By Juan Carlos Orellana | Artrovo Gundam | Sept. 2, 2025
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Polystyrene prices in the United States ticked higher again this week, according to PlasticsNews’ latest “Material Insights” update. The trade outlet attributes the move to feedstock dynamics—most notably benzene—while noting continued weakness in PVC tied to a slowdown in construction.
Benzene reference image: a key feedstock whose moves often influence polystyrene contract pricing.
For the scale-model world, a firmer PS market matters. Polystyrene is the base resin for most injection-molded kit runners and sprues; ABS and other plastics often handle frames and joints, but PS is the workhorse for parts that carry surface detail. If PS keeps climbing through September, manufacturers and distributors may pass along some of that pressure to retail in late Q3 or early Q4, especially on short-run items and specialty color lots.
Gunpla sprues highlight PS’s role in detail-rich parts; clear pieces and multi-color runners shown.
Signals are mixed across commodities. PVC has eased as housing and infrastructure work cools in pockets of the market, and that relief won’t directly offset polystyrene’s trajectory. For hobby retailers, the result is a familiar squeeze: softer inputs on one resin, firmer costs on another that’s more central to model kits.
PVC pipes illustrate construction-driven demand; recent softness in PVC contrasts with firmer PS.
What to do now: keep a close eye on wholesale notices from Japanese and U.S. distributors, particularly for PS-heavy categories (Gunpla, aircraft, automotive). Ask reps whether November/December shipments include cost adjustments and whether allocations have changed for small-batch items.
Freight is the swing factor. If ocean rates moderate later this month—as they often do post-summer—lower logistics costs could blunt part of the resin pressure. The impact will vary by lane and by how quickly contracts reset.
Container operations at a U.S. port; freight swings can blunt or amplify resin cost changes.
For builders, nothing changes day to day. But a steady PS climb raises the odds of selective MSRP bumps or tighter discounts heading into the holiday period. Expect authorized U.S. retailers to follow distributor guidance, while import listings may adjust sooner based on landed costs.
Fact box:
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Resin trend: Polystyrene (PS) up again in the U.S.; PVC edging lower
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Why PS matters: primary plastic for most kit runners/sprues; detail-rich parts
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Near-term risk: Q4 cost pass-throughs on small runs and special colors
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Offsets: potential freight easing could partially counter higher PS
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Retail watchlist: November/December PO adjustments; allocation notes on PS-heavy lines
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Region: United States (trade press update, Sept. 2, 2025)
Sources (accessed Sept. 2, 2025):
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PlasticsNews — “Material Insights” video: construction slowdown drags down PVC as polystyrene keeps rising. Plastics News
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PlasticsNews — PS resin prices continue a summer surge (context: August increase, third straight month). Plastics News
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PlasticsNews — North American PVC prices fall as construction slows (recent PVC softness). prod.plasticsnews.comPlastics News
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Wikipedia — Polystyrene usage includes “plastic model assembly kits” (background on PS in kits). Wikipedia
