US castor-oil prices moved lower in January 2026 as ample origin supply and softer downstream buying eased CFR Houston levels. Prices eased by around 4% month-on-month. Gujarat crushing during the Dec–Jan harvest supported exports and reduced urgency among US buyers. Freight relief and Gulf inventories diminished the need for aggressive spot purchases, with importers adopting a cautious, wait-and-see stance. The January tone trended toward softer offers and measured procurement rather than cargo urgency. Downstream demand was mixed across end-use segments: lubricant blenders remained cautious, with automotive lubricant sales soft after year-end stocking, keeping demand for castor-based lubricant intermediates muted; biopolymer producers and cosmetic formulators maintained routine schedules and pockets of buying outlook remains mixed for the near term, with modest moves in a narrow range around flat to gains. Freight relief and harvest momentum may keep CFR pressure lower in the near term, while inventories rebuild could support firmer buying later in the quarter.
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.
