Sole-Mate Tests Footwear For Hazardous Static Charge

Lakewood, N.J.-based Newson Gale Inc.
reports its Sole-Mate® tester determines whether workers are wearing nonconforming, nondissipative
footwear or gloves that can build up enough static charge to ignite dust clouds or solvent vapors
in hazardous areas.

The device, which typically would be installed at the entrance to a hazardous area, tests
the path of resistance from a floor plate, through the worker’s shoes and to the person’s finger,
and gives a pass or fail reading in seconds, according to the company. A shrill alarm and bright
light indicator will indicate whether the worker is wearing inappropriate shoes or gloves. One
version of the tester also features an integral doorway interlock that prevents access to a
hazardous area without a pass reading.

The Sole-Mate line includes models that connect directly to a 100-volt or 230-volt source.
The testers are dust- and water-tight, can measure footwear resistance according to U.S. and
European standards and are calibrated to National Measurement Accreditation Service standards,
Newson Gale reports. Also available is a calibration module that confirms the device’s
accuracy.


April 11, 2006

WestPoint Home Establishes Joint Venture With Indus

WestPoint Home, West Point, Ga., has established a joint venture with Pakistan-based Indus
Dyeing and Manufacturing Co. Ltd. The joint venture facility, known as Indus Home Ltd., will
produce towels in a newly expanded, vertical Indus plant outside Lahore, Pakistan. The plant
already is supplying goods to WestPoint and will increase its production over the next few months.
This joint venture is a vital step in restoring WestPoint Home as the industrys low-cost vendor and
advancing the company in the global market, said Joseph Pennacchio, CEO, WestPoint.

“For several years, WestPoint Home has purchased yarn from Indus Dyeing and Manufacturing, which
has proved itself in reliability and product quality, two key factors in our decision to select
Indus as a joint venture partner. Indus will produce WestPoint Homes full range of branded and
licensed label goods, as well as store brands made exclusively for WestPoint Home customers. Both
Indus and WestPoint are acknowledged textiles leaders, and our combined experience and expertise
will produce significant benefits and opportunities for future growth,” said Ifran Ahmed, director,
Indus.

April 11, 2006

Fong’s, Stork Prints To Form Joint Venture

Hong Kong-based Fong’s Industries Co.
Ltd. and The Netherlands-based Stork NV’s Stork Prints division have announced plans to form a
joint venture for the production, sales and service of rotary textile printing systems and
auxiliaries in Asia. The companies expect to reach final agreement on the deal within the next few
months.

“This alliance makes sense and will have a positive impact on the global markets,” said Dick
Joustra, president, Stork Prints. “The proven technology by Stork made to the high quality
standards of Fong’s is an attractive combination and will be beneficial for all our customers.”<
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April 11, 2006

Congressional Leader Sees Downfall Of Trade Talks

One of Congress’ most influential international trade authorities believes the Doha Round of
trade liberalization negotiations is dead as a result of “irreconcilable differences” between the
United States and the European Union (EU) — an assessment, if accurate, that is bad news for both
textile manufacturers and importers.

Bill Thomas, R-Calif., chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and a
dedicated free trader, has urged the Bush administration to walk away from the worldwide trade
liberalization effort, and to concentrate instead on bilateral and regional trade pacts. While
everyone involved in the negotiations has conceded from the onset that they would be difficult,
textile and importer lobbyists in Washington and administration trade officials are not yet ready
to concede the talks will fail. However, Cass Johnson, president of the Washington-based National
Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), told Textile World, “the Round is in trouble.”

Expressing his view that the EU is unlikely to alter its positions on trade, Thomas
concluded, “There comes a time when the United States simply must part ways with the EU.” He said
that despite objections from some quarters regarding bilateral agreements, they are “one of the few
tools remaining for the United States to gain access to the markets of other countries.” He urged
the administration to “reserve access” to the US market for those countries where it can be
determined that US manufacturers will benefit from greater market access. He added that bilateral
agreements could eventually lead to regional pacts.

Looking toward the November elections, Thomas, who has decided not to run for reelection,
expressed his concern that the anti-free trade factions will prevail.

A breakdown of the talks would present numerous problems for both textile manufacturers and
importers. Eric Autor, the Washington-based National Retail Federation’s vice-president and
international trade counsel, says importers have viewed the Doha Round as “the best opportunity”
for meaningful expansion and market growth — not only for textiles and apparel, but also for a
number of consumer products. Importers have been disappointed in the results of the various free
trade agreements the Bush administration has negotiated because of restrictive rules of origin.
Autor refuses to say the Doha Round is dead, but he admits a great deal of work needs to be done if
the 2006 year-end deadline is to be met.

While textile manufacturers have been concerned about the tariff reductions that inevitably
will result from the Doha Round, they are more concerned that a demise of the negotiations would
seriously jeopardize their highest priority issue — creation of a permanent safeguard mechanism to
help prevent China and perhaps one or two other Asian nations from completely taking over the US
market.

If the Doha Round breaks down at this point, NCTO’s Johnson believes there might be an
extension of deadlines or perhaps a less ambitious and less far-reaching new round of negotiations.
He hopes revised negotiations as well as those currently underway would include a textile and
apparel safeguard mechanism.

April 11, 2006


Ocanada Releases Coated Textile Line For Digital Printing

Toronto-based Océ-Canada Inc., an
operating company of The Netherlands-based Océ NV, has added a premium line of coated textiles for
digital display graphic printing to its range of wide- and super-wide-format solvent media suitable
for use with a variety of solvent ink-jet printers.

The textiles are available in a number of textures and weights, and most are processed with
DigiCoat to ensure optimal print quality while maintaining the texture and hand of the fabric,
according to Océ. A special prepping process is used to treat some fabrics to enable excellent
print quality without coating, the company reports. Benefits of the fabrics include ease of
handling, no reflection, light weight and flexibility.


April 4, 2006

Martex Creates Eco-Wipers Division

Martex Fiber Southern Corp., a Spartanburg-based textile company specializing in textile
recycling and textile waste removal, has launched a new division, Eco-Wipers, to offer wiping
cloths made from preconsumer cloth waste reclaimed from apparel manufacturing operations. The
product line will include new colored, bleached and unbleached flat and fleeced knit wipers for
such end-users as food-service, janitorial and paint companies, as well as for the general public
through major retail outlets.

“We are aggressively seeking new customers,” said Jerry Satterfield, newly hired as vice
president of sales for Eco-Wipers. “I am confident that a strong market exists for our high-quality
products. Our commitment to providing an environmentally responsible product will also be a way to
reach customers who want to make purchasing decisions that add to the sustainability of our
planet.”

April 4, 2006

Two More Nations Join Central American Trade Pact

Two additional nations — Honduras and
Nicaragua — have officially joined the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement
(DR-CAFTA) in a move that should please both US textile manufacturers and importers.

Although DR-CAFTA was negotiated in 2004, the six Central American participants have been
slow in getting their respective governments to take the steps necessary to implement the
agreement. El Salvador was the first to come on board this past March, but still awaiting action by
their governments are Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. Once the pact is fully
implemented, participants will enjoy duty-free access to US textile and apparel markets, providing
they use inputs made in one of the participating countries.

Saying the US government has worked “closely and intensively” with the participating
countries, US Trade Representative Rob Portman promised, “We will continue to work with the
remaining three DR-CAFTA partners to ensure timely and full implementation of the agreement.” That
could not happen too soon for US textile and apparel manufacturers and importers who see increased
trade with the Central American countries as an alternative to trade dominated by China and other
Asian nations.



April 4, 2006

Swift Galey Sells Denim Spinning Operation To Frontier

Atlanta-based apparel, home and hospitality textile manufacturer Swift Galey has sold its denim
spinning operation in Columbus, Ga., to Sanford, N.C.-based Frontier Spinning Mills Inc. Under the
terms of the transaction, the Columbus plant will continue to operate until mid- to late May 2006,
after which Frontier will relocate the machinery to plants in North Carolina, where it will spin
yarn to sell for Swift Galey’s denim fabrics. Approximately 200 employees will be affected by the
closing of the Columbus facility.

According to John J. Heldrich,
president and CEO, Swift Galey, the Columbus spinning facility is outdated and inefficient. He said
the company will continue to operate a large, relatively modern weaving/dyeing/finishing plant in
Columbus.

“The spinning facility is not cost-efficient by today’s standards, so we have formed a
partnership with Frontier, which has state-of-the-art, modern facilities. Henceforth, we will
purchase yarn from Frontier because that is more cost-efficient for us,” Heldrich said, adding: “We
are an innovator of product and have to stay competitive. This action will help provide for the
future longevity of the company.”

Heldrich said some manufacturing and administrative personnel currently at the older plant
will be able to transfer to the other Columbus facility.

Swift Galey still operates a spinning plant near Charlotte, where it spins yarn for its
khaki fabrics. In addition to operations in Georgia and the Carolinas, it maintains either directly
or through joint ventures manufacturing facilities in Canada, Mexico, China, Africa and the
Philippines. Its newest offshore ventures include the purchase of the majority interest in the
Mexico-based House of Lajat, which manufactures cotton and polyester/cotton textiles for
hospitality, sheeting and uniform applications; and two joint ventures in China with Lucky Textile
Group — one to build a denim-manufacturing plant, and one to operate Lucky’s existing dyeing and
finishing facility.

April 4, 2006

Lenzing Reports Increased Sales

Despite what it called “a difficult
fiber business environment,” Austria-based Lenzing AG reported its group sales for 2005, at 942.6
million euros, were 8.2-percent higher than its prior-year sales of 871.1 million euros, while its
earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), at 81.8 million euros, were lower than its record EBIT
of 104.3 million euros the year before. Shareholders’ share of net income totaled 56.9 million
euros, compared with 67.7 million euros in 2004. Eighty-one percent of the group’s sales came from
its core fiber and pulp business.

The company attributed 60 percent of its fiber business expansion to systematic growth and
40 percent to consolidation following its 2004 acquisition of the Tencel Group from The
Netherlands-based Corsadi BV. Cellulose fiber production for the year increased by 9.5 percent to
approximately 454,000 tons. Although demand was good, falling fiber prices and increased production
costs, including 35 million euros in additional raw material and energy costs, affected the core
fibers business, Lenzing reported.

“[O]ur successful countersteering strategy produced a satisfactory result for Lenzing in
2005,” said Thomas Fahnemann, chairman of Lenzing’s Management Board. He added that the company
improved its textile market position through the development of new application areas, such as
Tencel®Active for sportswear applications, and global marketing strategies, such as the initiation
of cooperative relationships with brands such as Asics, Adidas and Nike.

The company also noted it increased its nonwovens market share and launched new products for
medical and technical applications.

Looking forward, Lenzing reported it continues to optimize costs to address raw material
issues and the market shift from Europe to Asia. It also expects to complete construction of a
viscose fiber plant in China around the end of 2006.


April 4, 2006

Quality Fabric Of The Month: Beyond Thread Count

Upland cotton research and marketing company Cotton Incorporated, Cary, N.C., has developed three textile finishing technologies to improve protection, comfort and other performance levels in cotton sheeting and top-of-bed products without altering cotton’s soft, comfortable hand
and easy-care characteristics. According to the company, the technologies offer added value beyond high thread counts touted of late by manufacturers and retailers when promoting the quality of various bedding products.


Enduring Comfort

The new endure™ finish — a variation of Cotton Incorporated’s Tough Cotton™ apparel finish — is formulated especially for home textiles. The company reports the finish strengthens the fabric, significantly increasing the durability of wrinkle-free, easy-care cotton sheets and other home textiles — not only improving abrasion resistance and color retention, but also controlling shrinkage and improving wrinkle resistance.

Although endure is initially targeted to bedding applications, David Earley, manager, textile market development for home products, noted that with some further development, the technology could apply to upholstery or decorative fabrics as well.

“Cotton doesn’t have the durability of some of the heavy-duty nylons or polyesters that really exhibit extended wear,” he said. “This would be a way to get cotton into those types of markets because you could extend the wear-life of the cotton fabrics by making them more abrasion-resistant and maintaining their original color longer.”

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Cotton Incorporated’s endure™, repel™ and Wicking Windows™ finishing technologies improve
various performance attributes of cotton sheeting and top-of-bed products.


Breathable Barrier

Stain and water repellency is the primary advantage offered by repel™, a hydrophobic finish that also renders the fabric quick-drying — an energy-saving plus. Earley pointed out that fabric treated with repel also retains its breathability and hand.

“Even though repel is water- and stain-repellent, it’s not a coating on the fabric,” he explained. “It’s a durable finish that’s applied and helps maintain the original breathability of the cotton. It creates a barrier that water and food molecules can’t pass through, but water vapor is small enough that it can pass through. If you do get a stain on the fabric, or water, it’s very easy to blot it away.”

Cotton Incorporated has shown repel initially as a finish for top-of-bed textiles such as duvet covers and comforters, but it too has potential applications in other home textiles, such as upholstery or decorative fabrics and tabletop textiles, according to Earley. In addition, repel may
be used in conjunction with endure to provide combined benefits of both finishes in a single product.


Cool, Dry Comfort

Wicking Windows™ moisture-management technology augments a cotton fabric’s comfort levels by transporting moisture away from the skin through the fabric to the opposite side, where it is dispersed over a wider surface area — while also providing quick-drying benefits. The finish, originally introduced for cotton athletic and casual apparel applications, also reduces the cling factor in cotton fabrics because the side next to the skin remains dry (See “Quality Fabric Of The Month,” TW, March 2005).

Earley said Wicking Windows could be applied to woven or knit sheets. “The key benefit is moving moisture away from the body to the other side of the fabric so that your sleep environment stays cool and dry and more comfortable,” he said. Comparing the finish’s benefit in sheets to that in apparel, he noted: “Obviously you’re not going to have as much moisture when you’re sleeping, but the human body does give off water vapor while you’re resting. If that amount of moisture can be controlled and moved away from the body, our thought is that it can contribute to a more comfortable sleep environment.”

Cotton Incorporated is developing marketing materials for all three technologies to help manufacturers and retailers promote products offering their benefits to consumers. Earley said a number of manufacturers have expressed interest in the technologies.


For more information about endure™, repel™ and Wicking Windows™, contact David Earley (919) 678-2220.


April 2006

 

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