Consumers Gear Up to Procure Polyester Filament Yarn, as Spring Festival Nears

Polyester Filament Yarn (PFY) facilities located in Jiangsu and Zhejiang have declared an extended Spring Festival break, scheduled from late January to early February. As a result of this announced break, many textile workers who are not local to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions have already returned to their hometowns by mid-January. This early departure of non-local workers has led to a notable increase in the operational efficiency of PFY plants, fabric mills, and printing and dyeing facilities in the weeks leading up to the commencement of the Spring Festival holiday.

In Zhejiang and Jiangsu, the operational efficiency of PFY plants has dropped to 71%, showing variations in rates across different regions. Specifically, in Changshu, it stands at 60-70%, exceeding 60% in Taicang, surpassing 80% in Xiaoshan and Shaoxing, approximately 60-70% in Cixi, and exceeding 80% in Changxing. Fabric mills in these regions have experienced a decrease to 60%, with water-jet mills in Wujiang operating at 80-90%, Changxing at over 80%, and North Jiangsu at below 70%. Warp knitting plants in Haining are operating at 60-70%, whereas those in Changshu are at 30-40%. Circular knitting plants in Xiaoshan and Shaoxing are operating at 20-30%, and those in Changshu have essentially halted production of PFY.

Regarding printing and dyeing facilities, the report indicates that dyeing plants in Changshu have already commenced their holiday period. In contrast, those in other regions are in the process of planning and initiating their holiday breaks, with schedules extending from around January 20 to the end of January. Some PFY factories have even set their holidays to last until February 8. The specific timing of these holidays depends on various factors, including the workforce availability and order commitments for each factory. Therefore, PFY factories with higher workloads might postpone the start of their holidays by a few days. Nevertheless, taking into account the workers' availability, even those planning a February holiday are expected to stop receiving PFY around January 25-26.

In the PFY manufacturing sector, it is anticipated that the operating rate of fabric mills in Zhejiang and Jiangsu will drop to less than 30% from around January 25 to the end of January. Traditionally, it is normal for downstream factories to go on holiday approximately 15 days before the Spring Festival, as this aligns with the typical time for non-local workers to return home. However, in 2023, the Spring Festival holiday commenced early, with factories starting their holidays a month in advance, creating an impression that the holiday season is later this year.

Therefore, ChemAnalyst anticipates potential fluctuations in the prices of Polyester Filament Yarn (PFY), which could either yield profits or incur losses. Additionally, there might be noticeable absence of orders post the Spring Festival, leading downstream participants to withhold market entry until they receive more substantial discounts from polyester companies.