Man-made staple fiber (HS Chapter 55) represents an important category of textile raw materials, widely used in apparel, home textiles, and industrial textiles. As the world's largest producer and exporter of man-made staple fiber, China exports its products to major textile production bases and consumer markets around the globe.

         According to customs data, China's total annual export value of man-made staple fiber (HS Chapter 55) in 2025 reached US$14.124 billion, a slight decrease of 0.6% compared to the same period of the previous year. In the first quarter of 2026, total export value reached US$3.513 billion, an increase of 0.74% compared to the same period in 2025.

         In 2025, China's exports of man-made staple fiber to its top ten global destinations totaled US$7.179 billion. The markets are primarily distributed across Southeast Asia, South Asia, South America, and Eastern Europe. Against the backdrop of a divergent global economic recovery and a restructuring trade landscape, the performance of major markets showed significant variation: five countries experienced year-on-year growth, while five recorded year-on-year declines. This pattern of diverging growth and decline reflects the latest development trends in the global textile industry chain.

Among all regions, Southeast Asia remains the most important export destination for China's man-made staple fiber. Vietnam (US$1.524 billion) and Bangladesh (US$1.562 billion) rank first and second together, accounting for approximately 42% of the total value of the top ten export destinations, fully demonstrating the region's core position as a global textile production hub. However, export values to both major markets declined year-on-year: Vietnam fell by 8.95%, mainly due to the diversion of some textile orders to lower-cost regions during 2024–2025, compounded by domestic inventory digestion pressures that suppressed import demand; Bangladesh saw only a slight decrease of 0.22%, remaining generally stable, reflecting the strong resilience of its ready-made garment industry. In contrast, emerging Southeast  Asian textile countries such as Cambodia (+9.11%) and Myanmar (+16.44%) showed outstanding growth, indicating that China's staple fiber exports are accelerating their penetration into new production bases within the region that offer stronger cost competitiveness. The pattern of intra-regional industrial gradient transfer in Southeast Asia is evident.

         The South Asian market performed impressively, becoming the most dynamic growth pole in 2025. India ranked first with the highest growth rate of 24.06%, with import value reaching US$416 million. This reflects not only the strong demand for chemical fiber raw materials driven by the rapid expansion of India's textile industry but also the pull effect of its role in absorbing certain order transfers.

         Pakistan's import value reached US$653 million, with a robust year-on-year increase of 22.51%. This strong growth reflects both the gradual recovery of its domestic textile industry after difficulties in 2023–2024 and the boost from government export incentive policies, which have significantly driven up raw material import demand. Indonesia, ranking fifth in import volume, saw a modest 2.41% year-on-year increase, demonstrating stable growth and reflecting the rigid demand for basic raw material imports from large textile-producing countries.

         As China's largest export market for man-made staple fiber in Latin America, Brazil ranked third with an export value of US$684 million in 2025, but experienced a year-on-year decline of 5.09%. This decline stems mainly from three factors: first, the continued depreciation of the Brazilian real has raised import costs; second, overall weak domestic textile consumption and high inventories have dampened enterprises' purchasing intentions; and third, some Brazilian textile companies have increased procurement from domestic and neighboring markets, leading to a contraction in demand for Chinese products. The potential of the Latin American market remains worth anticipating, but it is relatively price-sensitive in the short term, requiring continuous attention to exchange rate and macroeconomic trends.

         The strategic value of the African and Middle Eastern regions has yet to be fully explored. Taking Egypt as an example, its imports of Chinese man-made staple fiber in 2025 reached US$413 million, a year-on-year decrease of 8.31%, marking the most significant decline among China's major export markets in Africa. Foreign currency shortages, tightened import controls, and capacity adjustments by local textile enterprises are the main reasons for this import decline. The long-term development potential of Africa's textile industry should not be overlooked. With the continuous advancement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the vitality of intra-regional trade is expected to increase, which in turn will further drive demand for textile raw materials.

         Russia, persistently affected by geopolitical factors, experienced the most pronounced decline. Its imports of Chinese man-made staple fiber in 2025 were US$388 million, a sharp year-on-year drop of 30.86%, the largest decline among China's top 10 export markets for man-made staple fiber, making it the riskiest market requiring the closest attention.

         The core reasons for Russia's import decline include: first, sustained geopolitical conflict has profoundly impacted its textile industry chain, leading to market demand contraction; second, Western sanctions have hindered international trade financing and logistics channels; and third, fluctuations in the ruble exchange rate have increased import costs. This trend warrants high vigilance from export enterprises, which are advised to prudently manage their exposure to the Russian market.

In summary, the future of China's man-made staple fiber industry presents both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, the substantial growth in raw material demand generated by South Asian markets as they undertake industrial chain transfers will continue to create incremental space for Chinese exports. Emerging ASEAN markets are expanding rapidly with considerable growth potential. Furthermore, as the RCEP agreement is implemented more deeply, tariff reduction effects will further enhance the competitiveness of Chinese products.

         On the other hand, enterprises must also pay attention to core export market risks: exchange rate fluctuations, geopolitical uncertainties, reduced import dependence in some markets due to rising local production capacity, and the pressure of international commodity price volatility on cost transmission.

         Chinese manufacturers should seize the high-growth opportunities in India and Pakistan, establishing stable local cooperation channels to increase market share. At the same time, they should strengthen their presence in high-growth markets such as Cambodia and Myanmar, actively keeping pace with the development rhythm of local textile industry chains. Additionally, attention should be paid to foreign exchange risks in the Latin American market, and product differentiation should be advanced.

         In 2025, China's man-made staple fiber export market as a whole exhibited a pattern of "stable yet changing, with intensifying differentiation." The vitality of the South Asian market, represented by India and Pakistan, continued to be released, while emerging Southeast Asian markets, represented by Cambodia and Myanmar, grew rapidly, injecting new growth momentum into China's staple fiber exports. At the same time, markets such as Russia and Egypt, affected by multiple factors, have become risk points that cannot be ignored. Facing a complex and changing global trade environment, Chinese man-made staple fiber enterprises should deepen their market diversification strategy, accelerate product structure upgrades, and leverage the institutional dividends of regional cooperation mechanisms such as RCEP to continuously enhance their core position and competitive advantages in the global textile supply chain.

         As China's first data company, Guomaotong provides import and export customs data for over 90 countries from 2010 to present. It can accurately analyze market distribution and transaction details of import and export enterprises online, and analyze transaction volumes, prices, and supply cycles. It offers reliable data for foreign trade enterprises and industry consulting firms.

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