For the next four weeks, the world of sports will be having a big party — it’s World Cup time in
South Africa. Sports is an important sector of the global textile industry. Sports and leisurewear
are generating important revenues for textile companies all over the world. Top brands like Nike,
Puma and Adidas spend millions of dollars for their marketing to maintain their place in the top
league as suppliers of sportswear.

EMPA St. Gallen

EMPA, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, is a highly
reputed institute for various sectors of the industry. It is an interdisciplinary research and
services institution for material sciences and technology development within the ETH Zürich, the
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

EMPA has a special interest in textiles at its offices in St. Gallen, the world capital of
embroidery. The inauguration dress worn by U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama included embroidery from
St. Gallen. No wonder, in times of the World Cup, the two topics at a recent EMPA Science Apéro
gathering were the physical strain soccer players’ bodies endure during the game and new functional
clothing developments.

Dr. Bruno Damann, team doctor of the local soccer club, stated that in recent years, the game
has become considerably harder and faster. The huge sums of money that are spent bring on
ever-increasing competitive pressure. “The competition comes not that much from the opposing team
as from a player’s own colleagues,” he said.

Injuries

EMPA notes that in order to win and hold a place on the first team, a player must undergo
very aggressive training, and he is most likely to sustain injury during this training period. The
Swiss Accident Insurance Fund reports there are 191,000 soccer-related accidents annually in
Switzerland, a country of some 7 million citizens. In some instances, new types of injuries result
owing to technological advances. As an example, while soccer shoes today provide excellent
stability and improved grip, the design also increases the load on the knee and the likelihood that
players will sustain more knee-related injuries.

High-performance Textiles

EMPA further states that sports equipment suppliers are challenged in their efforts to help a
player go “faster, longer, further.” Increasingly sophisticated garment systems, such as
tight-fitting compression apparel, contribute to enhanced performance. Such garments were first
developed for swimmers, but now they are designed for a large range of sports, including soccer.
Compression garments apply pressure on particular parts of the body, thereby increasing the blood
flow by about 2 percent and reducing muscle vibration. On the other hand, the materials from which
these garments are made are not very breathable, which can make them uncomfortable.

Body Temperature

Improving apparel materials is also the goal of an EMPA project conducted by researcher
Markus Weder, whose main focus is sports apparel that enables optimal body temperature control,
from prevention of overheating during a game to prevention of chilling during periods of lower
activity.

Athleticwear must meet rather demanding requirements. Weder mentioned the fabric must offer
optimal thermal insulation properties for a wide range of temperatures, which in South Africa may
be freezing or sweltering in June and July, depending on the location. It is not sufficient just to
select a long or short-sleeved functional jersey.

Army Material For Athleticwear

To demonstrate textile technology advances, EMPA cites a comparative test among three
different jerseys: an older Swiss army shirt, a shirt currently worn by the St. Gallen soccer club
and a T-shirt EMPA recently developed for the Swiss army. The new material keeps the body cool and
consequently minimizes perspiration, while it also is by far the fastest-drying of the three
materials.

More information is available at
www.empa.ch.

Gastonia, N.C.-based sales yarn spinner Parkdale Mills Inc. has announced it will begin operations
by the end of this year at a plant in Gaffney, S.C., formerly owned by Wellstone Mills. This
announcement follows the news that Parkdale had signed a lease/purchase agreement with Wellstone
for four of its spinning plants
(See ”
Parkdale
Acquires Wellstone Plants,” March 23, 2010). Parkdale will invest $45 million to furnish
the plant, which is located in Cherokee County, S.C., with new equipment and also upgrade existing
machinery. Up to 145 jobs at the plant that were lost when Wellstone closed will be recovered.

“For our new operations, we were looking for a building that would suit our current needs and
allow us room to grow,” said Lee Thomas, vice president of services, Parkdale Mills. “We found that
flexibility in the former Wellstone building. Cherokee County not only offered us an excellent
building, but also has a positive business climate. We look forward to making our facility
operational there in the coming months. We appreciate all the support we have received from state
and local officials in making this plan a reality.”

“Parkdale Mills has operated in South Carolina for decades, and this announcement reflects
the company’s continued commitment to our state,” said Joe Taylor, secretary of commerce. “The
decision to set up operations in the former Wellstone building offers another great example of an
adaptive reuse that will allow Parkdale Mills to get its operations up and running quickly and in
turn mean new job opportunities for the community sooner. … This announcement is also a reminder
that our state’s business-friendly climate plays a critical role in attracting new investments and
jobs, and perhaps most importantly in helping our existing businesses grow.”

June 15, 2010

Bristol, Va.-based Universal Fibers, a manufacturer of solution-dyed fibers including
post-industrial and post-consumer recycled fibers, has been recognized by Marriott Hotels for its
contribution to the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (ASF), a non-profit organization that procures
and preserves rainforest land in support of the Juma Sustainable Development Reserve in South
America. Universal Fibers selected Marriott’s MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center in
Kingsport, Tenn., as the location for a national sales conference, and donated all discounts and
incentives associated with the conference to ASF through Marriott’s “Spirit to Preserve the
Rainforest” initiative.

“Marriott’s MeadowView Conference Center is very committed to sustainability initiatives, and
operates their property in Kingsport accordingly,” said Marc Ammen, CEO, Universal Fibers. “This
supports our EarthSmart Promise of environmental stewardship, and also supports our commitment to
our local communities and businesses.”

The company also used reusable and recycled paper products at the conference and employed
internal water- and energy-savings initiatives that reduced its carbon footprint during the
five-day conference.

Marriott presented Universal Fibers with the award at the company’s new Customer Care Center
(CCC) — an interactive concept design and meeting area developed as part of a $13 million
expansion announced last year
(See ”
Universal
Fibers To Expand Headquarters Operations,” Dec. 15, 2009). The CCC allows customers to
meet with members of the product development team to match a fiber’s color and design to their
vision.

“Our goal is to have the perfect match — in color and texture before the customer heads
home,” Ammen said. “This saves time and environmental resources and there should be less trial and
error for production, and fewer samples being mailed back and forth. What many people may not
realize is that we have endless color possibilities within our huge color bank of solution dyed
fiber, and we provide ample flexibility in customizing our products to fit the exacting needs of
our customers.”

Universal Fibers also will use the CCC for company activities and for local group and
community tours. Ammen said he would like to see it eventually be used as an educational resource
for architecture and design students and associated trade organizations, and it may provide the
groups with support related to continuing education credits.

June 15, 2010

Greensboro, N.C.-based Unifi Inc. — a producer of multifilament polyester and nylon textured yarns
and related materials — has announced it is investing in the backward integration of its Repreve®
recycled polyester yarn supply chain in an effort to improve the availability of recycled raw
materials and increase its product capabilities. Unifi will employ new state-of-the-art recycling
technology that will give it better control over the production of the recycled chip used to make
Repreve fibers, and also will enable the company to recycle post-consumer and post-industrial
fabric waste back into Repreve. According to Unifi, the new capabilities should come online in
February 2011.

“Bringing the extrusion process in-house is a natural step for us,” said Roger Berrier,
executive vice president, Unifi. “Being more vertically integrated will significantly increase our
product development capabilities and capacity.”

Unifi also has purchased a 40-percent interest in a biomass feedstock company to set up a
joint venture (JV) named Repreve™ Renewables that will directly sell Freedom™ Giant Miscanthus to
farmers, who will then supply the product to bioenergy and biofuel operations in the United States
and European Union.

Giant Miscanthus is a perennial hybrid C4 grass that converts sunlight to biomass energy. C4
plants have a special adaptation that allows them to photosynthesize and grow during extreme
environmental conditions including high drought, light and temperatures, and lack of nitrogen or
carbon dioxide. In addition, its cultivation requires only small amounts of pesticide and
fertilizers. Freedom Giant Miscanthus — developed by Mississippi State University (MSU) researcher
Brian Baldwin, MSU technology transfer specialist Chase Kasper and Georgia turf grass expert
Phillip Jennings — is branded as such because of its ability to free the United States from its
dependency on foreign oil. It is uniquely suited to the South, doesn’t require much land to grow
and costs less than other biofuel sources such as corn, switchgrass and timber. According to Unifi,
it is non-invasive and the highest-yielding crop available commercially.

“We are continually looking for innovative, sustainable initiatives, and we are very excited
about participating in this renewable energy opportunity,” said Bill Jasper, president and CEO,
Unifi. “Both of these initiatives will support our strategy to grow the Repreve brand and product
portfolio, and will add to our commitment in being a global leader in sustainability efforts.”



June 15, 2010

As part of its European flooring business restructuring, Wichita, Kan.-based Invista — a global
integrated fibers and polymers manufacturer — will discontinue flooring operations at its
Östringen, Germany, site, and nylon processing operations at its Kerkrade site in the Netherlands.
The company plans to end production at the Östringen site by the end of 2010 and at the Kerkrade
site by the end of the first quarter 2011. Approximately 400 employees at Östringen and 60
employees at Kerkrade will be affected. Invista will continue apparel activities, which include
distribution activities, as well as Lycra® fiber beaming, rewinding and knitting at the Kerkrade
site.

“We understand that this announcement will come as a disappointment to the affected employees
and we recognize that our employees have made considerable contributions over the years,” said Dan
Stone, president, Performance Surfaces and Materials, Invista. “Invista has attempted to streamline
its European flooring business and to reduce costs, however, we continue to have a high cost
position compared to other producers and because of poor fibre and yarn demand in the European
flooring markets, our efforts and actions have not been enough to put us in a position of
profitability. Our vision is to create a healthy and successful business in Europe by sourcing
products from other sites around the world.”

Customers in other regions who purchase Invista’s European nylon 6,6 products will be offered
alternatives from the company’s North American manufacturing sites.

June 15, 2010

The Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
(AATCC) has announced the winners of its fifth annual Materials Competition, created by the
Materials Interest Group to promote innovative product development from a material structures
design perspective. Competition participants included both graduate and undergraduate students.

Entries were judged on criteria including concept originality, design element integration,
technical feasibility, clarity of supporting documentation, and technical and materials rationale.
The first place award, including a cash prize of $1,000, was presented to Garry Atkinson of North
Carolina State University (NCSU) for his Anti-Microbial Tactical Boot. The second place award,
including a $500 cash prize, was presented to Andrea Rivas, Lindsay Remington, Katie Voytko and
Anna Clark of NCSU for their ProTech-tive Apparel.

The winners also were awarded complimentary registrations for the 2011 AATCC International
Conference, which will be held March 22-24, 2011, in Charleston, S.C.

June 15, 2010

Bellefonte, Pa.-based NanoHorizons Inc. — a developer of nanoscale performance additives for
textile, healthcare and industrial applications — has appointed Seoul, Korea-based J2LFA Co. Ltd.
— a manufacturer of a variety of natural and man-made performance yarns including organic cotton
— as an authorized distributor in Korea for its SmartSilver™ nanoscale antimicrobial additive.
J2LFA will market its SmartSilver enhanced yarns to the athletic performance apparel, workwear,
safety apparel and hosiery markets. The company also will develop SmartSilver textile applications
for medical wet wipes, feminine hygiene products and home furnishings.

“Collaborating with J2LFA will rapidly establish SmartSilver™ as the antimicrobial technology
of choice in Korea,” said Timothy Skedzuhn, vice president, Textile Business Unit, Nanohorizons.
“J2LFA’s proven technical expertise and reputation for manufacturing outstanding yarns will make
them a strong partner in the critical Korean market.”

June 15, 2010

BRUSSELS — June 9, 2010 — EDANA, the international Association serving the nonwovens and related
industries today released its statistics on Nonwovens Production and Deliveries for 2009. The
figures for Greater Europe (Western, Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey and CIS) show that as a
result of the recent economic conditions, but also of the industry’s effort to provide
lighter-weight nonwovens (using less material) with the same function, the production of nonwovens
has contracted in weight by 6.3% since 2008, with 1,609,819 tonnes of nonwovens produced in 2009.
This compares with the growth in the industry for 2008 of 1.2%.

After several years of double digit growth, the weight of nonwovens sold to the personal care
wipes market declined in 2009, but sales remained stable in terms of surface area, with minimal
growth recorded.  While total production figures, by weight, have fallen, the level of
production in square metres did continue to grow (nearly 51,000 million in 2009).  According
to a comparison of a select group of companies in 2008 and 2009, the average price of nonwovens
remains nearly unchanged 2008 to 2009.  The total turnover of the industry is estimated at
around €4,790 million.

In announcing the topline results of the report at the EDANA International Nonwovens
Symposium in Baveno earlier today, Jacques Prigneaux, EDANA’s Market Analysis and Economic Affairs
Director stated that “While trade flows for both exports and imports slowed in 2009, the EU27 trade
balance of nonwovens roll goods was still highly positive, in both volume and in value. Moreover,
for each subcategory of nonwovens, EU27 is still a net exporter. This positive trade balance helped
contain the unfavourable trade balance of the overall European textile industry.”

The most significant decrease in tonnage has been recorded in polymer-based (spunmelt)
nonwovens.   In addition, despite a small decrease of nearly 2.0% of nonwoven deliveries
(in tonnes) to the hygiene business, this segment remains by far the largest outlet of the industry
and increased its market share both in weight and surface area in 2009.

After several years of double digit growth, the amount of nonwovens sold to the personal care
wipes market declined in 2009, but sales remained stable with minimal growth
recorded.   

While the largest contractions were observed in civil engineering, home furnishing,
industrial wipes and automotive, medical applications recorded notable positive development. 

Detailed data for the “2009 European Nonwovens Production and Deliveries” is only available
to EDANA member companies.

About EDANA

EDANA, serves the nonwovens and related industries, and has more than 210 member companies in
over 30 countries across the globe.  Its mission is to create the foundation for sustainable
growth of the nonwovens, absorbent hygiene products and related industries through active
promotion,education and dialogue.  Information about upcoming events can be found at
www.edana.org

Posted on June 15, 2010

Press Release Courtesy of EDANA

Jo-Mar Spinning will invest more than $1 million to establish manufacturing operations in a
shuttered yarn plant in Belmont, N.C., with plans to create some 100 jobs within the first year.

The newly established company will set up its yarn spinning and twisting operations as well
as its corporate offices in the former Helms Plant of sales yarn spinner R.L. Stowe Mills Inc.,
which closed its doors in 2009 after 108 years in business
(See ”
R.L.
Stowe To Close After 108 Years,” January 6, 2009). Assistance from the Gaston County
Economic Development Commission and various other state and local entities bolstered the company’s
decision to locate in Belmont.

“Jo-Mar Spinning is excited to come to Belmont and Gaston County. This represents a new and
great beginning for our company,” said Joe Ludlum, the company’s location manager.

The hiring process has begun, and Phillips Staffing Co. in Gaffney, S.C., is handling
employment applications. 

June 2010