Acetic acid prices rose slightly over the first week of January 2026 in both China and the US Currently increased post-holiday demand and tighter supply conditions were the main drivers for the increase in prices in both countries. In China, prices for acetic acid increased approximately 2% due to reduced operating rates, delayed restarts of production facilities and little to no spot availability due to poor inventories. The rebound in demand from downstream customers who were resupplying their inventories as prices increased contributed to the increase in prices. Several of the important derivative markets for acetic acid are vinyl acetate monomers (VAMs), purified terephthalic acid (PTA), and acetate esters. All these sectors experienced improved demand during the week. US acetic acid prices rose approximately 1% during the week because of a decrease in seasonal inventory draws and the need to restock early in the year. The strong costs of methanol feedstocks were also a factor in assisting with price support in the US Strong ocean freight rates worldwide provided further support to a stable to slightly bullish price outlook for acetic acid in January.
Selenis has effectively manufactured recycled PET chips using terephthalic acid sourced from Circ®, a textile-to-textile recycler based in Virginia. The chip production took place through a series of batches at Selenis' pilot plant in San-Giorgio, Italy. By utilizing inputs recovered from polycotton textile waste, Selenis has created high-quality PET chip, which has been further processed into DTY yarn. This yarn will play a crucial role in product development as Circ prepares for additional capsule launches. Selenis is leveraging the success of this initial collaboration phase and is committed to advancing towards an offtake partnership to support Circ's inaugural industrial facility.
Eduardo Santos, Head of Corporate Strategy at Selenis, remarked that the monomer synthesis showed a performance comparable to virgin terephthalic acid. He expressed optimism about the consistent quality of Circ's monomer output and anticipated future commercial success. Santos pointed out that the Circ partnership complements Selenis's existing mission and goals for a more sustainable textile industry. He further stated their anticipation of expanding upon this collaboration and providing support for Circ's forthcoming commercial production trials.
