Shareholders of Rieter Holding AG, Switzerland, have approved a proposal to split the company and
establish separate independent listed companies for its Textile Systems and Automotive Systems
divisions. Rieter’s Board of Directors announced the proposed split in March, subject to
shareholder approval at Rieter’s annual meeting on April 13
(See ”
The
Rupp Report: Rieter Is Going Strictly Textile,” www.
TextileWorld.com, March 22, 2011).

Rieter Automotive Systems has been renamed Autoneum Holding Ltd. Rieter shareholders received
a special dividend comprising registered shares in Autoneum, which is expected to be listed on the
SIX Swiss Exchange in May 2011.

Rieter Textile Systems continues to operate within Rieter Holding, which has narrowed its
focus onto its traditional spinning machinery and technology components business.

“You have just set one of the most important milestones in Rieter’s history,” said Rieter
Board Chairman Erwin Stoller to the company shareholders following their approval of the split. “I
am convinced that both our automotive supply and textile machinery businesses are well positioned
for a successful independent future.”

May/June 2011

Montreal-based Gildan Activewear Inc. has agreed to acquire 100 percent of the common shares of
Gold Toe Moretz Holdings Corp. (GoldToeMoretz), Newton, N.C., for $350 million. The acquisition
includes intangible assets associated with GoldToeMoretz’s Gold Toe®, Silver Toe®, GoldToeGear®,
Auro®, PowerSox® and All Pro® sock brands; and its exclusive U.S. licenses to use the Under Armour®
and New Balance® brands; among other assets.

GoldToeMoretz Chairman and Chief Innovation Officer John Moretz and President and CEO Steve
Lineberger will stay on at Gildan, which plans to further develop GoldToeMoretz’s brands.

“In addition to the introduction of leading consumer brands, the acquisition provides Gildan
with enhanced brand management experience and expertise, best-in-class merchandising and strong
technical innovation and design capabilities to complement Gildan’s existing competitive strengths
for retail,” said Glenn J. Chamandy, president and CEO, Gildan Activewear.

May/June 2011

Agion Technologies Inc., Wakefield, Mass. — a provider of antimicrobial and odor-control
technologies for textile, medical and industrial markets — has been acquired by Sciessent LLC,
established and headed by Agion’s senior management team. The acquisition includes Agion’s
intellectual property assets, including its national and international patents and patent-pending
applications, as well as its proprietary expertise pertaining to anti-odor agents including Agion®
silver-based antimicrobial technology and Agion Active™ dual-action anti-odor technology.

“With this acquisition, Sciessent assumes Agion Technologies’ role as a global leader in
providing sustainable technologies that benefit and enhance people’s lives through medical devices,
potable water and textile applications,” said Paul Ford, CEO, Sciessent. “We are committed to
innovation and expanded application of existing solutions and integration of other complementary
technologies. … We are also committed to the discovery, development and implementation of next
generation environmentally responsible technologies.”

May/June 2011

Brussels-based plastics and chemicals conglomerate Solvay S.A. and Paris-based Rhodia — a chemical
conglomerate comprising 11 business units including Polyamide & Intermediates, Fibras, and
Engineering Plastics based on polyamide 6,6, among other businesses — have signed an agreement for
Solvay to acquire 100 percent of Rhodia at 31.60 euros per share ex-dividend of 0.5 euros, a cash
offer valuing Rhodia’s equity at 3.4 billion euros and the enterprise at 6.6 billion euros. The
transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals in the European Union and in the United
States, is expected to create a new group with complementary businesses and synergies, and with
annual sales of 12 billion euros, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization minus non-recurring elements totaling 1.9 billion euros.

According to the joint announcement made by the two companies, “the creation of a new group
will accelerate the shared ambition to create a large global chemical company committed to
sustainable development. The new group will capitalize on its large geographic footprint, the
quality and balance of its portfolio, its industrial excellence and the solidity of its financial
base to fully capture new growth opportunities, especially in high-growth markets.”

May/June 2011

The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) has named Dalton, Ga.-based Shaw Industries
Group Inc.’s Tuftex carpet manufacturing plant in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., the 2010 Facility of
the Year. The award recognizes the plant’s innovative wastewater, stormwater and air quality
conservation efforts and waste management practices.

Sustainability initiatives at the plant include diverting residual waste from landfills to a
waste-to-energy plant in Commerce, Calif.; recycling its entire carpet production waste into
pre-consumer recycled content; and using low mono-nitrogen oxide burners on two ship-scale boilers
to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. The facility previously has received CalRecycle’s Waste
Reduction Awards Program award for six years running, as well as the Central Basin Municipal Water
District’s Visionary Stewardship Award.

“As a local manufacturer, it was important to Shaw to implement environmentally responsible
practices, especially those that drastically conserve water at the facility, being that the
Colorado River – which provides water for our county – has remained in a drought for the past 11
years,” said Bill Woyshner, Shaw’s Tuftex Divisional Environmental/Safety Manager.

“Shaw’s Santa Fe Springs facility stands out in California for its commitment to
environmentally conscious practices across all aspects of its operations,” said Paul D.
Schmidtbauer, CWEA P3S Awards Committee Chair — South. “From recycling and saving millions of
gallons of water to its ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ status, the facility is a model of best
environmental practices for our state.”

May/June 2011

BIRKENHEAD, England — April 21, 2011 — Cotton Outlook’s latest monthly revision of world supply and
demand statistics confirm recent anecdotal reports of slowing mill consumption of raw cotton on
various markets. The estimate of world cotton use in 2010-11 has been reduced by nearly a quarter
of a million tonnes, the single largest adjustment having taken place in China. The impact of lower
consumption figure more than offsets the impact of smaller production estimates in the United
States and India, with the result that this season’s estimated shortfall in global supply is
reduced from last month’s 548,000, to 414,000 tonnes.

On current indications, a significant recovery in world supply remains in prospect during
2011-12.

Posted on May 10, 2011

Source: Cotton Outlook

Greensboro, N.C.-based polyester and nylon textured yarns and related materials manufacturer Unifi
Inc. last week celebrated the grand opening of its REPREVE® Recycling Center at the company’s G.
Allen Mebane Industrial Complex in Yadkinville, N.C. Unifi has invested $8 million in the
50,000-square-foot center to enable it to expand its production capacity for Repreve recycled
fiber.

The investment covered construction of a new building and the purchase of two
state-of-the-art extrusion lines plus auxiliary material handling equipment. One line has the
capacity to convert some 31 million pounds per year of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate
(PET) bottles into chip. The other line can convert some 11 million pounds per year of
post-industrial fiber and fabric waste into chip. In the future, Unifi also expects to be able to
recycle fabrics and garments. In addition to the expanded capacities and capabilities, the company
expects to be able to offer improved fiber color and to increase the volume of materials processed,
thereby realizing economic benefits.

Unifi reports that over the last two years, it has recycled more than 247 million
post-consumer PET bottles into Repreve fiber and estimates that in 2012, the new facility will
recycle more than 400 million bottles into Repreve. The company anticipates that the operation
ultimately will recycle some 900 million PET bottles and save the equivalent of 16 million gallons
of gasoline annually.

“The opening of the REPREVE Recycling Center solidifies Unifi’s commitment to be the world’s
leader in the production of sustainable fibers,” said Unifi President and COO Roger Berrier. He
added that the company will hire at least 25 new employees at the center once it becomes fully
operational.

The building includes environmentally friendly features such as: 67 skylights to bring in
natural sunlight; energy-efficient light fixtures controlled by sensor technology; low-flow
fixtures and motion sensors that are expected to reduce water consumption by 34 percent; and an
energy recovery kit that captures and re-utilizes heat generated during production of Repreve chip.
Many of the building materials were sourced regionally and themselves were made using recycled
materials.

SETeMa BV, the Netherlands — a manufacturer of textile machinery for dyestuff fixation,
coating/padding, washing, finishing and drying — has debuted the B-STeaM fixation unit for the
fixation of all dyestuff classes. The company reports the B-STeaM unit is reliable and affordable,
and is especially suitable for startup companies or printshops and designers looking to enter the
cotton and silk print-fixation business.

The B-STeaM features a temperature range between 100ºC and 180ºC and dwell times from two to
30 minutes. Typical temperatures for reactive and acid dyes range between 100ºC and 105ºC; for
disperse dyes, between 165ºC to 180ºC; and for pigments, hot-air fixation temperatures average
150ºC. Other features of the steam unit include: an onboard steam generator; a width of 2.2 meters;
low operational and maintenance costs; roll-to-roll operation; SETeMa’s High STeaM re-flow system,
which enhances color brightness; high-quality and reproducible fixation results; and the lowest
price in its class, according to the company.

May 10, 2011

Los Angeles-based private equity firm The Gores Group LLC and management of Greenville-based Sage
Automotive Interiors Inc. have partnered to acquire Sage from an affiliate of Azalea Capital LLC, a
Greenville-based investment firm.

Sage Automotive Interiors, formerly known as Autotex, originally was the Automotive Body
Cloth Division of Spartanburg-based Milliken & Company, which sold the division to Azalea
Capital in 2009. The company supplies automotive bodycloth including knit and woven technical
textiles to original equipment manufacturers, and its workforce currently totals approximately
1,200 people at locations in the United States as well as Brazil, the United Kingdom, China, Korea
and Japan.

“The Gores Group has a superb history of supporting the businesses it acquires,” said Dirk
Pieper, CEO, Sage. “I am confident that Gores’ financial resources and operational expertise will
provide us with an enhanced ability to pursue our organic growth strategies – including deeper
penetration internationally and new product development, as well as to target strategic
acquisitions. I believe the partnership with Gores will strengthen our position within the global
automotive market.”

Sage Automotive Interiors’ headquarters will remain in Greenville, and The Gores Group
reports it does not plan to make major changes to the company’s manufacturing operations or
organizational structure.

May 10, 2011

Germany-based Messe Frankfurt GmbH and the German Textile and Fashion Industry Confederation have
issued a call for entries for the inaugural textile+fashion Innovation Award for Sustainable
Design. The award recognizes young creative talent designing sustainable products and takes into
account the materials used, production processes, social aspects, recyclability and disposal.
Entries may be submitted in the textile design, fashion design and technical textiles categories.

“This competition gives young university graduates, designers, engineers and scientists the
chance to test their innovative ideas and, therefore, helps them take their first professional
steps,” said Olaf Schmidt, vice president, textile fairs, Messe Frankfurt.

Entries must be submitted by May 31, 2011. Winners will be announced on July 6, 2011, during
Berlin Fashion Week, which will take place July 5-10, 2011. To obtain additional information about
the award, visit
www.textil-mode.de.

May 10, 2011