DyStar Colours Distribution GmbH, Germany — a division of DyStar, a Singapore-based global provider
of dyes, auxiliaries and services for the textile and leather processing industries — and
Switzerland-based fourth-party logistics provider 4PL Central Station Deutschland GmbH have opened
a European warehouse in Biebesheim, Germany, to store DyStar’s inventory of textile dyes and
textile auxiliaries.

4PL Central Station invested approximately 2.7 million euros to build the 5,000-square-meter
state-of-the-art distribution center, which features a 12-meter high rack system, a containment
area for repacking liquids and equipment to stir liquids.

DyStar reports that Europe, and specifically Germany, are significant markets for the
company in spite of the ongoing European debt crisis. DyStar Colours Distribution recorded
double-digit growth in 2011, and the new European warehouse will help further the company’s
expansion.

“This investment is an important strategic step which will bring forth considerable
improvement in our logistics,” said Eric Hopmann, managing director, DyStar Colours Distribution
GmbH. “Our capacities from three locations can be centralized in the new

warehouse which allows us to become more efficient and flexible in our customer supply
process. We are happy to have found a partner in 4PL Central Station Deutschland GmbH that will
support us in the future as professional logisticians.”

October 2, 2012

DeFeet International — a Hildebran, N.C.-based manufacturer of socks, gloves, base layers and
related products — recently debuted a line of cycling socks made using Advansa Thermo°Cool™ eco2
high-performance, recycled polyethylene terephthalate fiber from the Netherlands-based polyester
fiber manufacturer Advansa BV.

The fiber features Advansa’s Duoregulation™ technology, which, according to the company,
provides improved evaporative cooling and thermo-buffering performance in a wide range of
temperatures. In addition to the performance provided by the Thermo°Cool fiber, the socks fit
comfortably and are breathable owing to an extra new mesh pattern, and good support thanks to
ergonomically positioned pressure points.

Advansa licensee FilSpec Inc., Canada, is spinning the yarns for DeFeet.

October 2, 2012

Bondex Inc. — a Trenton, S.C.-based producer of thermally bonded nonwoven materials for filtration
and separation, medical, composites, and electrical and business machine substrates, among other
applications — will invest $6.4 million to expand its operations, adding 13 jobs in the process.

The company will double the size of its nonwovens plant with the addition of 33,000 square
feet, and will add a new production line that will manufacture industrial laminates and composites
for the electrical and electronic markets and other specialty applications. The expansion is
expected to be completed in the end of the fourth quarter 2012 with production commencing in
January 2013.

“We are excited about moving forward with our plans to expand our existing facility in
Edgefield County,” said Brad Willingham, president, Bondex. “South Carolina has provided us with an
excellent business environment and a talented workforce. We look forward to continuing to grow
here.”

Bondex will begin accepting applications for the new positions in November.

October 2, 2012

Performance Fibers — a Huntersville, N.C.-based global supplier of high-tenacity polyester fibers
and fabrics, nylon 6 fibers and fabrics, engineered fabrics, sewing thread fibers and advanced
materials — has selected Ticona Engineering Polymers’ Fortron® polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) polymer
as the base material for a new line of multifilament yarns to be used for mechanical rubber goods,
aerospace, filtration, automotive, safety apparel and technical textile applications.

The new yarns were codeveloped over a period of two years by Performance Fibers and Ticona, a
business unit of Dallas-based global specialty materials and technology provider Celanese Corp. and
which maintains production, compounding and research facilities in Florence, Ky., as well as in
Germany, Brazil and China.

Fortron PPS offers the following attributes for high-performance technical fibers:
high-temperature and chemical resistance; inherent flame resistance; water resistance; and
dimensional stability.

Performance Fibers is manufacturing the PPS multifilament yarns at its facility in Bad
Hersfeld, Germany, and is distributing the yarns to customers worldwide.

October 2, 2012

Specialty fibers and needlepunch nonwoven fabrics manufacturer Foss Manufacturing Co. LLC, Hampton,
N.H., has announced it will invest $15 million to open a 220,000-square-foot manufacturing and
distribution facility in Rome, Ga., creating 150 jobs over the next three years.

The new operation – which will be housed in a former Mohawk Industries building – will
include the manufacture and distribution of medical products such as masks, hospital apparel and
linens; as well as other products for automotive and filtration applications. The company reports
that the facility will enable it to speed delivery of those products to its customers in the
region, noting that those customers often require very quick delivery of customized orders.

“Northwest Georgia remains a strategic home for the textile manufacturing industry, complete
with the business environment and skilled workforce to help this industry continue its recovery in
our state,” said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. “I am encouraged by the commitment Foss Manufacturing is
making in Floyd County, and look forward to the contributions this company will make to one of
Georgia’s major industries.”

In addition to establishing the new operation in Georgia, Foss has been expanding its
operations at its facility in Hampton. Since the beginning of this year, the company has installed
two new production lines and added 60 jobs at that plant, and currently is adding another two
production lines that will employ 50 to 60 additional workers within the next six months.

“This is an exciting time for Foss,” said A.J. Nassar, CEO, Foss Manufacturing. “We are
experiencing growth in all areas. Much of this growth is being driven by our talented research and
development team located in our Hampton, New Hampshire, headquarters. Over the next 12 months, we
will be introducing new products and technologies enabling us to expand manufacturing and add
employees throughout the company.”

October 2, 2012

Lebanon, Pa.-based Henry Molded Products Inc. — a manufacturer of sustainable molded fiber
protective packaging products — will invest more than $5 million to build a production and
distribution facility in Piedmont, S.C., adding 18 jobs over the next five years. Production is
expected to come online by January 2013.

Henry Molded Products manufactures molded pulp from raw material to finished products. Its
products include STAKKER® roll-handling cradles for rolled materials such as plastic film,
textiles, vinyl, fencing, wire cloth and paper; nursery and greenhouse containers; off-the-shelf
products for window corner protectors, jelly jar packs, and wine and scented-candle packaging;
LAREÉ™ Floral Maché for floral and craft containers; and custom solutions for use with automotive
parts, electronics, computers and other applications.

The Piedmont facility will be the company’s second location in South Carolina. It currently
operates a manufacturing plant in Fairforest, S.C., as well as one in Lebanon.

“We are excited about the opportunity to grow our operations in Anderson County,” said
Douglass Henry, president, Henry Molded Products Inc. “Demand for our products has increased, and
this expansion will help us meet our customers’ needs. South Carolina has always provided us with
an excellent business environment and a skilled workforce.”

The company will being accepting applications for the new positions this month.

October 2, 2012

This year’s International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) Meeting will take place October 7-12 at
the Congress Centre Kursaal Interlaken, in Switzerland. The theme of the congress is “Shaping
Sustainability in the Cotton Value Chain.” Over the next few weeks, the Rupp Report is focusing on
this event. This week, the spotlight is on the surroundings of Interlaken. To be more precise, the
report is about the Abegg Foundation, including its museum housing an extraordinary and unique
collection of antique textiles and art objects. The foundation was established by private
collectors Werner and Margaret Abegg, and it is not far from Interlaken.

Unique Collection Of Textiles And Art Objects

The Abegg Foundation’s collection comprises textiles and art objects from Europe, the Middle
East and regions along the Silk Road. Its world-famous collection of ancient textiles dates from
the fourth century B.C. up to the year 1800 C.E. Highlights include large wall hangings from
ancient Egypt, as well as European fabrics and liturgical vestments from the 12th to the 18th
century. Other centers of attention are collections of eighth- and ninth-century Central Asian
weavings as well as silk robes from the Liao Dynasty (907-1125) in China.

In addition to the Abegg family’s private collection, the museum houses both fine and
applied artworks. There are paintings from the workshop of Rogier van der Weyden and Sandro
Botticelli, wooden sculptures from the Middle Ages, gold objects, and ancient bronzes and ceramics
from the Near East.

A Permanent And A New Exhibition

These two areas are the basis of the permanent exhibition. The textile exhibits show their
historical and artistic context. Between August 2009 and September 2011, the museum premises were
completely updated, including a remodeling of the museum.

The Abegg Foundation is now presenting a special exhibition titled “Ornamenta — Textile
Images of the Middle Ages.” The exhibition is open daily from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and closes
Nov. 11, 2012. Exhibits include beautiful tapestries, painted banners, altar hangings with subtle
embroidery and priests’ vestments, which together determined the appearance of church interiors
according to feast days and seasons. It is a breathtaking exhibition and array of textiles and fine
ancient art that should not be missed.

The Foundation

The Abegg Foundation was established in 1961 as a cultural historical institute that aims to
collect, research and restore old fabrics and textiles. The museum presents through every summer an
exhibition dedicated to a special sector of ancient textile art. The foundation also includes a
professional library — a cornerstone of its success and reputation. The library houses literature
covering ancient textiles as well as art in general, painting, architecture, history, archeology
and sculpture from ancient times up to the early 19th century. Interested parties may consult
current periodicals, the card catalogues and the online catalogue in the reading room. The
catalogues list some 60,000 entries and 200 current periodicals.

Education

An extremely important task is conservation and restoration, with the main emphasis on
textiles. No doubt the Abegg Foundation is one of the most prestigious institutes for textile
conservation and restoration. Apart from its public areas, the foundation also educates students in
the art of conservation of old fabric and textile artifacts.

The foundation offers a five-year degree course to one student per year in cooperation with
the Swiss Conservation-Restoration Campus and the Bern University of Arts (BUA). The five students
choose their area of specialization at the beginning of their studies and receive individual
supervision by the head of the textile conservation workshop and the senior conservators.

An important part of the education is the three-year Bachelor’s program, which covers
preventive conservation, an introduction to specific textile topics and basic
conservation-restoration theory. Introductory modules in preventive conservation, humanities and
natural sciences, technology of artifacts and conservation are offered at the BUA. Abegg Foundation
internal and external docents teach specific modules in the specialization textiles.

The two-year Master’s program centered on textile conservation and restoration offers
practical and theoretical modules and is complemented by modules at the BUA. At the end of the
program, students submit a Master’s thesis covering practical and theoretical skills and including
some autonomous research related to a particular textile conservation and/or restoration project.

The course involves lectures at the BUA and practical projects in the Abegg Foundation’s
conservation workshop as well as self-study required for the theory modules. Students receive a
scholarship from the foundation to cover accommodation and living expenses and are expected to
contribute to current projects at the foundation.

Publications

In addition to documentation covering the current special exhibition, the foundation also
publishes scientific works on textile art. ICAC conference attendees who are interested in the
history of their industry should not miss a visit to the Abegg Foundation in its beautiful
surroundings.

September 25, 2012