Nylon market – Why Europe’s nylon 6 and nylon 66 market shows resilient recovery despite headwinds — opportunities for textile and automotive suppliers through 2026 and beyond now – Polymers and Petrochemicals prices 15-12-2025
Nylon market – Full price table (08/12/2025 → 15/12/2025)
| ITEM | 08/12/2025 | 15/12/2025 | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottle grade PET chips domestic market | 5,730 yuan/ton | 5,690 yuan/ton | -40 |
| Chinese bottle-grade PET chips FOB export price | 770 $/ton | 753 $/ton | -17 |
| LDPE CFR Est China | 990 $/ton | 965 $/ton | -25 |
| PET Semidull — Fiber chips | 5,560 yuan/ton | 5,540 yuan/ton | -20 |
| PET Bright — Fiber chips | 5,600 yuan/ton | 5,580 yuan/ton | -20 |
| Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA domestic market | 4,645 yuan/ton | 4,605 yuan/ton | -40 |
| Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA FOB China | 612 $/ton | 615 $/ton | -5 |
| Monoethyleneglycol (MEG) South China | 3,950 yuan/ton | 3,900 yuan/ton | -50 |
| Monoethyleneglycol (MEG) CFR China | 461 $/ton | 430 $/ton | -31 |
| Paraxylene PX FOB Taiwan market | 815 $/ton | 809 $/ton | -6 |
| Paraxylene PX FOB South-Korea market | 816 $/ton | 810 $/ton | -6 |
| Paraxylene PX FOB EU market | 834 $/ton | 806 $/ton | -28 |
| Polyester filament POY 150D/48F domestic market | 6,450 yuan/ton | 6,300 yuan/ton | -150 |
| Recycled Polyester filament POY domestic market | 6,050 yuan/ton | 6,050 yuan/ton | – |
| Polyester filament DTY 150D/48F domestic market | 7,800 yuan/ton | 7,700 yuan/ton | -100 |
| Polyester filament FDY 68D/24F | 7,450 yuan/ton | 7,250 yuan/ton | -200 |
| Polyester filament FDY 150D/96F domestic market | 6,700 yuan/ton | 6,550 yuan/ton | -150 |
| Polyester staple fiber 1.4D 38mm domestic market | 6,395 yuan/ton | 6,305 yuan/ton | -90 |
| Caprolactam (CPL) domestic market | 9,450 yuan/ton | 9,475 yuan/ton | +25 |
| Caprolactam (CPL) CFR China | 1,30 $/ton | 1,27 $/ton | -30 |
| Nylon 6 chips — overseas market |
Northeast Asia (China, Korea, Japan) $1.32/kg Southeast Asia $1.62/kg Middle East $1.50/kg Europe $2.37/kg North America $2.47/kg |
North America export : ~US$ 2.69/kg Europe: ~US$ 2.41/kg Northeast Asia: ~US$ 1.42/kg Southeast Asia: ~US$ 1.89/kg |
– |
| Nylon 6 chips conventional spinning domestic market | 9,850 yuan/ton | 9,850 yuan/ton | – |
| Nylon 6 chips high speed spinning domestic market | 10,050 yuan/ton | 10,050 yuan/ton | – |
| Nylon 6.6 chips domestic market | 14,400 yuan/ton | 14,700 yuan/ton | +300 |
| Nylon6 Filament POY 86D/24F domestic market | 11,300 yuan/ton | 11,400 yuan/ton | +100 |
| Nylon6 Filament DTY 70D/24F domestic market | 13,600 yuan/ton | 13,700 yuan/ton | +100 |
| Nylon6 Filament FDY 70D/24F | 11,900 yuan/ton | 12,100 yuan/ton | +200 |
| Spandex 20D domestic market | 26,700 yuan/ton | 26,700 yuan/ton | – |
| Spandex 30D domestic market | 26,200 yuan/ton | 26,200 yuan/ton | – |
| Spandex 40D domestic market | 23,000 yuan/ton | 23,000 yuan/ton | – |
| Adipic Acid China domestic market | 6,750 yuan/ton | 6,200 yuan/ton | -550 |
| Adipic Acid Europe market | 1,880 $/ton | 1,820 $/ton | -60 |
| Benzene domestic market East China | 5,350 yuan/ton | 5,315 yuan/ton | -35 |
| Benzene CFR China | 664 $/ton | 677 $/ton | +13 |
| Ethylene South East market | 725 $/ton | 725 $/ton | – |
| Ethylene NWE market CIF | 644 $/ton | 623 $/ton | -21 |
| Acrylonitrile (ACN) domestic market | 7,950 yuan/ton | 7,850 yuan/ton | -100 |
| Acrylonitrile ACN Southeast Asia | 1,21 $/ton | 1,10 $/ton | -11 |
| Acrylic staple fiber (ASF) CFR China | 13,895 yuan/ton | 13,895 yuan/ton | – |
| VSF viscose staple fiber | 12,900 yuan/ton | 12,800 yuan/ton | -100 |
| PP Powder domestic market | 6,250 yuan/ton | 6,280 yuan/ton | +30 |
| Naphtha overseas market | 518 $/ton | 508 $/ton | -10 |
| Phenol domestic market (Jinan Dezheng / Yanshan Petrochemical, Shandong) | 5,796 yuan/ton | 5,793 yuan/ton | -3 |
| Recycled PET | 4,250 yuan/ton | 4,050 yuan/ton | -200 |
Nylon market – Why Europe’s nylon 6 and nylon 66 market shows resilient recovery despite headwinds — opportunities for textile and automotive suppliers through 2026 and beyond now
Nylon 6 and nylon 66 remain core engineered polymers for textiles and automotive parts. Through 2025 the market balanced softer auto demand, persistent capacity in Asia, and rising sustainability pressures that increasingly shape procurement and pricing. This piece packages the latest production, price and demand signals into actionable context for manufacturers, buyers and investors.
What happened to prices in 2025 — the hard data
European spot and contract prices for nylon 6 and nylon 66 softened through 2025 as upstream raw material moves and weak automotive offtake pressured resin demand. nylon market
European bright-grade nylon 6 resin was assessed at roughly EUR 1,710 per tonne earlier in the year, reflecting transient volatility tied to feedstock moves and FX swings. nylon market
Recent regional price indexes show nylon 6 at about €1.55/kg in December 2025 — a meaningful point for buyers reviewing year-end contracts. S&P Global+1
Why prices softened: supply, feedstocks and demand mix
Three forces drove the downward price pressure. First, feedstock and crude dips in mid-2025 lowered caprolactam and related upstream costs; second, several Asian and European plants returned from maintenance increasing availability; third, automotive demand — a major nylon 66 driver — remained muted in parts of Europe, which made buyers cautious. Industry analysts and pricing platforms reported broad falls in Q2 and continuing pressure into autumn, with nylon 6 and nylon 66 following feedstock cycles closely. PriceWatch+1
Production and capacity: where the volume is coming from
Global capacity growth remains centered in Asia, while Europe is focused on higher-performance grades and recycling investments. Forecasts published in 2025 put the combined nylon 6 and nylon 66 market value in the tens of billions of dollars and project low-single-digit CAGR through 2035 as automotive electrification and technical textiles continue to demand high-performance polyamides. European mills continue to optimize specialty grades for automotive under-the-hood and textile filament markets, while chemical firms invest selectively in localized integrated routes to secure feedstock margins. Future Market Insights+1
Textiles: steady demand, fast fashion vs technical fibers
Textile applications remained an important, stabilising part of demand for nylon 6, especially in filament yarns for hosiery, sportswear and industrial textiles. Seasonal ramps ahead of major retail cycles kept some demand flows steady, but the overall textile sector also shifted toward recycled content and lower-impact feedstocks — a trend buyers must price into supplier selection and specs. The split between commodity fiber and engineered yarns means pricing sensitivity varies sharply by segment. nylon market
Automotive: substitution, EVs and higher technical specs
Automotive demand is more cyclical and quality-sensitive. Nylon 66 still dominates under-the-hood, connector and high-temperature applications because of superior thermal and mechanical properties; nylon 6 competes in fiber, trim and some lower-temperature structural parts. EVs raise nylon volumes for battery housings, cable sheathing and thermal management parts, but OEM order patterns and inventory discipline kept offtake below prior peaks in 2025. That uneven demand profile left the nylon market with pockets of oversupply and localized tightness for specialty compounds. S&P Global+1
Sustainability, circularity and the next supply shock
Circular solutions moved from pilot to commercial scale in 2025. Chemical recycling breakthroughs and enzymatic routes — able to recover monomers or high-quality polymers from mixed and fiber-reinforced waste — received significant investment and partnership interest from both apparel brands and automotive tier-suppliers. nylon market
New recycling capacity will matter long term because the growth in high-performance polyamides used in EVs and advanced textiles creates an end-of-life challenge that mechanical recycling can’t always solve. Early commercial projects announced late in 2025 signalled rising industry will to pay a premium for reusable or recycled content. The Australian+1
Practical signals for buyers and suppliers (short checklist)
• Buyers: lock flexible contracts for specialty grades and negotiate feedstock-linked clauses for spot commodity buys.
• Tier suppliers: develop technical compounds with recycled content and document lifecycle benefits for OEM approval.
• Traders: watch caprolactam and adipic acid spreads — they still lead short-term price moves. nylon market
These measures help manage margin squeeze and position companies to capture the premium expected for sustainable materials.
Regional outlook: Europe vs Asia vs North America
Asia retains scale advantages and drives global price direction, but Europe’s focus is on technical grades and circular investments. North America sits between, with demand driven by industrial applications and some onshoring. Expect Europe’s nylon market to be more differentiated: commodity volumes may stay under pressure while specialty, recycled and compliant materials attract higher margins.
Five scenarios to watch in 2026 (what will move markets)
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Feedstock price rebound (oil, benzene) — could lift caprolactam and push resin prices up.
-
New recycling plants come online — reduces virgin demand for selected grades. nylon market
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Automotive recovery or continued softness — immediate impact on nylon 66 demand.
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Trade and logistics shifts — freight cost changes can alter landed margins for Europe.
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Regulation on recycled content — could produce structural demand for recycled polyamides.
Each scenario has direct implications for sourcing, pricing and product strategy. nylon market
Key takeaways (three bullets)
• As of 12-12-2025, European nylon 6 prices were near €1.55/kg with nylon 66 following a similar softening pattern; feedstocks and automotive demand were the main drivers. Plasticker+1
• Global capacity remains Asia-centric; Europe competes on specialty grades and circular innovations. Future Market Insights
• Recycling and chemical recovery projects announced in 2025 are set to reshape feedstock demand and create premium opportunities for compliant materials. The Australian
References (most load-bearing sources used in this article)
Platts / S&P Global — European price assessments and market color. S&P Global
Plasticker — European monthly raw material price index (PA6 €/kg, Dec 2025). Plasticker
ICIS — market outlook and feedstock-driven commentary for H2 2025. ICIS Explore
FutureMarketInsights — market sizing and forecast context. Future Market Insights
The Australian (reporting on Samsara Eco) — enzymatic recycling and industrial circularity advances affecting nylon 66. The Australian
