Overview of polyester exports in Chinese mainland in September

According to the latest customs data, China's polyester exports totaled 1.184 million tons in September 2025, down 41kt month-on-month but up 202kt year-on-year. By product category, polyester filament and staple fiber exports continued to show strong year-on-year growth, while bottle-grade PET exports saw slower year-on-year growth and a clear month-on-month decline.

In terms of detailed indicators, the main drivers of growth in September were polyester filament, staple fiber, and film, all of which still recorded solid year-on-year increases. However, bottle-grade PET showed a relatively smaller year-on-year gain and a notable month-on-month decline.

From a year-on-year perspective, polyester filament saw the largest volume increase, up 73kt from the same period last year, while polyester staple fiber posted the most significant growth rate, rising 43% year-on-year. In contrast, bottle-grade PET (HS code 39076110, same below) showed a gradual slowdown, with its year-on-year growth limited to around 7%.

From a month-on-month perspective, export momentum weakened - staple fiber and bottle-grade PET exports declined, while other product categories saw only limited growth. In recent months, whether bottle-grade PET exports can recover may play a key role in shaping the direction of total polyester exports going forward.

Overall, polyester exports in September rose 28% year-on-year, largely due to a low base last year, but fell 3% month-on-month.

By destination, for polyester filament, Pakistan posted the largest increase, up 21kt year-on-year and 13kt month-on-month. Cumulatively from January to September, major destinations showing the largest growth included India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Brazil, and Vietnam.

For polyester staple fiber, Pakistan again led the gains, up 11kt year-on-year in September, with cumulative growth mainly to Pakistan, Vietnam, and Brazil.

In total, China's polyester exports reached 10.804 million tons in January–September 2025, up 1.516 million tons year-on-year, representing a 16% cumulative increase. Direct exports continued to provide significant support for polyester demand this year.