The Toy Association has learned from market sources that nylon 6/6 resin has become more difficult and expensive to obtain in markets worldwide, including China.
According to some sources, tight supplies of adiponitrile (ADN) feedstock caused supplies of nylon 6/6 resin to become tight, and this resin market tightness has in turn led to higher prices for nylon 6/6. Some cite increases of more than 50 percent in the past several months. Some suppliers announced additional price increases on July 1. ADN suppliers are working to increase capacity, but tightness and higher prices are likely to persist into next year.
While nylon (or polyamide) is not used in large quantities in toys, it is often the material of choice for critical applications such as gears, bushings, and bearings. Toy Association members may wish to consider alternatives for these applications, such as nylon 6 or acetal (polyoxymethylene, or POM).
Members with questions on this topic may contact Alan Kaufman, senior vice president of technical affairs at The Toy Association.
