US prices for H-Acid rebounded by 1.5% in December 2025, supported by the rising costs of feedstock, growing import prices from China and a steady demand from textile and pigment. Chinese refined naphthalene and sulphuric acid prices soared, driving up Chinese export prices and the landed cost for buyers in the US Transpacific freight rates on major route surged as congestion at the Louisville Rail Ramp added inland logistics cost, overall effective supply tightened. While US container imports from China dropped sharply year on year, specialty intermediates such as H-Acid remained tight in availability. Tariffs inflated input prices again, which limited downside price flexibility. Textile restocking ahead of the New Year and stronger US consumer confidence helped to bolster buying interest despite longer-term risks as seasonal textile downtimes and cuts in production in China’s polyester sector.
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.
