Recycled polyester staple fiber (rPSF) is the workhorse fiber made from post-consumer PET bottles and post-industrial polyester waste. It feeds spinning mills, nonwovens, fillings, and geotextiles across apparel, home, automotive, and industrial markets. If you’re trying to budget a program, quote an RFQ, or negotiate with suppliers, you’ll quickly discover that there is no single global “price” for rPSF. Instead, prices move with feedstock markets, energy and logistics costs, regional demand, fiber specifications, and contract terms.
This guide explains how rPSF is priced, what drives those swings, how specs translate into premiums and discounts, and how to compare quotes across regions and suppliers. It also includes handy tables you can drop into a brief or internal deck.
How rPSF Is Quoted
Currency & Unit: Typically quoted USD/ton (or USD/kg) internationally; RMB/ton in China; INR/kg in India; EUR/ton in the EU.
Delivery Basis: Ex-works (EXW), FOB port, CIF/CFR named port, or DDP buyer’s site—each implies different logistics responsibilities and costs.
Specification Hooks: Denier, cut length, luster (bright/semi-dull), siliconized vs non-siliconized, solid vs hollow, tenacity/elongation, and contamination/gel count thresholds for spinning grades.
Quality Source: 100% bottle-to-fiber (B2F) vs mixed feedstock; food-grade PCR chain of custody (e.g., GRS) may carry premiums.
Typical Quotation Units and Conversions
| Market practice | Common unit | Quick conversion |
| International trade | USD/ton | 1 USD/ton = 0.001 USD/kg |
| China domestic | RMB/ton | RMB/ton ÷ 1000 = RMB/kg |
| India domestic | INR/kg | INR/kg × 1000 = INR/ton |
| EU domestic | EUR/ton | EUR/ton ÷ 1000 = EUR/kg |
Tip: When comparing quotes, always normalize to USD/ton, delivered to your site, to see the true landed cost.
Price Formation: From Bottles to Fiber
At its core, rPSF price is the sum of feedstock + conversion + compliance + margin ± logistics, adjusted for specs and market balance.
Simplified Cost Stack for rPSF (Illustrative)
| Cost component | What it includes | Cost behavior |
| Feedstock (bottles/flakes) | Bale collection, washing, flaking | Rises with bottle scarcity, seasonality, policy (deposit systems), and virgin PET spreads |
| Conversion | Spinning polymer from flakes/chips, fiber spinning, crimping, cutting | Sensitive to energy prices, labor rates, and line utilization |
| Quality & compliance | Sorting, hot-wash intensity, filtration levels, certifications (GRS, RCS, OBP), QA testing | Higher for spinning-grade vs filling-grade; certified supply adds overhead |
| Packaging & handling | Bale/pp bagging, palletization, warehousing | Modest but non-trivial for exporting lots |
| Logistics | Inland freight + ocean + insurance | Volatile with fuel, container availability, and geopolitics |
| Producer margin | Return on capital & risk | Expands in tight markets, compresses in gluts |
Because feedstock is the single largest variable, rPSF tends to follow washed PET flake prices with a lag, while also competing against virgin PSF (vPSF). When virgin becomes unusually cheap (e.g., crude collapses), rPSF sellers may face pressure to narrow premiums or even trade at discounts for lower grades.
What Specs Do to Price
Not all rPSF is equal. Each specification affects yield, line speed, and end-use performance—so buyers pay up or down accordingly.
- Denier & Cut Length: Popular 1.2D–3D x 38–51 mm for spinning commands higher prices than coarse filling fibers (7D–15D x 64–102 mm).
- Hollow vs Solid; Siliconized: Hollow and siliconized fibers for filling (pillows, toys, jackets) usually cost more than non-siliconized solid fibers due to process complexity and tactile performance.
- High Tenacity/Low Shrinkage Grades: Spinning mills needing consistent strength, low shrink, and tight CV% (coefficient of variation) accept higher premiums.
- Color/Luster: Bright white, low-yellowing fiber carries a premium over dull or off-shade material; optical brightener usage and process control matter.
- Contamination/Gel Count: Lower contaminant specs (black specs, gels) increase filtration and QA costs; spinning grades are at the top.
Common rPSF Specification Levers and Indicative Price Direction
| Spec lever | Example choice | Price effect (indicative) | Why |
| Fiber use | Spinning vs filling | Spinning | Tighter quality, better tensile/elongation, lower defects |
| Structure | Hollow vs solid | Hollow | Loft and recovery for filling applications |
| Finish | Siliconized vs non-siliconized | Siliconized | Soft hand-feel, reduced friction/clumping |
| Denier | 1.4D vs 7D | 1.4D | Finer denier requires cleaner melt/filtration |
| Cut length | 38–51 mm vs 64–102 mm | 38–51 mm | Spinning compatibility and uniformity |
| Luster | Bright vs semi-dull | Bright | Whitening/OBAs and process control |
| Certification | GRS/RCS chain of custody | Certified | Audit, segregation, and documentation costs |
Regional Price Patterns and Differentials
rPSF is inherently local because bottle collection is local. The largest collection and reprocessing bases (e.g., parts of China, India, Southeast Asia, Turkey, and, increasingly, North America/EU) anchor regional price levels. Freight, tariffs, and compliance rules then shape trade flows.
- Asia often sets the marginal price for exportable filling-grade fibers; China is a bellwether due to scale and bottle flows.
- India & SEA supply both domestic and export markets; currency moves (INR, IDR, VND) and duties change competitiveness.
- Europe carries higher costs (labor, energy, EPR compliance) but also stronger brand pull for certified PCR content in textiles.
- US prices reflect bottle deposit systems, MRF contracts, and coastal freight; certification premiums can be pronounced for apparel brands.
Illustrative Regional Landed Cost Comparison (Normalize to USD/ton, DDP Buyer)
| Origin → Destination | Base EXW (USD/t) | Inland + Ocean + Ins. | Duties/Fees | DDP Landed (USD/t) |
| China → EU | 1,000 | 180 | 6% duty + docs ≈ 70 | 1,250 |
| India → US | 980 | 220 | 0–4% + compliance ≈ 50 | 1,250 |
| Turkey → EU | 1,080 | 60 | Preferential (0–6%) ≈ 30 | 1,170 |
| Domestic EU | 1,200 | 40 | — | 1,240 |
Numbers are illustrative only. Your actual landed cost depends on port pair, season, fuel surcharges, and trade policy.
Market Forces That Move rPSF Prices
Feedstock Availability & Policy
- Bottle deposit laws increase collection but can raise bale costs.
- Seasonal beverage consumption changes bottle flows.
- Collection disruptions (weather, strikes, regulations) tighten supply.
Virgin Chain Economics
- rPSF competes with virgin PSF, which tracks PTA/MEG and crude.
- When virgin PSF drops, low-grade rPSF faces substitution pressure.
Energy & Logistics
- Electricity/gas price spikes hit conversion costs.
- Ocean freight volatility (blank sailings, canal closures) swings CFR/ CIF prices by triple digits per ton.
Demand by End Market
- Apparel brand mandates for recycled content support spinning grades.
- Home/textile seasonal cycles (back-to-school, holidays) pull on filling grades.
- Nonwovens (wipes, filtration) and geotextiles add a steady industrial base.
Certification & Traceability
GRS/RCS costs (segregation, audits, transaction certs) create consistent premiums for brand-facing applications.
Demand Pockets and Price Elasticity (Qualitative)
| End market | Elasticity to price | Notes |
| Fashion/apparel spinning | Medium | Brand mandates sustain demand; quality critical |
| Home textile filling | High | Substitutable with virgin; sensitive to promotions |
| Automotive nonwovens | Low–Medium | Qualified supply chains; specs hard to switch |
| Geotextiles/industrial | Medium | Project cycles; tender-driven pricing |
| Hygiene/wipes | Low–Medium | Stability valued; contracts with QA requirements |
Price Differences by Grade: A Quick Snapshot
Below is a hypothetical snapshot to visualize how specs sort the market. Use it to sanity-check quotes rather than as a live price sheet.
Illustrative Price Bands by rPSF Grade (Ex-works, USD/ton)
| Grade | Typical spec | Price band (illustrative) |
| Filling, solid, non-siliconized | 7D x 64–102 mm | 850–1,050 |
| Filling, hollow, siliconized | 7D–15D x 64–102 mm | 950–1,200 |
| Spinning semi-dull | 1.4D–3D x 38–51 mm | 1,050–1,300 |
| Spinning bright (low yellowness) | 1.2D–1.5D x 38–44 mm | 1,150–1,400 |
| High-tenacity spinning | ≤1.4D, tight CV%, low gel | 1,250–1,500+ |
| Certified GRS/RCS addition | Any | +30–120 vs non-certified |
Actuals vary by region, energy, and feedstock levels. Treat as directional guidance.
How to Compare Supplier Quotes Fairly
To make sure your comparisons are fair, standardize all values first.
- Match the spec: Denier, cut, luster, finish, tenacity, and contamination limits.
- Match the basis: Convert all quotes to DDP your plant in USD/ton.
- Check certification: Confirm scope (site-specific), validity dates, and transaction certificates (TC).
- Audit QA data: Ask for recent COAs (tenacity/elongation, shrinkage, yellowing index) and inline QC records.
- Confirm packaging: Bale weight/shape affects freight and handling costs.
- Validate lead times: Production slots and transit windows can be more valuable than headline price.
Contracting: Spot vs Term
- Spot: Flexible volumes; volatile pricing; best for opportunistic buying or trial runs.
- Term (3–12 months): Volume commitments with formula pricing tied to reference indexes (e.g., washed flake, virgin PSF, energy) and pre-agreed freight mechanisms.
- Indexation: A mixed index (e.g., 50% washed flake + 30% virgin PSF + 20% energy/freight) can stabilize exposure for both sides.
- Quality/KPIs: Include reject thresholds, response times, and corrective actions to protect line uptime.
Example Formula Pricing Structure (Illustrative)
| Component | Weight | Reference | Notes |
| Washed PET flake index | 50% | Regional monthly average | Quality-adjusted for IV and contamination |
| Virgin PSF index | 30% | Regional monthly average | Captures substitution pressure |
| Energy/freight factor | 20% | Diesel/electricity + freight index | Reflects volatility in conversion/logistics |
| Total rPSF price | 100% | Weighted sum +/− grade premium | Add fixed grade premium for spec & certification |
Practical Ways to Lower Your rPSF Landed Cost
Broaden acceptable specs within your process window (e.g., 1.4–2.0D instead of tight 1.4D only) to access more suppliers.
- Align cut lengths across SKUs to consolidate purchase volumes.
- Bundle certification windows (synchronize brand audit cycles) to reduce administrative premiums.
- Optimize packaging (heavier, denser bales) to save on container freight per ton.
- Negotiate coastal FOB with your own freight contracts if you have scale.
- Dual-source across regions to dampen local disruptions.
- Consider near-shoring for time-sensitive programs where stock-outs are costlier than modest price premiums.
Key Takeaways
There isn’t one global rPSF price; instead, you manage a set of differentials: feedstock, conversion, specs, certification, and logistics.
Spinning-grade, certified, bright, fine-denier fibers command the highest premiums; filling, non-siliconized, is the most cost-competitive.
To compare quotes, normalize to DDP USD/ton, and verify spec + certification + QA.
Consider formula pricing to share risk and stabilize budgets, especially for long-run programs.
Operational tweaks—spec breadth, packaging density, dual-sourcing—often save more than haggling over a few dollars per ton.
One-Page Summary Matrix (Print-Friendly)
| Dimension | Low price (↓) | Medium | High price (↑) |
| Spec complexity | Filling, solid, non-siliconized | Hollow filling | Spinning, bright, fine denier, high tenacity |
| Certification | None | RCS | GRS + full TC chain |
| Region | High-collection + low energy | Balanced | High energy + strict compliance |
| Logistics | Local/domestic | Regional cross-border | Intercontinental + volatile lanes |
| Contracting | Spot with flexible spec | Mixed | Tight spec + long-term + service SLAs |
Final Note on Live Prices
This article focuses on how rPSF is priced and why it moves. If you need today’s market numbers for a specific grade and lane (e.g., 1.4D x 38 mm spinning, GRS, China → EU, DDP Lyon), collect synchronized quotes and normalize them with the tables above; that will give you a defensible, apples-to-apples view of your true landed cost.
