VICTORIA, BC and Portland, OR, April 17,
2012 /PRNewswire/ - Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc.
("NAT" or the "Company") (TSXV: NAT) (OTCBB: NADVF), which produces
and markets CRAiLAR®, a natural fiber made from flax and other bast
fibers, announced it has earned the USDA Certified Biobased Product
Label for its CRAiLAR Flax Fiber. The USDA Certified Biobased
Product Label verifies that the product's amount of renewable
biobased ingredients meets or exceeds prescribed USDA standards.
Biobased products are goods composed in whole or in significant
part of agricultural, forestry, or marine materials. The test
results for CRAiLAR Flax indicate the percentage of biobased
content to be 100 percent.
"This is an important distinction for CRAiLAR Flax fiber and our
partner brands who use it," said Ken
Barker, Chief Executive Officer, Naturally Advanced
Technologies. "Alongside the performance attributes we have
uncovered across product categories, it further shapes the story
that our partners can articulate to consumers, and provides another
layer of assurance that the product ingredients are shaped by
sunlight, rainfall, and low-touch inputs."
All biobased amount claims are verified by independent labs and
monitored by the USDA. Consumers may feel secure in the accuracy of
the biobased amount and be empowered in making better-informed
purchasing decisions.
"We are pleased that Naturally Advanced Technologies
USA has earned the USDA Certified
Biobased Product Label," said Ron
Buckhalt, USDA BioPreferred Program Manager. "Biobased
products provide opportunities to help add value to renewable
commodities, create jobs in rural communities and generate
investment income."
The label is estimated to be on certified products and available
for consumers on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of partner
brands. The company today supplies its CRAiLAR Flax to HanesBrands,
Georgia-Pacific, and Brilliant
Global Knitwear for commercial use, and to Levi Strauss & Co.,
Cintas, Carhartt, Ashland, Westex,
Target and PVH Corp for evaluation and development.
About USDA BioPreferred
The USDA BioPreferred program was created by the Farm Security and
Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill), and expanded by the
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill). The
purpose is to increase the purchase and use of biobased products.
The United States Department of Agriculture manages the program.
Products that meet the USDA BioPreferred program requirements carry
a distinctive label for easier identification by the consumer. To
learn more about the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label please
visit www.biopreferred.gov, and follow on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/BioPreferred.
About Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc.
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc., through its wholly owned
subsidiary, CRAiLAR® Fiber Technologies Inc., has developed
proprietary technologies for production of bast fibers, cellulose
pulp, and their resulting by-products in collaboration with
Canada's National Research Council. It's renewable and
environmentally sustainable biomass resources from flax, hemp and
other bast fibers offer cost-effective and environmentally
sustainable processing and production, along with 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. For more information, visit
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 NAT'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,
NAT's business and operations are subject to the risks set forth in
its 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. NAT assumes
no obligation to update the forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc.