Table of Contents
| Product type | Main application | Reference price |
|---|---|---|
| Virgin HDPE | Packaging, bottles, pallets, bins | 34,000 - 37,000 |
| Virgin LLDPE | Shrink film, pallet stretch film | 33,000 - 36,000 |
| Virgin LDPE | Thin film, soft bags | 35,000 - 38,000 |
| Recycled HDPE/PE (grade 1) | Industrial, non-food-contact | 24,000 - 28,000 |
| Recycled HDPE/PE (standard) | Cans, crates, low-cost technical | 20,000 - 23,000 |
Market survey 21/10/2026. Reference price; contact hotline 0983 797 186 for exact quote. Call 0983 797 186 or Zalo ICD for the most accurate quote.
PE pellets are the small granule form (pellets) of polyethylene, sold by the kg or the tonne to plants that injection mold, blow mold, blow film and extrude pipe. When buying pellets, three questions decide price and quality: which PE type (HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE), virgin or recycled, and whether the melt flow rate (MFR) suits your machine. This guide goes into exactly those three questions, with HS codes for importing and a dated reference price table. General knowledge about PE is in what is PE plastic.
1. Types of PE pellets on the market
The PE pellets sold most are HDPE, LDPE and LLDPE. HDPE (from 0.941 g/cm³) is rigid and used for cans, crates, pallets and pipe. LDPE (0.910 to 0.940) is soft and used for bags and shrink film. LLDPE (0.915 to 0.925) is tougher than LDPE at the same thickness, so it is the main raw material for pallet stretch wrap and agricultural film. There are also MDPE for gas pipe, UHMWPE for wear parts (molecular weight 3.5 to 7.5 million) and cross-linked PEX for hot water pipe. The figures come from the Wikipedia page on Polyethylene.
| Pellet type | Density (g/cm³) | Pellets used for | Common processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDPE | from 0.941 | Cans, crates, pallets, caps, bottles, pipe | Injection molding, blow molding, extrusion |
| LDPE | 0.910 - 0.940 | Bags, shrink film, wrap | Film blowing, extrusion |
| LLDPE | 0.915 - 0.925 | Pallet stretch wrap, agricultural film | Film blowing, extrusion lamination |
| MDPE | 0.926 - 0.940 | Gas pipe, tanks | Extrusion, rotational molding |
2. Melt flow rate MFR: the number many people overlook
MFR (melt flow rate, also called MFI) is the amount of molten plastic that flows through a standard orifice in 10 minutes, measured at 190 °C with a 2.16 kg load for PE, in g/10 min. The higher the number, the more easily the plastic flows and the shorter the molecular chains (LyondellBasell, polyolefin blow molding guide). So each processing method needs a different MFR range. According to the manufacturer Ipek Plastik’s table, injection molding HDPE is usually around 1 to 20, HDPE for blow-molded bottles and drums about 0.2 to 0.7, and HDPE for film only about 0.02 to 0.07.
3. Virgin and recycled pellets
Virgin pellets are new resin from a petrochemical plant, with uniform specifications and certification files, and are used for food packaging, medical products and products needing steady strength. Recycled pellets are made from scrap plastic by washing, shredding, extruding and pelletizing. The price is clearly lower (see the price table below), but color, odor and strength are uneven, other plastics may be mixed in, so they suit bins, mulch film, irrigation pipe and recycled pallets, and are not used for food contact packaging.
| Criterion | Virgin pellets | Recycled pellets |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Petrochemical plant | Scrap that is washed, shredded and extruded |
| Uniformity | High, with datasheet | Varies by batch |
| Food packaging | Usable if documented | Not recommended |
| Price | Higher | Clearly lower |
When you receive a recycled lot, extrude a small sample, check pellet moisture and odor, and ask about the scrap source (thin film, rigid crates or bottles), because each source gives different pellets. Recycled PE mixed with PP can leave an extruded sample speckled and brittle.
4. Are PE pellets safe and how are they imported
Virgin PE pellets for food packaging must be of a type covered by 21 CFR 177.1520 (US) or meet QCVN 12-1:2011/BYT (Vietnam) when the finished product touches food. The important thing is the pellet maker’s certificate that comes with the shipment. For imports, virgin PE pellets fall under Chapter 39 of the tariff, heading 3901 (ethylene polymers in primary forms). The detailed code depends on whether density is below or above 0.94 and on the form, so check it against the technical file and ask customs before declaring.
When buying pellets in Vietnam, choose a distributor with a contract and the manufacturer’s datasheet, take a test sample before placing a large order and write the MFR, density and type (virgin or recycled) into the contract. Prices move with oil, ethylene, the exchange rate and import volume, so a quote is usually valid for only a few days.
5. Reference prices for PE pellets
Below is a price table with the survey date, updated periodically with the market.
Latest reference price table for PE plastic pellets
PE (polyethylene) pellet prices on the market are always moving. The table below gives average reference prices (unit: VND/kg), market survey dated July 27, 2026.
Over the past week, spot PE prices in China did rise: HDPE (5000S) rose 2.38% to 10,762 CNY/tonne, LLDPE rose 6.57% and LDPE rose 4.67% over 13-17 July according to SunSirs; a market assessment bulletin of 22 July noted that domestic and imported PE offers in Vietnam followed oil costs.
So domestic virgin PE prices edged up a notch.
In the other direction, Brent crude, after at times topping 100 USD per barrel, turned down sharply to the 87-92 USD range on the morning of 27 July (Oilprice, Trading Economics, Thanh Nien, Dan Viet of 27 July), while Chinese PE producer inventory rose 4.43% (SunSirs 21 July), so room for further rises is limited.
Recycled goods follow scrap prices and so continue to move sideways.
| PE pellet type | Quality | Reference price (VND/kg) | Typical use |
| HDPE pellets | Virgin | 28,500 - 33,000 | Making cans, containers and load-bearing PE pipe. |
| LDPE pellets | Virgin | 32,000 - 38,500 | Making PE food wrap film and flexible packaging. |
| HDPE | Recycled PE (Grade 1) | 18,000 - 23,000 | Making bins and industrial products that do not touch food. |
| LDPE | Recycled PE (Grade 1) | 18,000 - 24,500 | Making garbage bags and agricultural PE mulch film. |
Note: the prices above are for reference only and are not an official quotation. Please contact the supplier directly for an exact price by quantity and purchase date.
Frequently asked questions
What are PE pellets?
PE pellets are small granules of polyethylene used as the raw material for injection molding, blow molding, film blowing and pipe extrusion. The most common are HDPE, LDPE and LLDPE.
How do virgin and recycled PE pellets differ?
Virgin is new resin from a plant, with uniform specifications and food-contact paperwork. Recycled is made from scrap, cheaper but uneven in quality, and should not be used for food packaging.
What does MFR mean for PE pellets?
MFR is the amount of plastic that flows through a standard orifice in 10 minutes at 190 °C and 2.16 kg load, in g/10 min. The higher the MFR, the more easily the plastic flows; injection molding needs a higher MFR than bottle blow molding and film blowing.
What is the HS code for virgin PE pellets?
They fall under heading 3901 (ethylene polymers in primary forms) of Chapter 39. The detailed code depends on density and the form of the goods, so check the technical file and ask customs before declaring.
Where can I buy PE pellets from a reliable source?
Choose a distributor with a contract and the manufacturer’s datasheet, who allows a test sample, and write the MFR, density and origin into the contract.
Contact ICD Vietnam for advice
ICD Vietnam Industrial Production Co., Ltd.
Northern Vietnam: 3rd Floor, Thang Long A1 Building, Bau Hamlet, 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
- Wikipedia, Polyethylene (classification by density, melting temperature, UHMWPE, PEX, 34% market share) - en.wikipedia.org
- Ipek Plastik, PE Polyethylene (melt flow index by purpose: injection 1-20, blow 0.2-0.7, film 0.02-0.07 at 190 °C/2.16 kg) - ipekplastik.com.tr
- LyondellBasell, A Guide to Polyolefin Blow Molding (higher melt index flows more easily) - lyondellbasell.com
- 21 CFR 177.1520, Olefin polymers (Cornell LII) - law.cornell.edu
- Circular 34/2011/TT-BYT issuing QCVN 12-1:2011/BYT on hygiene and safety of synthetic plastic packaging and utensils in contact with food (30/08/2011)
