Hydroquinone prices witnessed a sharp decline in July 2025, driven by regulatory recalls in the U.S. and Europe targeting skin lightening products containing hydroquinone. The fallout led to a significant drop in cosmetic-sector demand, triggering global oversupply and discounted sell-offs. Although prices stabilized in August, the trajectory remains subdued. Seasonal maintenance shutdowns and rising phenol costs have added upward pressure on hydroquinone production costs, while logistical bottlenecks in Japan continue to disrupt supply chains. Despite stable demand in pharmaceutical and industrial sectors, the hydroquinone market remains in a cautious recovery phase.
Selenis has effectively manufactured recycled PET chips using terephthalic acid sourced from Circ®, a textile-to-textile recycler based in Virginia. The chip production took place through a series of batches at Selenis' pilot plant in San-Giorgio, Italy. By utilizing inputs recovered from polycotton textile waste, Selenis has created high-quality PET chip, which has been further processed into DTY yarn. This yarn will play a crucial role in product development as Circ prepares for additional capsule launches. Selenis is leveraging the success of this initial collaboration phase and is committed to advancing towards an offtake partnership to support Circ's inaugural industrial facility.
Eduardo Santos, Head of Corporate Strategy at Selenis, remarked that the monomer synthesis showed a performance comparable to virgin terephthalic acid. He expressed optimism about the consistent quality of Circ's monomer output and anticipated future commercial success. Santos pointed out that the Circ partnership complements Selenis's existing mission and goals for a more sustainable textile industry. He further stated their anticipation of expanding upon this collaboration and providing support for Circ's forthcoming commercial production trials.
