The Merino Co. (TMC), Australia — a provider of vertically integrated merino wool fiber solutions
for retail and brand partners — has become an official licensee of the EU Eco-label, a
certification system established in 1992 that distinguishes environmentally friendly products and
services. TMC’s wool supply chain is the first globally to be fully certified to the EU Eco-label,
from greasy wool through yarn. The company’s products will now display the EU Eco-label Flower
symbol, designating that they have been certified by an independent third-party organization to
comply with ecological and performance criteria. 

“We recognise the importance placed on high quality natural fibres that are environmentally
friendly by our global retail, apparel and textile brand customers,” said Stefan Bernerius,
manager, TMC Yarns. “It has been a rigorous process and has taken over two years to come to
fruition but we have met the strict EU Eco-label environmental and performance criteria, and can
proudly guarantee that our products have a reduced impact on the environment.”



October 27, 2009

Switzerland-based Schoeller Technologies AG has announced that its coldblack® textile finish is now
available for wool products. Coldblack technology, which enables black fabrics to reflect rather
than absorb the sun’s rays, offers dual protection from solar heat and ultraviolet rays.
(See ”
Cool
Rider,” Quality Fabric Of The Month, Oct. 9, 2007.) According to Schoeller, temperature
changes are less noticeable when wearing dark wool clothing that is finished with coldblack
technology.

October 27, 2009

The Hohenstein Institute — a Germany-based textile research and testing laboratory with locations
worldwide — has combined its Clothing Physiology and Textile Services & Innovations segments
into the Function and Care department. The new department will be responsible for activities
including measuring the physiological comfort of textile materials and manufactured articles;
conducting testing and certification of personal protective equipment; textile leasing; textile
finishing; color measuring; and activities related to functional innovative textiles and commercial
laundries. The department also will offer comprehensive services to Gütegemeinschaft sachgemässe
Wäschepflege e.V. (Quality Association for Proper Laundry Care) members, and practical seminars to
laundries and textile service providers.

Dr. Andreas Schmidt will manage the Function and Care department, and Dr. Jan Beringer will
serve as scientific manager. Dr. Karl-Heinz Umbach will retire from his role as director of the
Clothing Physiology department, but will continue to serve as an advisor to the Hohenstein
Institute.

October 27, 2009

C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity, Lifestyle And Sustainable Synergy) — a global network of three showrooms
in Milan, London and New York City — has formed a strategic partnership with NICE (Nordic
Initiative Clean & Ethical) to promote awareness and use of environmentally responsible
materials.

C.L.A.S.S. works with manufacturers to support and promote environmentally friendly fashion,
home and design products through eco-textiles, yarns, processes, finished products and services.
NICE is an educational program that encourages the Nordic fashion industry to focus more on
responsible, ethical and sustainable fashion.

C.L.A.S.S. will be the official supplier of eco-innovation materials and products for the
Fashion Summit, to be held Dec. 9, 2009, at the Copenhagen Opera House in Denmark. Hosted by the
Danish Fashion Institute, organized by NICE, and supported by the Nordic Fashion Association, the
Fashion Summit is the first in a series of ongoing initiatives to promote sustainability and social
responsibility in the fashion industry. It will coincide with COP15 — the United Nations Climate
Change Conference in Copenhagen, and is expected to draw 500 to 600 participants. Events will
include presentations by speakers involved in fashion, corporate social responsibility, politics,
and non-governmental organizations; a catwalk show; and a design competition for upcoming
designers. 

October 27, 2009

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) is urging Congress to expand its export
financing assistance to include both small and medium-sized manufacturers. Under a current program,
the Small Business Administration (SBA) grants loans to small businesses with up to 500 employees.
NCTO is urging Congress to authorize SBA to offer loans of $5 million, $10 million and $15 million
and expand eligibility to firms with up to 1,250 employees, which would include a large number of
textile companies.

Testifying before the House Small Business Committee, NCTO President Cass Johnson said
financing options “play a pivotal role” in the US textile industry’s ability to manufacture
products for export. “Without adequate financing options and government supported guarantees,”
Johnson said, “international markets are no longer viable for US produced goods.”

In addition to the expanded loan program, Johnson urged the committee to work with the
Export-Import Bank to ensure that Ex-Im continues to offer flexible financing options for all
businesses to help international markets to remain open to US goods.

In a related development, US Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk has initiated a plan that
he says is designed to help increase exports by small and medium-sized US manufacturers. He has
established a working group within USTR to ensure that the agency’s policies address the needs of
small and medium-sized manufacturers, and he has asked the International Trade Commission to
investigate how that agency can help those manufacturers  become more involved in exporting.

Saying that small and medium-sized manufacturers are “at the heart of employment and job
creation,”

Kirk said the administration will work on new trade policies and enforce existing ones in
order to help smaller manufacturers increase trade abroad and create jobs at home.Kirk said his new
initiative is just the beginning, and he will work with other agencies, such as the Department of
Commerce and the SBA, that have complementary programs for small and medium-sized companies.

October 20, 2009

The Nat Nast Co. Inc. — a South Norwalk, Conn.-based designer of luxury menswear — has
implemented Lyndhurst, N.J.-based end-to-end business software solutions designer RLM Apparel
Software Systems Inc.’s FashionManager™ Web-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) software at
its headquarters and New York City-based showroom and offices. Nat Nast soon will use RLM’s FM
On-Demand™ hosted software-as-a-service solution for financial management and reporting, product
lifecycle management, ERP, retail collaboration through electronic data exchange, sales force
automation and integration with third-party logistics providers. RLM reports that Nat Nast expects
approximately 30 users will begin to employ the system in January 2010.

“Being a small company with big ambitions, RLM was our optimal choice,” said Lawrence C.
DeParis, CEO, Nat Nast. “FashionManager is an affordable, scalable, comprehensive end-to-end
solution with an efficient implementation schedule that made a lot of sense for us. An important
factor in our decision was RLM’s extensive array of relevant implementations and the fact that
their shared software is regularly updated with best practices from this like-minded group, which
includes some of the top brands in our industry.”

In addition to using FM On-Demand to manage its business processes, Nat Nast will utilize the
costing and integrated bill of materials tools to produce raw materials requirements; upload
inventories from a third-party distribution center in New Jersey; and provide the national sales
team with remote access for inventory, reporting and integration with an upcoming e-commerce
solution. 

October 20, 2009

Miami-based private investment firm Empire Investment Holdings has concluded its 12-month
transition services agreement with Leggett & Platt (L&P) related to Empire’s acquisition of
Polyester Fibers LLC. All services, including accounting, treasury, logistics, information
technology, global services, and manufacturing resource planning and financial software have been
transitioned over from L&P to Empire ahead of schedule.

“Our team has completed this complex extraction from the L&P platform two months ahead of
schedule,” said David F. Alfonso, Empire Investment Holdings’ chairman and CEO. “Through the course
of the due diligence process, we were able to see beyond the challenges related to this extensive
carve-out and identified significant opportunities to unlock value.”

Empire purchased Polyester Fibers — a manufacturer of high-loft nonwoven products used in
furniture, filtration, bedding and retail applications — from L&P in November 2008. As soon as
the transaction closed, Empire sent its operational transition team to Polyester Fibers’ locations
to begin the transition. Empire’s team worked to stabilize the employee and customer base, improve
leadership and efficiencies, strategically create growth and market share, and develop the
business’s standalone infrastructure. During the handover, Polyester Fibers continued to operate
without any customer disruption.

“This acquisition fit perfectly with Empire’s investment profile and now represents a
flagship enterprise for our firm,” Alfonso said. “It boasts an expansive manufacturing footprint
and distribution model that delivers well known brands to a mature and established customer base.”



October 20, 2009

Kornit Digital Ltd. — an Israel-based developer, manufacturer and marketer of digital printing
solutions for the apparel industry — has unveiled the Kornit 921 Breeze entry-level
direct-on-garment printer. Developed to provide small- and medium-level production businesses with
cost-effective, high-level printing, the compact, digital unit can print on light and dark clothing
and comes with an integrated, automatic pre-treatment system. It employs Spectra’s ink system with
six industrial print heads — each comprising 256 nozzles — and uses Kornit’s pigmented ink and
QuickP Ripping application.

According to the company, the Kornit 921 Breeze is simple to operate and maintain, and can be
hooked up to any computer, desktop or laptop and operated from virtually any location without using
an air compressor. The printer will be available in early 2010.

October 20, 2009

Through one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Spartanburg, S.C.-based textile and chemical
manufacturer Milliken & Company has acquired Aston, Pa.-based Rebus Inc., a 17-year old
manufacturer of custom-blended color dispersions and additives for thermoset plastics and
high-performance industrial coatings.

“Rebus is an excellent fit for Milliken given our existing expertise in colorants and their
application in a variety of plastic materials,” said Dr. Joe Salley, president and CEO, Milliken.
“We have been working hard on this acquisition for some time and are pleased to bring this exciting
news to our Milliken associates and customers.”

Jim Steever, Rebus founder, will work for the new organization in a business development
role.

“Rebus is pleased to become part of the Milliken tradition of product and service
excellence,” Steever said. “The depth and breadth of products and global reach of the merged
organization will benefit customers with new resources and capabilities.”

October 20, 2009