# High-density polyethylene: Feedstocks

Pure polymerised ethylene, so ethane wins

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/feedstocks/

What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.

HDPE is essentially pure polymerised ethylene, so ethylene sets about 75-90% of cash cost and most of the footprint. The cost curve is the ethylene curve: US and Gulf ethane-based plants lowest, Chinese integrated and coal-based mid-curve, naphtha-based Europe, Japan and Korea highest.

#### Inputs per tonne

| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Gas Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/natural_gas/) | about 1.0 t ethylene per t HDPE; about 1.25 t ethane per t ethylene (ethylene tile) | monomer in US, Gulf and gas-based Indian units | about 75-80% (indicative) | ethylene tile; indicative |
| [Oil Crude oil](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/crude_oil/) | about 1.0 t ethylene; about 3.3 t naphtha per t ethylene with co-products (ethylene tile) | monomer in Asia and Europe | about 80-90% (indicative) | ethylene tile; indicative |
| **Butene-1 or hexene-1 comonomer** | 0-3% by weight (indicative) | controls density and stress-crack resistance | about 1-3% (indicative) | indicative |
| [Cr Chromium](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/) | under 0.1 kg per t (indicative) | polymerisation catalysts; chromium grades for blow moulding | about 1-2% (indicative) | indicative |
| **Electricity and steam** | about 0.4-0.6 MWh per t (indicative) | compression, diluent recovery, extrusion | about 5-8% (indicative) | indicative |

#### Who is low-cost, and why

US integrated ethane-to-PE margins averaged about $580/t in early 2026 against a historic $830/t (Argus via ethylene tile), keeping US and Gulf exporters profitable in the trough. Non-integrated Asian HDPE makers buying naphtha-based ethylene are the marginal, highest-cost supply.

#### Raw materials on the commodity table
[Gas Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/natural_gas/)[Oil Crude oil](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/crude_oil/)

#### What it is made into

| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| [bPE Bio-based polyethylene and MEG](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/) | bio-HDPE is made the same way from sugarcane ethylene |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hdpe/links/index.md)