WASHINGTON — September 8, 2011 — The National Retail Federation today welcomed House passage of
legislation that would extend the United States’ largest duty-free trade program for developing
nations, and expressed hope that the vote will clear the way for additional trade bills.

“This program is a win-win for both participating nations and the United States,” NRF Senior
Vice President for Government Relations David French said. “It provides economic and employment
opportunities in many poor and developing countries around the world. And by allowing U.S.
companies to import goods without paying import taxes, it increases competitiveness here at home
and helps American businesses contribute to U.S. economic growth and job creation. Eliminating
tariffs helps retailers provide consumers with products they need at prices they can afford, but it
also lets manufacturers obtain component parts at lower costs. Either way, America wins.”

“Passage of this bill is further evidence that Congress is becoming more fully engaged on
trade and wants to break down the trade barriers that have hampered economic growth for far too
long,” French said. “As an industry that supports one in four U.S. jobs and contributes nearly 20
percent of GDP, we hope this is a sign that we will see action on free trade agreements and other
important trade initiatives soon.”

H.R. 2832, sponsored by Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., passed the
House on a voice vote Wednesday evening. The measure would extend the Generalized System of
Preferences, which expired at the beginning of this year, through July 31, 2013. The extension
would be retroactive, and companies would be reimbursed for import duties paid since January. The
measure now goes to the Senate.

The 35-year-old GSP program provides duty-free treatment or reduced duties for a wide variety
of products from about 130 countries around the world. Doing so saves retailers millions of dollars
annually that would otherwise have to be passed on to consumers in higher prices.

As the world’s largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF’s
global membership includes retailers of all sizes, formats and channels of distribution as well as
chain restaurants and industry partners from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad.
In the United States, NRF represents an industry that includes more than 3.6 million establishments
and which directly and indirectly accounts for 42 million jobs – one in four U.S. jobs. The total
U.S. GDP impact of retail is $2.5 trillion annually, and retail is a daily barometer of the health
of the nation’s economy.

Posted on September 13, 2011

Source: NRF

Here is the next of the previews of exhibitors at ITMA 2011 in Barcelona, Spain. In this issue, the
Rupp Report is looking at Switzerland-based Jakob Müller AG, Frick, a leading supplier of narrow
weaving machinery. The Rupp Report contacted Eduard Strebel, manager, marketing communications,
posing the same questions as in the previous reports.

Global Activities And Markets

The family-owned company, founded in 1887, has evolved from a traditional company to a
globally active enterprise with production sites in Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic, China
and India. The production program includes machines for woven and warp-knitted ribbons, belts and
other narrow fabrics.

Jakob Müller also maintains offices for sales and services around the globe — in the United
States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, China, Hong Kong, India and Germany. Almost 100 percent of
the machinery produced is exported — to be precise, it’s 99 percent. “Sales are quite even across
the whole portfolio. We have no top seller at the moment,” Strebel said. He claims that Jakob
Müller is the market leader in various segments of the narrow fabrics industry.

And how does Strebel judge the current market situation? “Well, we have mixed emotions, and
for the time being, we are carefully observing the situation. The circumstances in the global
economy are somewhat insecure and even more severe for us as a Swiss machinery manufacturer due to
the extremely strong Swiss franc,” he said.

ITMA Barcelona

Some 50 people comprise the team that will be at ITMA in Barcelona. “We expect about the same
number of visitors as in Munich four years ago — however, some will come from different markets
than in Germany,” Strebel said. “Furthermore, we expect some hesitation from the visitors as to
eagerness to invest in new machinery in view of the current market situation.”

Jakob Müller invited its global clientele using direct mail, among other means. Strebel
judges the cooperation with the organizers of the fair to be excellent. “And for once,” he said,
“the strong Swiss franc is an advantage for Swiss exhibitors; we pay our square meters in euros.”

The Future

What are Jakob Müller’s targets in the near future? “We want to extend our leadership as a
premium supplier for the ribbon and narrow fabrics industry,” Strebel said.

And how does he judge developments in the coming years? “There will be certainly an increased
price fight due to overcapacities in the markets,” Strebel said. “On top of that, and this is not a
secret, there is increased importance and awareness for technical textiles in Europe; and an
ongoing shift of apparel manufacturing to Turkey, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Latin America.”

September 6, 2011

Kings Mountain, N.C.-based Patrick Yarn Mills, a manufacturer of eco-friendly high-performance
industrial yarns, has installed a new solar power system — which it reports is one of the largest
privately owned solar power system in the North Carolina Piedmont region. Manufactured by Argand
Energy Solutions, the system produces 140,000 kilowatt hours of photovoltaic energy each year,
saving the equivalent of 11,310 gallons of gasoline or 234 barrels of oil — enough to power 14
average-sized houses. A grant from the NC Energy Office made the installation possible, and all of
the system’s major components qualified for funding under the “Buy American” provision of the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed into law in 2009.

“We’re excited to be generating our own electricity from the sun,” said Gilbert Patrick,
president, Patrick Yarns. “We’ve been committed to sustainability for years, and this is another
step toward helping create a better planet for future generations and a better environment for our
community. It also provides customers with environmentally sound, Spun by the Sun™ solutions to
their textile requirements.”

The company prides itself on being an eco-friendly business and uses highly efficient
lighting and motors, produces no greenhouse gases and is working towards a goal of zero landfill
waste. Patrick Yarns also manufactures a line of eco-friendly textile yarns under the Earthspun®
brand.

A web application located at http://www.patrickyarns.com/monitor allows the public to see how
much electricity the solar power system is producing.

September 6, 2011

Kings Mountain, N.C.-based dobby and jacquard upholstery fabric producer Specialty Textiles Inc.
(STI) has announced an expansion that will include the addition of 32,000 square feet to its
current plant and 62 full-time jobs over the next three years. STI will add chenille yarn capacity
to capture additional sales in the mid-range and high-end segments of the residential upholstered
furniture industry.

“STI is a big proponent of manufacturing in the United States,” said John Kay, president,
STI. “With support from the State of North Carolina, Cleveland County and the City of Kings
Mountain, STI plans to grow our manufacturing footprint in North Carolina. America was built on
manufacturing and all the stakeholders at STI support our Governors’ efforts to increase
manufacturing in North Carolina.”

The $4.9 million investment cost is defrayed in part by a One North Carolina Fund grant in
the amount of $56,000. The fund offers financial assistance to businesses through local governments
to draw business projects to the state to boost economic activity and create jobs.

“The story of North Carolina’s business success lies in our ability to adapt and grow with
changing markets,” said Governor Bev Perdue. “With the support of the One North Carolina Fund, STI
will stay on the cutting edge of the textile industry.”

September 6, 2011

Israel-based Nilit Ltd. has announced plans to close a nylon 6,6 filament fiber production facility
in Oestringen, Germany, sometime during the second quarter of 2012. Nilit acquired the plant in
2006 when it purchased Invista’s European business, and it was expected to remain open after an
agreement was reached with the German Labor Union at the plant earlier this year
(See “
Nilit
To Expand Operations In Israel And China, Reaches Agreement With German Labor Union,” www.
TextileWorld.com, May 31, 2011).

Nilit cites the facility owner’s wish to exit the site, leaving the company with no access
to important services and utilities, as one reason factoring into the closure. Nilit remains
committed to the nylon 6,6 market, and will continue forward with its planned capacity expansion in
Israel and the start up of a new facility in China.

September 6, 2011

Rieter Machine Works Ltd., Switzerland, now offers the J 20 air-jet spinning machine, featuring up
to 120 spinning units — making it the longest air-jet machine available — and independently
operating sides — allowing two different yarn types to be spun simultaneously.

The company reports the machine’s new spinning unit produces yarn with improved strength and
reduced incidence of imperfections. The J 20 is equipped with two robots on each side, for a total
of four, which maximizes production efficiency. The drive frame includes integrated centrally
driven ventilators, electric and electronic systems, and supply and disposal connections. On each
machine side, there are separate filter chambers to process waste from the spinning positions and
the robots, enabling collection of uncontaminated waste from separate streams that can be further
used.

The drive train is designed with bobbin delivery lowered to a height of 1.45 meters,
optimizing operator control of the bobbin conveyor belt and facilitating transfer of the bobbins to
pallets. The end section comprises the service area for the rear robot, as well as a stand-alone
tube feeder that can accommodate 350 empty tubes and which features separate tube chains for the
left and right sides of the machines, allowing the use of different colors of tubes for each side
to help identify the different yarn qualities being spun on each side.

DALTON, Ga. — August 31, 2011 — Mohawk retailers now have an opportunity to increase cash flow,
reduce time-consuming paperwork, and build store loyalty when selling flooring to commercial
contractors and builders. Mohawk has formed a partnership with BlueTarp Financial, Inc. (BlueTarp),
a credit provider specializing in business-to-business credit management services for the building
materials industry.

“We are very excited to extend BlueTarp’s services to our valued retailer partners,” said
Susan Hahn, Director, New Business Development at Mohawk Flooring. “It’s a win-win for everyone
involved. Mohawk retailers can focus on what’s most important-meeting the needs of customers and
growing their business-and commercial contractors and builders have flexible payment terms and
credit lines tailored to their needs.”

BlueTarp is a provider of enhanced financial services exclusively serving the building
materials and supply industry. The company handles every aspect of a retailer’s trade credit
program, including extending credit, invoicing, online payment, and collections. Currently,
BlueTarp serves more than 2,500 retailers and 50,000 contractors nationwide, and has a reputation
for delivering exceptional customer service.

“We are delighted to partner with Mohawk and help enhance the trade credit experience for
Mohawk retailers and their customers,” said Lou Collins, Chief Executive Officer of BlueTarp
Financial. “By utilizing BlueTarp’s services, retailers will be able to increase their monthly cash
flow while offering more credit to contractors, and contractors will see their purchasing power
increase as a direct result.”

Hahn says converting existing customers over to the BlueTarp program takes less than six
weeks and BlueTarp oversees the entire process. To encourage retailers to take advantage of this
trade credit opportunity, BlueTarp is offering Mohawk’s retailers a discounted enrollment fee that
can result in savings of more than $1,000.

Posted September 6, 2011

Source: Mohawk

TRENTON, N.J. —  August 19, 2011 — Falken Industries Ltd. announced today that the Company has
entered into a licensing agreement with biotechnology leader Aztex Ltd.

Falken has successfully negotiated a license to use Aztex’ powerful technology to accelerate
its scientific research and product development, along with an option to commercialize the
resulting biomaterials in the textile and bio-health fields.

Under the agreement, Aztex will provide Falken with its proprietary genetic engineering
assets and expertise to enable Falken to significantly accelerate its product development. In
addition to providing the customized assets and technological know-how, Aztex has granted Falken an
exclusive commercial license to use the technology in the textile and bio-health markets. Aztex has
agreed that Falken will have exclusive commercial rights to use Aztex proprietary assets in
conjunction with assets previously licensed from third parties or developed by Falken’s internal
research. Aztex will be creating customized raw materials for Falken’s use in its development of
polymers and technical textiles targeting its leading position in impregnated wet wipes.

“Aztex’ proprietary technologies are extremely powerful resources which enable very precise
application targeting,” said Falken’s Communication Officer Manuel Garcia. “We are convinced that
this technology is the key to creating advanced new products and materials. We believe that when
these customized assets are delivered by Aztex in the coming weeks, the technology will enable us
to rapidly and precisely target specific areas for the creation of stronger fibers, advanced
textiles and new bio-materials for use in our professional and industrial lines.”

“Falken existing technologies and products have been recognized as revolutionary in
engineering circles for various military and civil defense applications, including disinfection,
and bio-health products and systems” said Garcia.

“This latest development is expected to accelerate our development of advanced materials and
advance Falken’s competitive advantage in the field of bio-materials. The combination of Aztex’s
revolutionary technology and know-how, coupled with Falken’s proprietary bio-materials technology
and know-how, will create synergies that will benefit both companies.

Posted September 6, 2011

Source: Falken Industries

WILMINGTON, Del. — Aug. 29, 2011 — DuPont Industrial Biosciences, today announced that DuPont™
Sorona® has received Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Class 1 Certification from Oeko-Tex® and the Hohenstein
Textile Testing Institute. Sorona® renewably sourced polymer is certified for use in fiber
applications for textiles (apparel, home, office, and automotive interiors) and for carpet
(residential, commercial and automotive including mats). Oeko-Tex® Class 1 certification is the
most stringent test and includes textiles and carpets intended for use by infants and toddlers.

“Receiving Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Class 1 certification for Sorona® provides third party
validation of the safety of Sorona® for use in all fiber applications,” said Walter L. Fields, III,
global business director. “This will benefit our downstream customers, and we will work with them
to get further Oeko-Tex® certification throughout the supply chain. For carpet mills, apparel
brands, and consumers, this certification provides the confidence they need to select high quality
textiles and carpets.”

DuPont™ Sorona® is made, in part, with annually renewable plant-based resources. By
replacing traditional petrochemical ingredients with those made from renewable resources, Sorona®
helps reduce dependency on oil and petrochemicals. Additionally, the production of Sorona® offers
significant energy savings and reduced CO2 emissions when compared to the production of an equal
amount of nylon. Sorona® is also free from heavy metals.

“We are very pleased that DuPont chose Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certification for Sorona®.
Sorona® is one of the first bio-based textile polymers to demonstrate highly desirable technical
and life cycle advantages for a wide range of products from apparel to carpets. Oeko-Tex®
certification verifies Sorona® is free from dangerous levels of harmful substances and meets REACH
and CPSIA requirements in the EU and USA. This certification is further assurance of the
desirability of this fiber for many textile designers concerned about long term sustainability and
technical superiority,” said Sam Moore Ph.D, who represents Oeko-Tex® in North America.

DuPont works with a global network of licensed fiber producers and mills – both fabric and
carpet – to bring a wide variety of Sorona® textile and carpet products to market. In apparel
segments, Sorona® can be easily blended with a broad range of other natural and synthetic fibers to
provide exceptional softness, comfort stretch, durability and easy care to a wide variety of
garments including swimwear, intimate apparel, denim and ready-to wear.

Carpet applications showcase the performance attributes that Sorona® adds including
durability and crush resistance as well as permanent, natural stain and bleach resistance that
won’t wash or wear off.

The unique combination of attributes and benefits of DuPont™ Sorona® earned it a new
sub-generic fiber classification from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in March 2009. In the
United States, the new generic for Sorona® is triexta. In 2011, Sorona® became one of the first
products certified by the USDA Biopreferred labeling program.

Posted September 6, 2011

Source: DuPont