The Bush administration has decided to suspend duty-free treatment for Bolivian importers under the
Andean Trade Preference Act because of Bolivia’s failure to cooperate with the United States in its
effort to combat drug trafficking from Latin American countries. Bolivia currently exports $385
million worth of goods to the United States, including some $18 million worth of textiles and
apparel.

Under terms of the Andean trade agreement, the United States has given duty-free treatment to
goods from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, but that trade preference has been tied to
cooperation in the anti-drug effort. On October 16, President George W. Bush signed legislation
extending the Andean agreement for one year, but subsequently announced that Bolivia would be
excluded. The US trade representative said the suspension could be lifted if the Bolivian
government improves its performance in the war on drugs.

October 21, 2008

The United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) is sponsoring a major
textile and apparel trade conference in New York City November 5-6, focusing on a wide range of
issues facing textile and apparel manufacturers and importers as a new administration and congress
take over in Washington in January. The program, which is open to all interested parties, will
feature speeches and panel discussions by leading government and industry trade experts including
W. Ralph Basham, commissioner, US Customs and Border Protection; Janet Labuda, director, Textile
and Apparel Policy and Program Division, US Customs; Sen. Charles  Schumer, D-N.Y.;
Christopher Padilla, under secretary of commerce, International Trade Administration; and
consultants and manufacturers’ and importers’ company officials. For further information or to
register, contact USA-ITA (212) 463-0089.

October 21, 2008

St. Louis-based carbon fiber manufacturer Zoltek Companies Inc. has commenced manufacturing
operations at its Zoltek de Mexico facility in Guadalajara. Zoltek acquired the textile acrylic
plant in October 2007, modified it to produce acrylic precursor — the principal raw material used
in carbon fiber production — and installed four continuous carbonization lines.

“The Mexico plant now enables us to meet anticipated major increases in demand in the wind
energy and other large emerging commercial applications,” said Zsolt Rumy, chairman and CEO,
Zoltek. “We have substantially increased our capacity to produce low-cost carbon fibers on a timely
and extremely cost-effective basis, and further extended our leadership in the growing commercial
advanced composite market.”

Zoltek announced it realized record sales for not only the fourth quarter 2008 but also the
full year, reflecting significant growth. According to company estimates, the Guadalajara facility
eventually could produce 60,000 tons of precursor material annually, supporting the production of
more than 27,000 metric tons of carbon fibers.

As part of its strategy to commercialize carbon fibers as a widely used building material,
Zoltek has expanded its management team, recentered its research and development programs, and
heightened its efforts to improve operations.

October 21, 2008

Germany-based Gneuss Kunststofftechnik GmbH — a manufacturer of filtration, measurement and
processing technologies for plastic melts — is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Gneuss began operating in 1983 with the idea of inventing a new type of screen changer, using
rotary melt filtration technology. To date, there are more than 4,000 melt filtration systems in
operation, for raw materials, film and sheet production; compounding; and other polymer processing
applications; as well as recycling of contaminated polymers.

The latest technological development from Gneuss is the MRS extruder, a special multiple
screw extruder, which can be used to process polyethylene terephthalate (PET) without predrying.
The MRS system features a rotating single-screw drum with eight to 10 integrated satellite screws,
providing a large devolatilising capacity; a large melt surface area in the degassing zone; and a
20-millibar vacuum. The MRS35 extruder can be used in the production of chalk-filled low-density
polyethylene micropellets.

October 21, 2008

Germany-based air-jet and rapier weaving machine manufacturer Lindauer Dornier GmbH recently
delivered its 50,000th rapier weaving machine. The machine was produced at Dornier’s main factory
in Lindau, and reportedly was delivered to a leading global technical weaving company that will use
it to manufacture woven reinforcement fabrics.

Dornier delivered its first rapier weaving machine in 1967. The company reports its machines,
which are utilized in numerous technical woven-fabric fields, are able to gently process brittle,
fine individual-count continuous filament yarns in a variety of patterns. The machines’ features
include low weft pick-up speed of the rapier; soft clamps and precise center transfer for safe weft
insertion through the shed; the ability to process yarns without shed guide components; and digital
warp control to minimize tension throughout the weaving process.

Over the years, Dornier has made continuous updates and improvements to the machines. One
significant development is the Dornier DuoColor waste-saving device, which reduces selvage waste of
weft yarns used in technical applications by up to 70 percent.

October 21, 2008

Citing “significant growth,” the Duquesne, Pa.-based American Textile Co. (ATC) — a manufacturer of
mattress and pillow protectors, bed pillows and mattress pads — has increased its product offerings
and expanded its workforce. The company has projected a 30-percent increase in total gross sales
for 2008 over 2007, noting that its pillow business alone has nearly doubled just in the past year.

“The significant growth we are experiencing at American Textile Company is being driven by
our ability to anticipate market needs and provide value-based solution offerings to our customers
and consumers,” said Jennifer Katz, vice president of marketing communications, ATC. “This past
year we challenged ourselves to not only identify needs through a deep understanding of the
marketplace, but to answer those needs with innovative solutions rooted in science.”

ATC has expanded its flagship Aller-Ease® product line, designed for allergy and asthma
sufferers; added 315 jobs across all three of its operating facilities in Duquesne, Dallas and Salt
Lake City, the latter of which has grown by more than 50 percent; and has promoted several
employees in its operations, sales and marketing, and finance departments. Katz stated the company
anticipates nearly 20 percent additional growth in 2009.

October 21, 2008

The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), Cary, N.C., has named five finalists for
the 2009 Visionary Award. The annual award recognizes innovative consumer end-products that
incoporate nonwoven fabrics or use nonwoven technology during the manufacturing process.

The finalists include: Finland-based Ahlstrom Corp.’s Disruptor nanoalumina fiber and
nonwoven water filter media; Menifee, Calif.-based Back Enterprises LLC’s Germy Wormy sanitary
sleeve; Dallas-based Kimberly-Clark Corp.’s GoodNites sleep boxer for boys and sleep shorts for
girls; Chula Vista, Calif.-based Rotano International LLC’s Nooby’s disposable dog booties; and
Richmond, Va.-based WearOnce.com and Tredegar Consumer Designs Inc.’s Once Single-Use Panty.

The five finalists will make presentations at INDA’s VISION 2009 Consumer Products
Conference, to be held Jan. 26-29, 2009, in New Orleans. Conference attendees will vote to select
the 2009 Visionary Award winner.

October 21, 2008

Canada-based Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT) — a developer of proprietary technology to
process bast fibers including industrial hemp for use in casual apparel, performance yarns,
advanced composites, biopolymers, industrial filters and absorbent pulp and paper products — is
conducting bulk commercialization trials with a leading US apparel manufacturer and a North
American pulp and paper producer. Trial results will help the company plan its next course of
action to bring its Crailar® Organic Fiber and Advanced Materials technology — developed by its
wholly owned subsidiary, Crailar Fiber Technologies Inc. — to the market. The company expects to
announce the results by the end of November.

“These trials are a significant milestone in our long-term strategy to commercialize the
patented Crailar Technology Platform, which we developed in partnership with the National Research
Council of Canada and the Alberta Research Council,” said Ken Barker, CEO, NAT. “We are very
excited to reach the final stages of the trials and look forward to discussing the results and our
preliminary plans to apply this technology on a large commercial scale.”

Crailar technology makes use of industrial hemp’s natural properties, including tensile
strength, thermoregulation, antimicrobial and abrasion resistance. Industrial hemp cultivation does
not require the use of pesticides or herbicides; it flourishes in cool climates; is
drought-tolerant; benefits the soil; and supports the elimination of greenhouse gases.

October 21, 2008

Wichita, Kan.-based Invista — a global integrated fibers and polymers manufacturer — has partnered
with England-based polyester/cotton blended fabric manufacturer Klopman International to create
Klopman Vantage workwear fabric featuring Cordura® brand technology.

Klopman Vantage twill fabric with Cordura — developed to meet a demand in the European
workwear market for increased comfort in a durable, abrasion-resistant fabric that can be used for
a complete garment — is made with an intimate blend comprising 50-percent Invista™ T420 Nylon 6,6
fiber and 50-percent combed cotton, and weighs 250 grams per square meter. According to the
companies, the fabric has been tested by independent laboratories and has met the highest color
retention and performance standards, withstanding 250,000 Martindale rubs without failure. The
fabric, which will be used to make trousers, coveralls and other apparel, will be available in
khaki and black, with additional colors to be later added to the range.

October 21, 2008