Price trend

In September 2025, the market for dissolving pulp, the main raw material for viscose staple fiber, saw little fluctuation, with flat performance and limited support from the cost side. Downstream procurement was on-demand, with spinning mills primarily consuming raw material inventories and urgently needing to replenish stocks, leading to a slight improvement in demand. Manufacturers' inventory levels remained low, with no significant inventory pressure on the market, providing some support on the supply side. The viscose staple fiber market trended slightly upward.

According to the commodity market analysis system of SunSirs, in September 2025, the market price of viscose staple fiber rose slightly. As of September 29, the average market price of viscose staple fiber was 13,120 RMB/ton, an increase of 80 RMB/ton compared with the same period in August, a monthly increase of 0.61%.

Analysis review

Cost:

In September 2025, the market price of raw material dissolving pulp remained relatively stable, with limited cost support. As of September 29, the price of domestic dissolving pulp was around 6,700 RMB/ton, while the price of overseas hardwood pulp was around $800/ton and that of softwood pulp was around $870/ton. The market prices of auxiliary materials such as liquid caustic soda and sulfuric acid remained largely stable with minor fluctuations, providing general cost support.

Inventory Levels Declined

Supply in the industry remained relatively stable, with the daily operating rate remaining around 75%. Inventory levels at various viscose staple fiber manufacturers had declined compared to previous periods, with downstream yarn manufacturers taking delivery on demand. Overall inventory levels in the viscose staple fiber market had decreased, with minimal fluctuations in industry supply. Some manufacturers had low inventory levels, suggesting limited support from the supply side.

Downstream Procurement on Demand

The downstream rayon yarn market saw a slight increase in plant operating rates, with minimal price fluctuations. As of September 14th, the price of ring-spun R30S yarn in Jiangsu Province was around 17,100 RMB/ton, and that of ring-spun R40S yarn was around 18,300 RMB/ton. The market was traditionally in the off-season, and downstream rayon yarn transactions were suboptimal. Only certain vortex-spun rayon yarn types were seeing some improvement in export orders. Spinning mills were primarily consuming raw material inventories and were in urgent need of replenishment, leading to a slight improvement in demand.

Future outlook:

On the raw material side, the market for dissolving pulp (the main ingredient) and sulfuric acid (the auxiliary ingredient) is likely to remain generally stable, while the market for liquid caustic soda may see a narrow decline. Therefore, it is expected that the market price of viscose staple fiber raw materials will decline in the short term, and the cost side will be insufficiently supported.

Supply and demand side: The operating rate of viscose staple fiber market equipment may not fluctuate much, and the inventory levels of some manufacturers are relatively low. Therefore, it is expected that the supply side of the viscose staple fiber market will be stronger in the short term; the terminal market demand has increased, and procurement is mainly on demand. It is expected that the driving force from the demand side of the viscose staple fiber market will be limited in the short term.

On the whole, the main raw material dissolving pulp market may remain weak and stalemate, the overall supply is sufficient, downstream spinning mills mainly sign orders on demand and purchase on demand, and under the mixed news on the market, viscose staple fiber manufacturers may maintain their previous quotations. Therefore, analysts of SunSirs predict that in the short term, the domestic viscose staple fiber market will be stable with small fluctuations, and the price is expected to be 13,000-13,200 RMB/ton.

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