What is Vinyl Acetate Market Analysis: Price Trend, Trade Data and Emulsion Polymer Demand
Analysts Sentiment
Bullish
Neutral
Bearish
What's driving sentiment this week:
Latest published month (2026-08) — Sentiment: Bullish
The most recent published customs observation for HS 291532 is 2026-08 at USD 984.70/ton, -1.2% against the previous month and +34.5% against 2025-09.
Reported volume across the fixed 2-economy panel was 618,868 tonnes over the window, 51,572 tonnes a month on average, and the three-month trend is +11.6%.
Next 1–3 Months — Outlook
This page is refreshed from public customs statistics rather than paid price assessments, so the next revision will roll in each newly published month for HS 291532. Direction shown here is a reading of published customs unit values, not a forecast.
Key Market Impact
Customs unit values for this heading are the single most checkable price signal available without a subscription: they combine the product mix actually crossing borders, the average contract level behind those shipments and freight-relevant volume. Treat them as the trade-weighted baseline for the heading, and read the coverage note above before applying them to a single grade.
How About the Price?
Data source: UN Comtrade public trade statistics (https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202608&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true) | Last updated: 2026-11-06
Price Trajectory, latest 12 months (2025-09 to 2026-08)
The monthly customs export unit value for HS 291532 moved from USD 732.09/ton in 2025-09 to USD 984.70/ton in 2026-08 (+34.5% across the window). The window high was USD 1,059.44/ton in 2026-06 and the low USD 598.57/ton in 2025-10. Three-month averages put the latest quarter +11.6% against the previous one, which is classified here as bullish.
The same panel reported USD 514.1 million of export value on 618,868 tonnes over the twelve months, an average of 51,572 tonnes a month. Values are customs returns for the stated HS heading, so they capture the traded mix of that heading rather than a single quoted grade.
The EU side of the same heading runs to the same month as the panel above: Eurostat Comext records EU27 imports of HS 291532 from outside the EU at USD 1,183.63/ton in 2026-08 (EUR 1,020.98/ton at the ECB monthly reference rate), -11.3% against 2026-07, on 37,355 tonnes; the twelve months to 2026-08 totalled 503,094 tonnes. On the 12 months the two datasets share (2025-09 to 2026-08), three-month blocks that far apart moved +55.6% on the export panel and +62.3% on the EU import side, so the two agree on direction. Import values are recorded on a CIF-type basis by a single bloc, so the level is not comparable with the export panel — the comparison above is directional.
2026-09 is deliberately not in the series: no economy in this page's fixed 2-economy panel had filed both value and net weight for this heading when the page was rebuilt on 2026-11-06 (the heading drew no filings at all that month); neither 2026-10 nor 2026-11 drew a single filing for this heading. Splicing a partly-filed month onto a fixed panel would move the unit value through composition alone, so the window stays at 2026-08 until the whole panel for 2026-09 has reported.
HS 291532 carries vinyl acetate only, so the series is product-level; it does not distinguish the ethylene gas-phase route from the older acetylene route, and polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate and VAE emulsion made from it are classified outside this heading.
Supply-side factors
- Fixed reporting panel of 2 economies: IND (699), USA (842). The panel is held constant in every month of the window so month-to-month movement is not a composition effect.
- Monthly unit value range over the window: USD 598.57 to USD 1,059.44/ton.
- Latest month, 2026-08: USD 984.70/ton, -1.2% against the previous month, on 55,701 tonnes.
Demand-side factors
- Vinyl acetate demand is led by polyvinyl acetate and VAE emulsions for adhesives, paints and construction, then by polyvinyl alcohol for textiles, paper and pharmaceuticals, so the call tracks coatings and construction activity, and the monomer competes with acrylic and methacrylate monomers for the same emulsion slots.
- Related market pages on this site: Ethylene (the gas-phase route feedstock), Acrylic Acid (the competing emulsion monomer), Methyl Methacrylate (the other commodity monomer in coatings and adhesives), Polyethylene (the copolymer family that takes VAM into EVA).
Basis: these are customs unit values for the stated HS heading, not quoted spot, contract or assessed prices, and no paid price assessment is used or redistributed on this page. Every figure can be re-checked at the API links listed at the end of this page.
Need the supplier landscape, contract structure or a delivered-cost build-up behind this heading? Request a sample report or a custom cut.
Substitutes & Alternatives
| Substitute | Replacement Scenario / How It Substitutes |
|---|---|
| Acrylic Acid / Acrylate Esters (e.g. butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate) | In emulsion polymer applications for paints, coatings, and adhesives, acrylic-based latexes can replace polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) emulsions. Acrylics offer superior UV resistance, weatherability, and lower minimum film-forming temperature. Substitution requires reformulation of the emulsion recipe; not a drop-in replacement but widely practiced in exterior coatings and pressure-sensitive adhesives where durability is critical. |
| Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) Copolymer | In hot-melt adhesives and flexible packaging films, EVA copolymers (which contain VAc as a comonomer) can be partially substituted by ethylene-acrylic acid (EAA) or ethylene-methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymers, which offer better heat resistance and adhesion to polar substrates. Requires reformulation and equipment adjustment for melt processing. |
| Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVOH) from alternative routes | PVOH is normally produced by hydrolysis of PVAc, but bio-based or alternative synthetic routes to PVOH are being explored. In paper coating and textile sizing applications, starch derivatives or carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) can partially substitute PVOH/PVAc-based sizes, though with some performance trade-offs in film strength and barrier properties. |
| Styrene-Butadiene (SB) Latex / Styrene-Acrylic Latex | In paper coating, carpet backing, and construction adhesives, SB latex and styrene-acrylic copolymer dispersions compete directly with PVAc emulsions. SB latex offers good film flexibility and water resistance at competitive cost. Substitution is application-specific and may require adjustment of coating formulations and rheology modifiers. |
| Polyurethane (PU) Adhesives and Dispersions | In wood bonding, laminating adhesives, and flexible packaging, waterborne polyurethane dispersions can replace PVAc-based adhesives, particularly where higher heat resistance, creep resistance, or moisture resistance is required (e.g. engineered wood products, automotive interiors). Substitution typically requires process changes and higher cost acceptance. |
| Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) / PVC-based systems | In certain coating and film applications, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers (VC/VAc) can be partially replaced by pure PVC formulations with plasticizers, or by other thermoplastic films. However, this is a partial substitution limited to specific film and coating end uses, and regulatory pressure on PVC/plasticizers limits its attractiveness. |
| Bio-based Acrylates (e.g. from bio-acrylic acid) | Emerging bio-based acrylate monomers derived from fermentation routes (e.g. 3-hydroxypropionic acid to acrylic acid) are positioned as sustainable alternatives to VAc in emulsion polymers for adhesives and coatings. Currently at early commercial stage; substitution requires reformulation and is driven by sustainability mandates rather than cost parity. |
Related PetroApex Market Pages
- Ethylene
- Vinyl Chloride
- Methyl Methacrylate
- Polyethylene — the copolymer family that takes VAM into EVA.
Regulatory Status
| Region | Regulation / Policy Name | Issuing Authority | Year (enacted or latest revision) | Key Requirement / Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US (Federal) | OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Vinyl Acetate | OSHA | 1989 (latest revision) | 8-hour TWA: 10 ppm (30 mg/m³); STEL: 15 ppm (45 mg/m³) | http://www.osha.gov/chemicaldata/74 |
| US (Federal) | OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) for Highly Hazardous Chemicals | OSHA | 1992 (latest) | Threshold quantity: 10,000 pounds (4,535 kg) | https://www.celanese.com/-/media/Intermediate-Chemistry/Files/Product-Handling-Guides/Safe_Handling_Guide-Vinyl_Acetate.pdf |
| US (Federal) | EPA Clean Air Act Section 112(r) Risk Management Plan (RMP) | US EPA | 1996 (latest) | Threshold quantity: 15,000 pounds (6,803 kg) | https://www.celanese.com/-/media/Intermediate-Chemistry/Files/Product-Handling-Guides/Safe_Handling_Guide-Vinyl_Acetate.pdf |
| US (California) | Proposition 65 Listing (carcinogen) | OEHHA | 2025 (listing effective 3 Jan 2025, warning requirement 3 Jan 2026) | Require warning label for products exposing consumers to vinyl acetate; no safe harbor level set | https://www.cps.bureauveritas.com/newsroom/california-oehha-adds-vinyl-acetate-proposition-65-chemical-list |
| EU (Harmonised) | CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, Annex VI | ECHA | 2008 (latest harmonised update) | Harmonised classification and labelling in Table 3 of Annex VI (specific GHS category details in official Annex VI) | https://chem.echa.europa.eu/100.003.224/harmonised |
| China (Environmental Management) | MEE Order 12 (Measures for the Environmental Administration Registration of New Chemical Substances) | Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) | 2020 (effective 1 Jan 2021, latest enforcement) | Registration required for new chemical substances (vinyl acetate as existing, but new uses subject to notification/registration; annual reporting if under new use management; penalties up to 2 million yuan for violations) | https://www.chemsafetypro.com/Topics/China/China_MEE_Order_12_-_The_Measures_for_the_Environmental_Management_Registration_of_New_Chemical_Substances.html |
| US (Federal) | EPA TSCA Existing Chemical Exposure Limits (ECEL) under WCPP | US EPA | 2024 (no ECEL listed for vinyl acetate) | N/A (no ECEL established; monitoring via OSHA PEL required) | https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/list-final-and-proposed-existing-chemical-exposure |
Key Influence Events
Vinyl acetate (chemical formula CH3COOCH=CH2, also written as VAc) is a colorless, flammable liquid organic compound with a characteristic sweet, fruity odor. It is the ester of acetic acid and vinyl alcohol, and is one of the most important industrial monomers worldwide. Vinyl acetate polymerizes readily to form polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and copolymerizes with ethylene to produce ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, or with vinyl chloride and other monomers for a wide range of polymer products. Its primary end uses include adhesives (especially wood glue and packaging adhesives), paints and coatings (emulsion polymers), textile sizing, paper coatings, and as a precursor to polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) and polyvinyl butyral (PVB). It is produced commercially at very large scale, with global capacity exceeding 7 million metric tons per year.
Top Countries Production Capacity
Production Process of Vinyl Acetate Market Analysis: Price Trend, Trade Data and Emulsion Polymer Demand
Vinyl acetate (chemical formula CH3COOCH=CH2, also written as VAc) is a colorless, flammable liquid organic compound with a characteristic sweet, fruity odor. It is the ester of acetic acid and vinyl alcohol, and is one of the most important industrial monomers worldwide. Vinyl acetate polymerizes readily to form polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and copolymerizes with ethylene to produce ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, or with vinyl chloride and other monomers for a wide range of polymer products. Its primary end uses include adhesives (especially wood glue and packaging adhesives), paints and coatings (emulsion polymers), textile sizing, paper coatings, and as a precursor to polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) and polyvinyl butyral (PVB). It is produced commercially at very large scale, with global capacity exceeding 7 million metric tons per year.
Specs & Grades
| Property | Typical Value / Range | Unit | Grade / Note |
|---|
Data Sources
Price and volume figures are derived from the directly verified public sources below. The customs unit values are USD/ton and are not subscription price assessments. Grade-level specifications are not restated here: confirm them with the supplier. Every monthly endpoint used for the series on this page is listed below, together with the EU cross-check, the exchange rate used to express it in dollars and the HS classification reference.
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202509&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202510&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202511&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202512&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202601&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202602&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202603&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202604&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202605&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202606&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202607&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202608&cmdCode=291532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/api/comext/dissemination/statistics/1.0/data/DS-045409?format=JSON&freq=M&reporter=EU27_2020&partner=EXT_EU27_2020&flow=1&indicators=VALUE_IN_EUROS&indicators=QUANTITY_IN_100KG&product=291532&sinceTimePeriod=2025-08
- https://data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/data/EXR/M.USD.EUR.SP00.A?format=csvdata&startPeriod=2025-08&endPeriod=2026-10
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/files/v1/app/reference/HS.json
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