The University of Missouri’s (MU) College of Human Environmental Sciences (HES), Columbia, Mo., has
received a $1 million gift from Catherine Allen, an MU alumna and financial services industry
leader. The money will fund the Department of Textile and Apparel Management (TAM), the Office for
Financial Success and the HES Dean’s Fund for Excellence.

The nationally recognized TAM program offers global merchandising, buying, technical design,
retail management, global sourcing and e-retailing training to students planning to enter the soft
goods industry. Its state-of-the-art Kellwood Company Apparel Technology Laboratory includes
equipment such as a Gerber Digitizer, Plotter and computer-driven fabric cutter; a 3-D body
scanner; and 12 computers with specialized software for patternmaking, marker making, data
management and textile creation. TAM’s faculty members advise policymakers on global textile and
apparel issues.

“This generous gift will provide resources for the college to meet its greatest needs and
seize opportunities to serve,” said Brady Deaton, MU Chancellor. “As a whole, HES touches every
aspect of our lives. Its six units cover the basic human needs of food, clothing, shelter,
finances, family and community.”

April 28, 2009

Tokyo-based Teijin Group — a global enterprise including man-made fibers, films and plastics, home
healthcare and pharmaceuticals, trading and retail, and information technology businesses — has
announced it will implement a new Basic Management Policy including short-term measures and
structural reforms, along with medium- and long-term business strategies. Teijin’s performance has
declined in recent months in line with the ongoing economic downturn, necessitating the changes.

Short-term measures will include reducing capital investment and inventories, lowering
production and head office costs, decreasing directors’ earnings, and decreasing personnel costs by
revamping systems and cutting overtime.

Structural reforms aimed at placing Teijin back on a path of growth include restructuring
poorly performing businesses such as the polyester fibers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film
and polycarbonate resin businesses. The company already has begun restructuring the polyester
fibers business, including creating a vertically integrated organization for the automotive
interior sector. Teijin also will restructure the high-performance materials businesses, mainly
aramid fibers and carbon fibers.

As part of its medium- and long-term management policies, the company plans to further shift
the business portfolio toward high-performance materials, new businesses and pharmaceuticals and
home healthcare, and away from commoditized materials including polyester fibers, PET film and
polycarbonate resins.

April 28, 2009

The Germany-based Hohenstein Institutes, US facility in Elon, N.C., now offers ultraviolet (UV)
Standard 801 protection testing for outdoor clothing, window treatment and shade structure fabrics.
Hohenstein’s test method exposes test fabrics to extreme environmental conditions and rates
performance before and after washing as well as during extended wear and use simulations. Products
tested earn a UV protection factor rating in a range from 0 to 80, with higher ratings indicating
better protection.

“People in the United States are becoming more and more attentive to the health and cosmetic
damage that can be done by UV radiation,” said Sam Moore, head of Hohenstein America Inc. “Children
are a particular concern since their skin has not fully developed biological defenses against UV
radiation. As a result, products that protect from the sun’s rays are gaining in popularity.
Certified UV protection is an important part of effectively marketing these products to concerned
consumers.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, skin cancer is the most common
form of cancer in the United States and can be prevented by reducing UV ray exposure through
seeking shade, covering the skin and using sunscreen.

The International Test Association for Applied UV Protection introduced UV Standard 801, the
most stringent UV certification process in the textile industry, in 1998. The test originally was
used primarily to test apparel, but now applies also to window and shade textiles.



April 28, 2009

Dalton, Ga.-based carpet manufacturer and floor covering supplier Shaw Industries Group Inc.’s
EcoMade® rugs have received silver Cradle to Cradle
^SM certification from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), a Charlottesville,
Va.-based sustainable design and product development consultancy.

MBDC’s Cradle to Cradle certification program evaluates products according to established
standards for environmental and human health, recyclability, water and energy efficiency, and
social responsibility. EcoMade rugs are constructed using recycled nylon 6, a closed-loop fiber
that can be repeatedly recycled into new nylon fiber. Post-consumer carpet and rugs made from nylon
6 can be sent to Shaw’s Evergreen Nylon Recycling operation in Augusta, Ga., to be converted into
caprolactum, the basis of this fiber. Shaw has recycled more than 160 million pounds of nylon 6
carpet and rug fiber  – more than any other mill in the industry, according to the company.
Consumers may recycle their EcoMade rugs at no cost through Shaw’s complete recycling program.

“We’re honored that Shaw Living is the first rug manufacturer in the industry to have
received this recognition,” said Jeff Brown, vice president, Shaw Living, noting that EcoMade rugs
are the only 100-percent closed-loop, cradle-to-cradle rug currently available. “This certification
simply reinforces our message about the environmental preference of Shaw products.”

April 28, 2009

Italy-based Cad Modelling Ergonomics S.r.l., a developer of computer-aided design solutions for the
fashion industry, has introduced Body-ScanFit®, a portable bodyscanner for made-to-measure and mass
costumization processes.

Body-ScanFit scans a person to extract the required measurements; classifies the measured
body shape into morphological families using the Fx-Fit® classification system; creates a virtual
avatar; then transforms the avatar into Formax®, a real-fit mannequin that can be used to create
made-to-measure apparel. According to Cad Modelling, the scanning process is complete in just four
seconds. 

Body-ScanFit offers other benefits including an optimized purchase-order procedure; the
ability to create a customer database; and creation of an online catalogue for customers to preview
samples.

April 28, 2009

Norton, Ohio-based machinery developer Meech Static Eliminators USA Inc. has introduced the 977CM
Pulsed DC controller, a static control system that features a fully automated closed-loop feedback
system and a sensor bar that detects residual voltages on web paths and then instructs the unit to
tune its output to ensure the best possible charge neutralization for operating conditions.
According to the company, it is the first true closed-loop static control system, and facilitates
sustained optimum performance as well as increasing the cleaning interval.

“The ionizing bar is a key component in any static control system,” said David Rogers,
international product manager, Meech. “However, it is the nature of such bars that they become
contaminated during use and have to be cleaned regularly in order to remain efficient. Depending
upon the application, this can be as often as once a week. Reducing the downtime required for
cleaning results in a direct increase in productivity.

“Optimizing static control at all times makes it possible to improved finished product
quality, whether this is on an unwind/rewind or slitting unit, a packaging line or printing press,”
Rogers continued. “The closed-loop facility means that current information relating to the residual
electrostatic charge in the material being handled is always available on the clear LCD display.
This data can be transmitted to allow remote monitoring and logging for quality assurance
purposes.”

Meech reports the 977CM is flexible and simple to install, and can be quickly connected to
existing Meech Pulsed DC static elimination systems. It also features an easy-to-use keypad for
programming settings, with a lock that prevents unauthorized or accidental setting changes.

April 28, 2009

The global textile industry is heading toward more vertical companies. Therefore, it is of utmost
interest to know the latest trends not only in machinery manufacturing, but also in further fabric
processing. And Cologne, Germany, is again the place to meet for the international apparel society:
It’s IMB time.

The organizers, Koelnmesse GmbH, will present IMB – World of Textile Processing April 21-24
in Cologne. IMB is without any doubt the most important trade show for processing of all kinds of
textiles – not only apparel, home textiles and upholstered furniture, but also technical textiles
in all their forms. This year, IMB will again present an extensive spectrum of products and
services that is unparalleled anywhere in the world.



Full Range To Be Seen

IMB 2009 will present to its visitors from all over the world the most extensive range of
high technology and information technology solutions and services for the flexible materials
processing industries. Suppliers from nearly 40 countries will present their latest developments
and refinements for nearly every step along the textile value chain, fulfilling the individual
needs and requirements of day-to-day production.

Suppliers and customers also will focus on more in-depth tasks. The worldwide rise of
production and transport energy prices, raw materials shortages, and concern for the health and
safety of workers will be important elements of planning and construction. Germany is one of the
leading nations in Europe for energy saving, preserving natural resources, and human ecology; and
is therefore the pioneering supplier in the area of machine and plant construction.

This future mega-trend also is the topic of “Future Talk” at the IMB Forum 2009, whose motto
is “Future Opportunities: Ecology and Sustainability.” Koelnmesse, is cooperating with IMB’s
conceptual sponsor, the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) Garment and Leather Technology
Association, to address these topics. The topics will be covered in all the presentations, but the
organizers are aware that it will only be possible to provide impulses rather than offering the
audience finished solutions.

Environmental Protection Implemented

In the apparel industry, environmental protection has been implemented for years. For
example, the amount of certified organic cotton in clothing collections is increasing
(See ”
The
Rupp Report: In Search Of New Business,” April 7, 2009). Fair trade is not just a
marketing instrument, but a serious voluntary obligation to pay real market prices for good work
and products. For example, sustainability through the use of renewable raw materials includes using
kapok, whereby some of the sales revenues from these products fund environmental projects like
reforestation of the rain forests. Other clothing manufacturers give some of their revenues to
various eco-activists’ projects instead of merely increasing the earnings of top models.

Elgar Straub, managing director of the VDMA Garment and Leather Technology Association, said
IMB is still the most important platform for exchanging ideas: “Where else can market participants
find the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss feasible future concepts at a high international
level, than at IMB?”

Against The Negative Trend

More than ever, an intensive exchange of information and knowledge is essential to face the
actual difficulties. Therefore, Koelnmesse sees IMB 2009 as the ideal tool for exhibitors to
successfully counteract the negative tendencies caused by the current economic climate. “Trade
fairs are an anti-cyclical marketing medium. They are especially important during unfavorable
economic conditions, as they provide the necessary opportunity to exchange ideas and try to find
solutions for the future together,” the organizers said.

The Supporting Program

Presentation topics will cover all areas of the textile value chain and will range from
software parameters for the creation of sewing patterns and insights into product lifecycle
management, right through to the trendy topic of radio frequency identification. An outline of the
program with times, topics, and speakers is available online at
www.imb-cologne.com/thefair/speakers_corner.php.

When IMB 2009 opens its doors in Cologne, trade visitors from around the world will use the
leading sector platform to exchange information and engage in important discussions about the
current challenges the textile processing industry is facing.

For more information, visit
www.imb-cologne.com.

April 21, 2009

Washington lobbyists for manufacturing industries, including textiles, have sharply criticized the
Obama administration’s failure to cite China as a currency manipulator. Although Treasury Secretary
Timothy Geithner said during his Senate confirmation hearing that “countries like China cannot
continue getting a free pass for undermining free trade principles” with such actions as currency
manipulation, he said in his semi-annual report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange
Rate Policies that China has taken steps to enhance exchange rate flexibility that preclude citing
it for currency manipulation at this time.

The Treasury secretary cited a number of considerations in making the decision. He said the
Chinese currency appreciated by 16.6 percent between the end of June 2008 and the end of February
2009, and as the worldwide economic crises developed, China’s currency appreciated slightly against
the dollar while other emerging-market currencies fell sharply against the dollar. In addition, he
said China has enacted a large fiscal stimulus package – second in size to that of the United
States – which he believes should spur domestic growth in China and balance the Chinese economy.

Geithner said, “Chinese officials reaffirmed in January 2009 their commitment to greater
flexibility and the need to allow the exchange rate to adopt to an equilibrium level.” He added,
however, that Treasury continues the view that China’s yuan is undervalued and said the progress
made to date is “only the beginning” of a series of steps China needs to take in order to rebalance
its economy, so its economic growth is more dependent on domestic consumption.”

US manufacturers, who see China’s undervalued currency as a major contributor to the US/China
trade deficit, saw the development in an entirely different light.

Anderson Warlick, chairman of the National Council of Textile Organizations, said: “We are
disappointed that the administration did not send a strong signal that the Chinese trade model is
unsustainable by labeling China as a currency manipulator.” Warlick claimed that China’s ability to
produce “enormous trade surpluses to achieve economic growth” is a significant factor behind the
global economic and financial crisis. He urged Congress and the administration to make the trade
imbalance a “top priority on the road to restoring our country’s economic health.”

Alan Tolenson, a research fellow at the 1,900-member United States Business and Industry
Council, said the report breaks a major commitment President Barack Obama made during the
presidential campaign last year when he promised to fight the Chinese exchange rate problem by
endorsing a currency regulation bill that was pending in Congress. That bill would have labeled
currency manipulation by any country an illegal subsidy subject to countervailing duties under US
trade laws.

Charging that Chinese currency manipulation is “the most protectionist trade distorting and
mercantilist practice of the G-20 nations,” Scott Paul, executive director of the Alliance For
American Manufacturing, said the United States must lead the way toward ensuring that China honors
its commitment to abide by the rules of the World Trade Organization. He said his organization’s
members have been confident President Obama will address trade reforms but added that “this report
represents a step back from that path.”



April 21, 2009

Red Bank, N.J.-based Concept III Textiles International – a developer, producer and sourcer of
fabric-based finished products for outdoor and activewear markets – has announced that its supplier
Glenoit Fabrics (TT) Corp. Inc., Tarboro, N.C., has been sold by China-based Haixin Group Co. Ltd.
to Tarboro Textiles LLC.

Glenoit was founded more than 50 years ago as a producer of sliver knit pile fabrics.
Following bankruptcy reorganization in 2002, Haixin purchased Glenoit, and in the subsequent years,
Glenoit experienced a loss in market share and a reduction in output. In late 2005, Haixin
announced plans to close the Tarboro plant, intending to move its production to China and Canada.
To avert the closure, plant manager Jerry Howard and his staff, confident they could improve
personnel relations and efficiency and run the operation profitably, formed Tarboro Textiles,
taking over production and manufacturing Glenoit fabrics on a contract basis. By 2007, the
operation had returned to profitability.

After rethinking its strategies, Haixin entered into an agreement with Tarboro Textiles to
sell the Glenoit brand for making fabrics in the United States. Tarboro now is in total control of
Glenoit’s operations – which encompass the company’s production, customer interface and its
relationship with Concept III, as well as all profits and losses.

“Innovation and service – the two most important elements in [Concept III’s] business model
are now back in place at Glenoit,” said David Parkes, president, Concept III. “We couldn’t be
happier to have the ‘customer first’ attitude return and to, once again, be able to help develop
unique products with our customers that sell.”

April 21, 2009

Fairlawn, Ohio-based Omnova Solutions Inc. – a developer and supplier of specialty chemicals,
emulsion polymers, and decorative and functional surfaces for a variety of applications – has
developed Omnabond™, a line of self-crosslinking styrene butadiene polymers for nonwoven, coating
and construction applications.

Omnabond products are available in a variety of glass transition temperatures, and may be
combined with external crosslinkers such as urea formaldehyde or melamine during processing. Omnova
reports the polymers offer an accelerated cure rate, thus reducing or eliminating the need for
external catalysts. The polymers also meet Federal Department of Agriculture regulations 21 CFR
176.170 and 176.180 making them suitable for contact with food products.

According to the company, Omnabond products offer increased wet and dry tensile properties,
colorfastness, adhesion to natural or man-made fibers, filler acceptance and caustic resistance
when compared to standard styrene butadiene emulsions. The company also reports its products
feature a lower level of formaldehyde when compared to other commercially available
self-crosslinking products.

Possible end-use applications include nonwoven towels, filtration media and wipes, as well as
commercial roofing binders.

April 21, 2009