The yarn business is without doubt the cornerstone of all fabric-forming activities. The
construction of any yarn determines to a large extent the appearance and surface of every
fashionable fabric.

Old Tradition

Fashionable and fancy yarns have their home in Europe in general, and in Italy in particular.
For centuries, the Italian spinners, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, competed with their
neighbors in France and Switzerland to be on top for spinning exclusive and fashionable yarns. It
is therefore no surprise that one of the most important yarn fairs in Europe takes place twice a
year in Milan, and is the only international event concentrated into two days. The event is called
the FILO yarn fair. It is an international exhibition of high-quality yarns and fibers for home
furnishing, apparel, flat and circular knitting, embroidery and even technical applications.

FILO was founded in 1994 and earned its reputation as a unique business-to-business fair
dedicated to yarns and materials of excellence that have a precise acknowledged character. The idea
came from a small group of entrepreneurs inspired by Italy’s famous Biella region. The fair’s
business platform enables selected Italian, European and international companies to gather with
professional visitors from all over the world.

FILO has two editions each year: one in March and the other in October. The 39th edition of
the show will take place in Milan March 20 – 21, 2013, at Le Stelline Congress Center.

A Success Story

The last edition of FILO in October 2012 was an accomplishment, with the number of exhibitors
growing to more than 80. Paolo Monfermoso, director of FILO, mentioned to the press that “in the
course of the two days of the event, there was a positive climate and the concluding balance of the
38th edition of FILO proves it through the numbers.” He added that “the buyers are always highly
qualified and their ideas were extremely clear.”

Another reason for the success story is the fact that the organizers pay special attention to
promoting the fair in foreign markets. Monfermoso mentioned to the press that the next edition of
FILO is “restarting with impulse,” and the organizers are “optimistic for the consolidation of the
number of exhibitors and visitors. The success of FILO is due in part to the constant presence in
the fair of high range products as well as the continuous research and innovation which our
exhibitors are able to propose.”

Trends

The main theme for the upcoming edition is “Marks.” This, according to the trend people from
FILO, “has never been so appropriate and it is on the trails of the preceding editions that we have
tried to face 2013.” Creative and Product Development Manager Gianni Bologna mentioned that the
various Marks chosen for the product proposals are the “Footmarks to be followed” by blending old
and new items, “where the traditional beautiful is blended with the sophisticated super modern with
new technical materials.”

“With ‘Footmarks to be followed,’ the mega-trend is the return to the rules of elegance and
chic which have been consolidated during the past few seasons,” mentioned the organizers. “To
complete the picture there are two sub-themes: Déjà-vu and Mind Games, allowing two different
interpretations of elegance such as the reminiscence of a lost chic which has been recovered and
that of a chic which has only been a dream.”

Déjà-vu includes “the yarns dedicated to the sartorial, handcrafted and traditional
inspiration. The development of these ideas is based on a concept of elegance which comes directly
from the past, but at the same time involves new combinations which are not traditional with very
precious materials and other more simple ones. It is a mix of old and new, where traditional beauty
is blended with sophisticated super modern and with new techno materials. It is like taking the
black and white photos of yesteryear and suddenly colour some of the details.”

Mind Games presents “the past relived through memories and dreams: the materials are those of
the most classic elegance, but the effect is different because the craftsmanship and the blends
reflect the present, at times even the future.”

Dear reader that is the language of fashion people!

There are also Digital Trails, with technical yarns beside the natural ecological and
environmentally friendly yarns in order to define the future. The trend people are certain that the
Marks will follow the entire textile industry chain up to men’s and women’s apparel, first shown on
the catwalks and later to be seen on Main Street.

Special Promotion

Monfermoso said that for the March show, a specific promotional program was started to
attract more foreign visitors and countries. The result of these actions is that FILO will host
some foreign buyer delegations who will be visiting FILO for the first time. All this success, adds
Monfermoso, is “the fruit of the renewal of the continuity that FILO has undertaken down through
the years, as it aims to enrich itself more and more, thus confirming itself as a reference point
for the experts of the sector.”

Benvenuto a Milano!

February 12, 2013

Germany-based specialty fiber manufacturer Kelheim Fibres GmbH has developed Olea, an intrinsically
water-repellent viscose fiber.

The company reports it is able to retain the viscose fiber’s characteristic properties by
incorporating the water repellency additive into the fiber’s matrix during the spinning process,
thereby producing a durable, permanent hydrophobic effect. The resulting fiber is soft, comfortable
and skin-friendly, according to Kelheim, and also is fully biodegradable, as the water-repellent
additive is made of renewable materials.

Kelheim also reports the additive in Olea has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, making the fiber particularly suitable for demanding food and hygiene applications.

“Olea is an environmentally friendly alternative for the cover — and back-sheets of hygiene
products — for example nappies, sanitary towels or incontinence pads,” said Philipp Wimmer, Ph.D.,
a member of Kelheim’s R&D team. “In order to protect the wearer’s skin, these sheets need to
remain dry while they facilitate the transport of liquid away from the skin.”

Kelheim is testing Olea for textile applications and reports it is showing promise especially
for sportswear and other functional textile applications.

February 12, 2013

David Peck, a fashion designer with Parisian fashion training and New York experience, has opened
David Peck USA, the South’s first full-scale fashion house.

Peck established the company in 2010 and last year moved its headquarters and showroom into
a renovated a 6,000-square-foot former real estate office located in Houston’s Upper Kirby
district. The facility also houses all design, production and distribution.

“The majority of American fashion brands manufacture outside the United States,” Peck said.
“We want to change that, and I am confident with what we are doing we are on the right path. We
believe that providing local employment not only guarantees higher quality control but also
provides fair wages for an industry that is notorious for the contrary.”

The company manufactures custom bridalwear as well as Peck’s ready-to-wear line branded CrOp
— short for “creative opportunities” — which incorporates organic, fair trade and natural fibers
and is printed using low-environmental-impact methods. The CrOp Fall 2013 collection “Fast Forward”
will debut Saturday, February 16, at a private presentation and fashion house tour.

“In the past we have exclusively debuted all CrOp collections at [New York Fashion Week] but
this year we want to spotlight Houston’s thriving fashion community,” Peck said. “We welcome the
Houston community and the entire fashion industry to experience first-hand an American Fashion
House.”

David Peck USA also manufactures local designers’ womenswear, childrenswear, swimwear and
accessories.

February 12, 2013

Italy-based Miroglio Textile S.r.l. has unveiled a textile printing platform that combines
state-of-the-art technology with environmental responsibility and expanded creative service.

E.Volution utilizes the latest-generation digital printing machines, including the
continuous single-pass MS-LARIO, which produces very clean colors and designs and offers high
performance and product quality, according to Miroglio.

The platform also uses an exclusive universal ink range for polyester fabric printing –
developed in partnership with Switzerland-based Sensient Imaging Technologies S.A. – that offers
high quality and good colorfastness. According to Miroglio, the E.Volution printing process only
uses 1 liter of water per linear meter compared with 50 liters used in traditional printing
processes; and also reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90 percent and energy usage by 57
percent.

Miroglio also offers expanded creative design services with the E.Volution platform thanks
to its Metri d’Arte initiative, through which artists, sculptors and other creative experts around
the world work alongside Miroglio’s creative team in the company’s style office.

February 12, 2013

Austria-based yarn spinner Schoeller GmbH & CoKG has developed a range of colors for Merino
wool processed using Enciel technology to produce pure white fiber that enables brilliant colors to
be realized in dyeing, according to the company. The technology was developed by Schoeller and
Australia-based The Merino Company (TMC).

Schoeller reports the level of whiteness achieved using Enciel technology is improved by up
to 160 percent on the Berger scale, compared with the appearance of conventional white Merino
fabrics. The color spectrum can be achieved on wool and high-quality wool blends and ranges from
intense cotton colors to what it describes as “splendid white.” The company further reports good
colorfastness and washfastness of Enciel-processed products, and notes that its award-winning EXP
3.0 finishing process ensures environmentally friendly washability and good wash-and-wear
properties of the products. The yarn also may be certified to be compliant with the bluesign®
standard.

February 12, 2013