Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP) prices in the US surged in January 2026 due to tight supply, higher freight costs, & ongoing logistical bottlenecks to drive up the landed cost of imports. The US is reliant heavily on Canada and China for STPP, while there is little domestic production available, making buyers very vulnerable to fluctuating trade flows and shipping disruptions. Spot demand increased from detergent manufacturers who wanted to have cargo secured before their contracts renewed and paid a premium for quality material and reliable delivery terms. Although raw phosphate prices softened in late 2025, the savings were not yet passed down to finished STPP pricing. Large producers of household goods are feeling the pressure: Procter & Gamble had USD 22.2 bn in fiscal Q2 sales, but with margin pressure from input costs, Church & Dwight had USD 6.2 bn in sales for 2025 but cautioned about commodity volatility. Colgate-Palmolive experienced positive organic growth and continued to focus on costs.
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.
