In February 2026, US H Acid prices surged as a combination of supply tightness, robust Asian export quotes, and seasonal demand for the spring textile-printing season created a bullish market environment. Early-month availability was constrained by Lunar New Year production slowdowns in China, port congestion, and routine maintenance at two Gujarat units, limiting exportable volumes. Persistent thin inventories at US Gulf and East Coast terminals, coupled with softening freight rates mid-month, prompted buyers to secure cargoes ahead of spring apparel and home-textile dye-batch programs. Strong demand from reactive-dye blenders and specialty textile printers underpinned the price rise, while paper-dye consumption remained steady. Rising feedstock costs, including naphthalene and sulfuric acid, freight pressures, and energy price concerns further reinforced the upward trajectory. Traders began panic buying, signaling sustained bullish momentum into March 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.
