CRADA Trials Underway in South Carolina to Produce Raw Material for the
Apparel Industry's First Sustainable, Commercially Viable
Complement to Cotton
PORTLAND, OR, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ - Naturally Advanced
Technologies Inc. (OTCBB: NADVF, TSXV: NAT), the developers
of the patented CRAiLAR® fiber process, announced today that it has
joined forces with Hanesbrands Inc. and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) in a
cooperative research project designed to cultivate and evaluate the
viability of various flax strains for use in CRAiLAR technology.
The project takes place in South
Carolina and has an initial term of one year with a renewal
option for two additional years.
NAT has already successfully transformed flax fibers blended
with cotton into sustainable yarns and fabrics that posses unique
properties such as moisture management and shrinkage resistance,
with the comfort and price parity of cotton. The new partnership
with Hanesbrands Inc. and the USDA-ARS is a strategic step in NAT's
optimization of flax fibers as the foundation for the next phase of
its proprietary CRAiLAR technology. Success of the project
will result in the achievement of producing a viable, natural
substitute to synthetic fibers that effectively blends with cotton
to create new markets and new uses for natural fibers.
"We've announced previously that we had created a viable
sustainable complement to cotton using flax fiber in our CRAiLAR
process," said Ken Barker, CEO of
Naturally Advanced Technologies. "This new research we're
conducting, in partnership with Hanesbrands Inc. and the USDA-ARS,
allows us to identify the best possible flax strain and
agricultural practices suited for the needs of the apparel and
related fiber markets, and will maximize the effectiveness of our
CRAiLAR process"
The project, led by ARS, the chief in-house scientific research
agency of USDA, is part of the agency's Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement (CRADA) program — the primary tool linking
government and industry researchers in cooperative research work.
ARS scientists will collaborate with NAT and Hanesbrands Inc. to
assess various flax varieties and their viability for cultivation
in the South Carolina region, as
well as which crop conditions, harvesting and processing techniques
will produce the highest possible yield of consistently superior
fibers. Testing will take place at two
ARS research facilities in Florence and Clemson, S.C., after which NAT will convert
the resulting flax crop into textile-grade fibers
The all-natural, 100%-organic CRAiLAR process is the first to
successfully remove the binding agents from flax that contribute to
its stiff texture by processing the fibers in a patented enzyme
wash using dedicated equipment. The result is a fiber that has both
the tensile strength of flax and the sought-after qualities of
cotton. Spinning trials facilitated by NAT and Hanesbrands Inc.
earlier this year have proven that CRAiLAR-treated flax can be spun
on existing cotton spinning machinery.
NAT and Hanesbrands have jointly committed to provide
approximately $100,000 per year in
in-kind contributions to help fund the project which is expected to
benefit local farmers — creating new business opportunities and
potentially establishing flax as a major winter crop in the
South Carolina region — and to
create job prospects for the people of Kingstree, S.C.
For more information on the patented CRAiLAR® process and
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc., visit
www.naturallyadvanced.com.
About Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc.
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. is committed to unlocking
the potential of renewable and environmentally sustainable biomass
resources from hemp and other bast fibers. The Company, through its
wholly owned subsidiary, CRAiLAR® Fiber Technologies Inc., is
developing proprietary technologies for production of bast fibers,
cellulose pulp, and their resulting by-products, in collaboration
with Canada's National Research Council and the Alberta Innovates
- Technology Futures (Formerly the Alberta Research Counsel).
CRAiLAR® technology offers cost-effective and
environmentally sustainable processing and production of natural,
bast fibers such as hemp and flax, resulting in increased
performance characteristics for use in textile, industrial, energy,
medical and composite material applications. The Company was
founded in 1998 as a provider of environmentally friendly, socially
responsible clothing and adheres to a "triple bottom line"
philosophy, respecting the human rights of employees, the
environmental impact of the Company's operations and fiscal
responsibility to its shareholders. See
www.naturallyadvanced.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer
This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed
"forward-looking statements". All statements in this news release,
other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements or information are
subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause
actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the
forward-looking statements or information and including, without
limitation, risks and uncertainties relating to: any market
interruptions that may delay the trading of the Company's shares,
technological and operational challenges, needs for additional
capital, changes in consumer preferences, market acceptance and
technological changes, dependence on manufacturing and material
supplies providers, international operations, competition,
regulatory restrictions and the loss of key employees. In addition,
the Company's business and operations are subject to the risks set
forth in the Company's most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other
SEC filings which are available through EDGAR at www.sec.gov. These
are among the primary risks we foresee at the present time. The
Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking
statements.
SOURCE Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc.
Copyright . 18 PR Newswire