IFAI President Steve Warner has named Flora Xu as the IFAI China Representative for the
international specialty fabrics association–effective 1 Nov. 2008.  Xu is president
of Shanghai BFISH Information Science & Technology Co., Ltd., a company specializing in
international marketing opportunities in China.

 

Xu is a highly experienced event organizer and has worked for CNTA Science & Technology
Co. for the past six years. CNTA is one of the leading nonwovens trade show organizers in China,
including the biennial SINCE show for the nonwovens industry.  She also served as the project
manager in charge of organizing the Filtration & Separation Asia show every other
year since 2002, the most recent being held in May 2008 in Shanghai.

 

As the IFAI China Representative, Xu will be responsible for serving the growing Chinese
membership in IFAI, as well as assisting companies outside of China interested in match-making and
business opportunities in China.

 

IFAI is eager to put Xu’s event experience into action as it continues to expand
association membership and trade events globally: “IFAI is extremely fortunate to have Ms. Xu join
our team,” said Warner.  “She is very talented and has extensive knowledge of the China
textile industry.” Xu will begin her new role at IFAI effective Nov. 1, 2008.



Press Release Courtesy of IFAI

September 3, 2008

Fashion and eco-consciousness have merged, and the result is the most earth-friendly apparel on the
market. Introduced by Incredible EcoGear, EcoGear t-shirts and lifestyle fashions are set to change
the way we think about the clothes we wear.

With pieces for men, women and children, EcoGear is a hip, fashion-conscious line. At the
same time, the company represents an opportunity for consumers to tread more lightly on the earth:
EcoGear fabric is created from leftover cuttings from the floor of clothing factories. The cuttings
are separated by color and shade, then cut into ultra-fine fibers and attached to a continuous
strand of polyester thread made from recycled plastic bottles. The resulting yarn is then spun into
EcoGear clothing products. The process is free of dyes, bleaches and other harsh chemicals.

Incredible EcoGear founder Robert Hii, a 20-year veteran of Toronto’s garment industry,
began researching the possibility of creating a 100% recycled fabric in 2007, following a string of
devastating natural disasters around the world. At the time, he was working under a large clothing
company’s private label. But when it became apparent Hii’s new fabric was not just possible to
create but could actually be used in making a wide range of fashions, the larger company balked —
and Hii struck out on his own with Incredible EcoGear.

The company’s commitment to the environment is apparent at all levels of the organization.
EcoGear production processes are designed to minimize Incredible EcoGear’s carbon footprint. The
inks used on EcoGear garments’ iron-on care-and-content labels are organic. The line’s graphic tees
use either water-based direct screen print or organic ink heat transfer; both are certified free of
PVCs and phthalates. The garments’ hang tags are printed in soy inks on recycled paper and attached
with a raw sisal cord and a reusable safety pin. And Incredible EcoGear donates 1% of sales to
environmental organizations, including the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the World
Wildlife Fund, the Toronto Zoo, Environmental Defence and the Algalita Marine Research Foundation,
through the 1% For the Planet movement.

“EcoGear clothing is the first 100% recycled clothing available to consumers,” said Hii. “We
realized that any difference in climate change will have to start with you and me, and that is the
founding principle of EcoGear. You would have to go nude to be more eco-friendly than this.”

Incredible EcoGear continues to set new standards in environmentally friendly clothing. The
company is now working with suppliers to design fleece and woven fabrics, with the goal of offering
a total lifestyle collection made from 100% recycled materials. Incredible EcoGear has also
introduced its Green Tees for Green Groups program and hopes to sign up more environmental groups
to benefit from its Special Tees collection.

Press Release Courtesy of PR Newswire

September 3, 2008

Have you had your holidays this year? One, two, or even weeks? I’m convinced that the vacation
season is a very important time of the year. We are living in very demanding times; everybody is
pushed to provide 150 percent – to do less means losing the race. So to relax, to recharge the
battery is essential.

Well-being

Holidays are essential, not only for yourself, but also for your job. Being stressed all the
year round is very bad, from a personal and from a business point of view. It means no time for
reflection and contemplation on whatever you’re doing. The results are obvious: trouble everywhere
– with family, job, and friends.

Slow Down

But are you able to slow down? Some can, some can’t. I’m sure everybody knows these kinds of
people: before they go for their annual holiday, they tell everybody to leave them alone – please
don’t disturb my leisure time with dolce far niente. But they don’t forget to tell you their
address, and, at least, their private cell phone number – just in case you might have a question
only they can answer. Or even better – sorry, even worse – a problem only they can settle.

I’m just back from a two-week holiday. Going for a holiday means a lot more work prior to
vacation, especially for an editor. For example, you expect this report every week. But I’m sure
this is the case for most of the people in private industry. The job must be done.

However, frankly speaking, for me it’s always a tough job to relax. It takes at least 10 days
to slow down. I’m getting quiet and easy, but then I go back to work. For people around me, it must
be hell because I want to keep myself busy, but at the same time I try not to think about anything.
But who can think about nothing? You see. At least, I’m not reading any newspaper or watching any
news on TV, and I’m trying to be in my own little world.

Close Your Eyes

So, the only thing I know from the past two weeks is that the Olympics are over now, and I
don’t even know if the Swiss horses won a medal thanks to their new blankets (see The Rupp Report
from August 12). But I do know that China won the most gold medals, and the United States came in
second. Just like in real life. If I’m not totally wrong, the Chinese won more than 50 gold medals
and some 50 silver and bronze medals too – Wow!

For the future, I wonder how many sports will be worthy to be an Olympic competition for even
more Olympic gold medals. Then, just like in real life, we will have another inflation, but this
time of gold medals. There was even a BMX bike competition this time. In a few years, let’s say
after London 2012, the Olympic Games will be an event just like the past ITMA ASIA + CITME 2008: a
Chinese-dominated event with international participation.

August 26, 2008

Germany-based CHT R. Beitlich GmbH and Switzerland-based Bezema AG, members of the CHT group of
companies and suppliers of textile auxiliaries and dyes, have partnered with bluesign technologies
AG, Switzerland-based developer of the bluesign® environmental, health and safety (EHS) standard
for assessment of materials and processes used in textile manufacturing. Going forward, all textile
auxiliaries and dyes manufactured by the CHT group will be certified according to the bluesign
standard in the bluefinder™ product database listing best available products based on ecological
and economical criteria.

“CHT group is an ideal partner for bluesign-system due to its complete range of products
along the textile chain from spin finishes to pretreatment products and dyes up to special finishes
and its comprehensive know-how about production processes and process safety,” said Detlef Fischer,
vice president, bluesign technologies.

“The CHT group works out individual system solutions adapted to the customers’ demands which
guarantee an effective and ecological production process,” said Uwe Halder, managing director for
research and development, marketing and sales, CHT group. “We take our global responsibility
seriously and seize all chances to achieve sustained ecologically highest quality standards as
desired by retailers and trademark companies.”

August 26, 2008

Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based Dow Reichhold Specialty Latex LLC — a joint venture between The
Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., and Research Triangle Park-based Reichhold Inc. — will sell
certain business assets and close all manufacturing facilities, and plans to end all business
activities before the end of 2008.

The Dow Chemical Co. plans to buy back the businesses it originally supplied when the joint
venture was established, and will provide future service directly to respective customers. The
transaction is expected to be completed by September 18.

Dow Reichhold will shut down its headquarters in Research Triangle Park; a manufacturing
plant in Cheswold, Del.; the Asia/Pacific offices in Malaysia; and an office and laboratory in
Shanghai. The company also is pursuing the sale of other business assets originally provided by
Reichhold.

August 26, 2008

Miami, Fla.-based Finotex USA Corp. — a producer and supplier of printed labels and heat-transfer
and digital thermal printing solutions — has announced that it will expand heat transfer production
capacities for its Honduras, El Salvador and Columbia facilities. Finotex provides heat transfers
on rolls and single pieces for local and international apparel markets. The company says it is
expanding these capacities in response to heightened global demand for tagless garments.

August 26, 2008

Effective the fourth quarter of 2008, Austria-based Lenzing Group will implement prices increases
averaging between 7 and 10 percent for its entire range of fibers. The company cited rising raw
material, energy and chemical costs in announcing the price increase.

August 26, 2008

Effective September 15, or as contracts allow, Florham Park, N.J.-based BASF Corp. will implement a
price increase of 6 cents per dry pound for all Styrofan™ carboxylated styrene-butadiene polymers
sold to the carpet industry in the United States and Canada. The company cited continued inflation
of energy and raw material costs in announcing the price increase.

August 26, 2008

A coalition of major US importers of textiles and clothing has issued a stern warning to Uzbekistan
that it must cease using what they charge is child labor in cotton fields. Uzbekistan is heavily
dependent on its exports of raw cotton and cotton products, which account for 20 percent of its
exports and 15 percent of its gross national product.

A letter to the president of Uzbekistan signed by the American Apparel and Footwear
Association, the National Retail Federation, the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the US
Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel, said that Uzbekistan must take “decisive and
immediate actions to end the use of forced child labor in its cotton fields.”

Members of the coalition are among the leading purchasers of cotton products from Uzbekistan.
While no direct threats were made, the coalition said its member companies are firmly committed to
sourcing in countries that are respectful of human and workers’ rights.

The coalition pointed out that a number of North American and European companies and retailer
brands have already taken measures to exclude Uzbek cotton from their merchandise because of child
labor abuses, and warned “more companies would likely follow suit if sweeping improvements are not
made soon.”

August 19, 2008

Tempe, Ariz.-based TechFiber LLC, a developer and producer of ballistic fiber and protective
materials, has introduced its Blast Containment Wall Covering fabric, an internationally patented,
lightweight, flexible, fire- and fungus-resistant fabric that can be installed to cover the walls
and ceiling inside a room or building to contain fragments caused by an explosion and protect the
structure’s occupants.

The fabric is woven using aramid Dref friction-spun yarn and cotton. The wall covering can be
installed without the use of special equipment and can be painted with commercially available
paints.

“The aramid wall covering prevents fragmentation from penetrating into the building
interior,” said Miles Rothman, general manager, TechFiber. “The Blast Containment Wall Covering
keeps terrorism at bay and buildings and people safer.”

August 19, 2008