the indicators turn, we flag it — resin, chips and the costs behind carpets, textiles and furniture. Free, for buyers and manufacturers.
Revisions & correctionsShowHide
- 2026-06-30Tracker launched with a verified SunSirs-anchored sweep (chips, PTA, MEG, PSF, POY all dated 2026-06-24 to 06-30).
We publish corrections openly — when a number moves or an audit changes our read, it's logged here.
Sources
How PET Chips becomes a rug
A plain-English primer for anyone new to the material.
What it is
PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is the plastic behind polyester. It arrives as small chips made from two chemicals — PTA and MEG — and in furnishings becomes rug face yarn, upholstery fabric, curtains, and the fibre fill inside cushions and mattresses. A growing share is recycled (rPET) from bottles.
How it's made
The chips are melted and spun into yarn — continuous BCF filament for machine-made rugs, or staple fibre for softer textiles. Carpet-grade chips need higher molecular weight (IV ~0.85–1.05) than apparel-grade so the pile resists crushing. Colour can be locked in at spinning, just like PP.
Who buys it
Polyester yarn spinners and the mills they feed: rug producers in Turkey (where SASA supplies much of the domestic chip), Egypt, India and China, plus home-textile and upholstery makers worldwide. China dominates global chip output, which is why its domestic print is the benchmark everyone watches.
From barrel to broadloom
Where it's made
- ·China — dominant global producer; sets the benchmark price
- ·Turkey — SASA (Adana) supplies ~45% of domestic demand
- ·India — major producer (Reliance) and exporter
- ·Recycled (rPET) — Turkey, EU and Asia, mostly bottle-derived
Major producers (examples)
- Hengli · Tongkun · SinopecChina
- SASA PolyesterTurkey (domestic)
- Reliance IndustriesIndia
- Indorama VenturesGlobal
- Korteks · Polyteks (rPET yarn)Turkey
This primer is general industry education — not financial, trading, or procurement advice. Producer names are illustrative examples, not endorsements or a complete list. Figures on this page are estimates that may be wrong or out of date; always confirm with your supplier before making decisions.