Table of Contents
| Product type | Main application | Reference price |
|---|---|---|
| HDPE Film Grade | PE bags, wrapping film | 28,000 - 34,000 VND/kg |
| HDPE Blow Molding Grade | Bottles, jars, cans | 29,000 - 36,000 VND/kg |
| HDPE Injection Molding Grade | Plastic pallets, bins | 28,000 - 34,000 VND/kg |
| HDPE Pipe Grade | Water and technical pipes | 30,000 - 37,000 VND/kg |
| HDPE Recycled | Non-food-contact products | 14,000 - 20,000 VND/kg |
Market survey 22/10/2026. Reference price; contact hotline 0983 797 186 for exact quote. Call 0983 797 186 or Zalo ICD for the most accurate quote.
HDPE resin prices are not fixed: this week, according to ICD’s market survey of 20 October 2026, virgin HDPE in Vietnam is about 28,800 to 35,000 VND/kg depending on grade, and recycled HDPE about 17,000 to 22,000 VND/kg. Import offer prices CFR Southeast Asia for 1 to 7 October 2026 are about 1,268 to 1,280 USD per tonne. The reference price table in this article shows the survey figures; the sections below explain why prices change and how to read them.
Buyers of plastic pallets often ask why the price quoted today differs from the one quoted a week later. The reason is that HDPE is a petrochemical product: its price is affected by the ethylene feedstock, freight rates, the offer prices of the large producers and domestic demand. ICD Vietnam does not sell resin, so this article provides only a reference price range with its source and date; it is not a quotation.
| HDPE type | Main use | Domestic price range (VND/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Film | Bags, wrapping film | 29,000 to 33,000 |
| Blow moulding | Bottles, jerrycans, tanks | 30,000 to 35,000 |
| Injection moulding | Pallets, crates, tubs | 29,500 to 34,500 |
| Pipe | Water pipe, technical pipe | 28,800 to 33,500 |
| Recycled | Products with no food contact | 17,000 to 22,000 |
Source: ICD market survey of 20 October 2026; reference prices, before VAT, for lots from about 1 tonne. Actual prices differ by supplier, origin and quantity, so a quotation is needed for each order.
Why do HDPE resin prices fluctuate?
HDPE is polymerised from ethylene, obtained from naphtha or ethane cracking, so plastic prices follow the upstream feedstock price. Polymerupdate recorded on 19 August 2026 that rising feedstock costs, firmer producer offers and high freight had pushed regional import prices up; for CFR Southeast Asia alone, injection-grade HDPE was then at 1,130 to 1,210 USD per tonne. By the week of 1 to 7 October 2026, Mysteel Oilchem recorded injection-grade HDPE CFR Southeast Asia at 1,268 to 1,270 USD per tonne, blow moulding at 1,273 to 1,275 and film at 1,278 to 1,280.
For Vietnam, the Thi Truong Hat Nhua bulletin for week 41/2026 (5 to 9 October) reported that import offer prices from China rose sharply, offers of PE from some Middle Eastern and US producers eased slightly, and domestic prices were tug-of-war. The USD/VND exchange rate also matters because imported resin is offered in USD. The international figures are CFR prices, excluding taxes, warehousing and distribution costs, so they cannot be compared directly with domestic prices.
Same HDPE name, different prices: the grade
Asking “how much is HDPE per kg” without naming the grade is like asking the price of a car without saying which car. Grades differ in molecular weight and melt flow index (MFI, measured under ISO 1133 at 190 °C and 2.16 kg). According to ExxonMobil’s product guide, blow moulding grades have an MI of about 0.2 to 0.7 g/10 min, while injection grades for tubs, crates and pallets lie at about 4.5 to 19, typically 8.2 for the pallet line; thin-wall grades go up to 14 to 33.
Using the wrong grade can leave an injection moulding machine unable to fill the mould, or produce defective products.
Virgin and recycled
Recycled HDPE is ground, washed and re-pelletised from used plastic; according to the survey of 20 October 2026 its price is clearly lower than virgin, but quality depends on the scrap source. In energy terms, the life cycle assessment of the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) shows that recycled HDPE needs about 12% to 56% of the energy of virgin resin depending on the method of calculation, so recycling has environmental benefits, though price is not the only factor.
For food-contact products, ordinary recycled HDPE is not used; recycled plastic is permitted only when the recycling process has been assessed and authorised (for example Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 in Europe). The full analysis is in the articles on recycled HDPE plastic and HDPE plastic in food.
How to buy HDPE resin correctly
Four things to do when ordering large quantities. One, request a certificate of analysis (COA) for each lot, stating MFI, density and strength. Two, check the packaging: 25 kg bags or big bags should carry the manufacturer’s name, grade, lot code and production date. Three, run a 50 to 100 kg trial on an injection moulding or blow moulding machine before ordering the whole lot. Four, write the grade, MFI, density, origin and the terms for handling rejected goods into the contract.
A price that is unusually low and comes with missing documents is a sign to stop and check before ordering.
From price per kg to resin cost per pallet
For a buyer of pallets or crates, the material cost per product is more useful than the price per kg: multiply the weight of HDPE in the product by the price per kg. Assuming an injection-moulded pallet weighs 12 to 35 kg and using the injection price range of 29,500 to 34,500 VND/kg from the 20 October 2026 survey, the resin cost is as follows.
| Pallet group (assumed) | HDPE weight | Estimated resin cost |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 12 to 15 kg | 354,000 to 517,500 VND |
| Medium | 18 to 22 kg | 531,000 to 759,000 VND |
| Heavy | 25 to 35 kg | 737,500 to 1,207,500 VND |
This is the cost of resin only, excluding processing, tooling, losses and profit, and it is not the selling price of a pallet. For ICD Vietnam plastic pallet prices, see the product category or make contact for a quotation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HDPE resin price today?
According to ICD’s market survey of 20 October 2026, virgin HDPE in Vietnam is about 28,800 to 35,000 VND/kg depending on grade; prices change weekly, so a quotation is needed for each order.
Why does the HDPE price keep changing?
HDPE is a petrochemical product, so its price depends on the ethylene feedstock, producers’ offer prices, freight and the USD/VND rate.
Which HDPE grade is used for plastic pallets?
Usually an injection grade; ExxonMobil’s guide for the tub, crate and pallet line gives a melt flow of about 8 g/10 min.
How much cheaper is recycled HDPE?
According to the survey of 20 October 2026, recycled HDPE is about 17,000 to 22,000 VND/kg, clearly lower than virgin, but it is not used for products in contact with food.
Does ICD sell HDPE resin?
No. ICD Vietnam supplies plastic pallets and packaging products; this article only provides reference information on the resin market.
Contact ICD Vietnam for plastic pallet advice
ICD Vietnam Industrial Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Northern Vietnam: 3rd Floor, Thang Long A1 Building, Thon Bau, Thien Loc Commune, Hanoi - 0983 797 186 / 090 345 9186 / 090 5859 186
Southern Vietnam: 551/212 Le Van Khuong Street, Tan Thoi Hiep Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City - 098 6784 186
Email: sales@icdvietnam.com.vn
Zalo: Chat on Zalo now
References
- Mysteel Oilchem, Asia PE offer prices, week of 1-7 October 2026 (CFR Southeast Asia: injection HDPE 1,268-1,270 USD/tonne, blow moulding 1,273-1,275, film 1,278-1,280) - mysteel.com
- Polymerupdate, HDPE prices in Asia diverge amid firmer costs (19 August 2026: CFR Southeast Asia injection 1,130-1,210 USD/tonne; film offers into Vietnam 1,150-1,230) - polymerupdate.com
- Thi Truong Hat Nhua, Overview of the domestic plastic raw material market, week 41/2026 (5-9 October) - thitruonghatnhua.com
- ExxonMobil Chemical, HDPE product guide (Americas): MI table (190 °C, 2.16 kg) by application: blow moulding 0.2-0.7, crates 4.5-19, thin wall 33, tubs, crates, pallets 8.2 - exxonmobilchemical.com
- Association of Plastic Recyclers, Life Cycle Impacts for Postconsumer Recycled Resins: PET, HDPE and PP (2018; recycled HDPE needs 12% of the energy of virgin resin under the cut-off method, 56% under open-loop) - plasticsrecycling.org
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 on recycled plastics in contact with food - eur-lex.europa.eu
