The prices of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) in China rose significantly by 4.2% at the beginning of January 2026. The development was fostered by strengthening exports, notably after India relived some petrochemical import BIS certification requirements, re-established export avenues and took in more volumes of PTA. Urbanisation and growing demand for polyester chain products in the major end-user regions continued to hold the positive factors for the buying interest in the PTA market. Strong PX feedstock prices due to tight near-term supplies as maintenance and other disruptions also lifted upstream cost support. High domestic PTA self-sufficiency in China also strengthened the market. It helped ease import pressure and strengthened the pricing power of local producers. While some users in the downstream sectors may have drawn on their supplies, the combination of high PX costs, export demand, and throughput in the polyester sector painted a increasingly bullish picture for PTA prices as head into 2026.
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.
