The US Sodium Benzoate market stayed stuck in the doldrums during the first week of December 2025, prolonging the downward slide that started back in November. Prices just kept on drifting lower as there was enough Sodium benzoate sloshing around and inventory levels still looked pretty enough, which meant buyers didn’t have to rush to place orders. Competitive import offers and stable shipping didn’t help to get buyers excited to buy more, and basically kept the supply chain well stocked. While demand from key end-users like food & drink manufacturers, pharma companies and the beauty industry held steady, it’s just been too quiet so far this month. Most buyers took a 'wait and see' approach, which put downward pressure on spot prices. While some sellers did cut their prices to get rid of their stock, this just helped to keep the mood subdued. Although the market is currently weak, there is no overtly negative sentiment toward it. Industry participants expect to see increased activity as demand rebounds with late December holiday schedules and as consumers stockpile, and expect ongoing supply chain issues, which are likely to help absorb excess supply and help stabilize prices for Sodium Benzoate during late December.
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.
