# Paraxylene: Overview

Why almost every polyester thread starts with PX

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/overview/

What this tab covers What the chemical is, how big its market is, what it is used for (with shares, volumes, why it wins and what could replace it), and its chain from raw material to end user. Ends with three things to remember.

Paraxylene (PX) is separated from mixed xylenes in large aromatics complexes fed by refinery naphtha. Almost all of it is oxidised to purified terephthalic acid (PTA), the building block of polyester fibre and PET resin. China built a huge wave of capacity after 2018, reaching close to 47 Mt/yr in 2024 (Argus), yet still imported 9.6 Mt in 2025 (GACC via Mysteel). India's Reliance runs one of the world's largest PX sites at Jamnagar. PX is the link between oil and clothing, so its margins tell you about both refining and textile demand.
 Volume about 57 Mt a year of demand (2024, indicative, basis: PTA demand x 0.66 t PX per t PTA) Market value about $55-60 billion (2024, indicative, basis: 57 Mt x about $1,000/t) Growth about 3-4% a year to 2030, following polyester (indicative) Argus, May 2025 (China capacity); Mysteel, Jan 2026 (China imports); volume and value indicative

#### Key uses

| Use | Share | Annual volume | Why this commodity | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **PTA for polyester fibre and filament** | 68% | about 38.8 Mtbasis | Polyester is the world's largest textile fibre because it is cheap, strong and easy to dye. All of it starts with PTA made from PX. China's integrated chains (Hengli, Rongsheng, Shenghong) run from crude to yarn. indicative split of PTA end uses | recycled PET fibre cotton and viscose bio-based PEF |
| **PTA for PET bottle and packaging resin** | 22% | about 12.5 Mtbasis | PET is light, clear and a good gas barrier, which suits water and soft-drink bottles. Bottle-to-bottle recycling is growing but most PET still uses virgin PTA. indicative | recycled PET glass and aluminium PEF |
| **PTA for film and other polyesters (PBT, coatings)** | 7% | about 4.0 Mtbasis | PET film for packaging and electronics, and PBT engineering plastics, use the same terephthalate unit. indicative | BOPP film nylon film |
| **Dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and other** | 3% | about 1.7 Mtbasis | Some older polyester and PBT plants use DMT made from PX and methanol. indicative | PTA |

 Almost all PX (about 97%) goes to PTA; shares by end use are indicative, applied to an indicative 57 Mt.

#### From raw material to user

1. **Crude oil to heavy naphtha** Refinery distillation supplies naphtha to reformers; a 20 Mt/yr refinery can feed a 4 Mt/yr PX complex (indicative).
2. **Reforming and aromatics extraction** Reformate is split into benzene, toluene and mixed xylenes; transalkylation and disproportionation convert toluene and C9 aromatics into more xylenes.
3. **PX separation** Simulated moving bed adsorption (UOP Parex, Axens Eluxyl) or crystallisation recovers PX at 99.7% or better; isomerisation converts the other xylenes back to PX.
4. **PTA** About 0.66 t PX per t PTA is oxidised in acetic acid with cobalt-manganese-bromide catalyst (indicative).
5. **Polyester** PTA plus MEG gives PET for fibre, bottles and film.

#### Made from (commodity table)
[Oil Crude oil](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/crude_oil/)

#### Three things to know

- China had close to 47 Mt/yr of PX capacity in 2024, 39% of it in units of 2 Mt/yr or more (Argus).
- The PX-naphtha spread fell from $462/t in 2018 to $283/t in 2024 as Chinese capacity arrived (Argus).
- Asian PX was about $1,283/t on 7 October 2026 (Procurement Resource), with Brent near $110/bbl after renewed attacks around Hormuz (Reuters).

#### Read the tabs
[Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/routes/)[Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/production/)[Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/feedstocks/)[Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/cycles/)[Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/trading/)[Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/movement/)[Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/regulation/)[Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/characteristics/)[Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paraxylene/emissions/)

## Other sections

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