In the second half of January 2026, the US Polypropylene market turned to what can be described as a bullish momentum. Polypropylene prices increased by 1.62% in the third week and then increased another 1.06% in the fourth week of January. This exacted a positive 12-week bullish pattern. The rally was initially supported by tightening polymer-grade propylene streams following sporadic cutbacks in mid-January, strong demand for rigid packaging, pre-hurricane stocking and continued draw on pharmaceutical supplies from AptarGroup. In the last week, a 2.5% surge in propylene Gulf Coast PDH outage, together with harsh winter weather triggered Henry Hub gas 15%. Newly announced EPA VOC limits cause short term retrofit downtime, domestic run-rates squeezed, building further upward momentum. Firm automotive call-offs and solid railcar velocity were further signs of strength.
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.
