United States: Hemp Company Naturally Advanced Makes Initial Sale

Naturally Advanced Technologies Secures Hanesbrands Inc. Initial Purchase Order for 10,000LBs of Crailar

By Portland Business Journal staff

Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. on Tuesday said apparel maker Hanesbrands Inc. has purchased its first batch of Crailar fiber in a significant step toward commercializing the technology.

Portland-based Naturally Advanced (OTCBB: NADVF) developed Crailar technology, which is designed to turn burlap-like hemp into a fabric as soft as cotton.

In August the company announced a joint development agreement with Winson-Salem, N.C.-based Hanesbrands to study how Crailar fiber can be worked into mainstream production.

Hanes ordered about 10,000 pounds of Crailar in the first quarter of 2010. Naturally Advanced didn’t release the price of the sale.

In a news release, Naturally Advanced CEO Ken Barker, the former head of apparel at Adidas America, said the first order will supply a full-scale trial later this month with the company’s proposed manufacturing equipment supplier in Germany.

After that, the company will conduct another trial on commercial-scale spinning equipment at a Hanes facility.

Once those trials are complete, the next stage would be to conduct consumer testing.

“With positive results from these tests, we will begin finalizing commercialization plans to bring Crailar products to market,” Barker said.

Official Press Release: http://www.naturallyadvanced.com/s/PressReleases.asp?ReportID=378992

Related: Hanesbrands to buy product, organic-fiber maker says
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2010/jan/06/hanesbrands-to-buy-produc...

NAT and Hanes progress hemp project
http://www.ecotextile.com/news_details.php?id=10070


Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/01/04/daily10.html