FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: KARL SPILHAUS, National Textile Association
Telephone: (617) 542-8220

BOSTON, January 9, 2004 -- The National Textile Association announces that Hardy Poole, former Vice President, Product Services and Corporate Secretary of the American Textile Manufacturers Institute has joined the organization to provide support to the NTA membership on state and federal regulatory issues, defense procurement and consumer affairs.

"NTA, well known for its legislative capabilities in the international trade area, can now more effectively advise and represent its members in numerous regulatory and technical fields" according to Karl Spilhaus, NTA President.

William E. Giblin, NTA Chairman and President of Tweave, Inc., Norton, Massachusetts said, "I am delighted that, in these troubled times for our industry, NTA can present itself to its members as a true full service organization with experts in all relevant fields to address industry needs."

NTA is the non-profit trade organization representing over 150 textile manufacturers and industry suppliers with operations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Poole has over three decades of textile industry experience and has managed numerous technical programs for the U.S. textile industry. In the past, he has worked closely on flammability issues with upholstery fabric producers, suppliers and customers, with regulators from the Consumer Products Safety Commission and California's Bureau of Home Furnishings, and with numerous other agencies and organizations.

According to Henry A. Truslow, III, past chairman of NTA and chairman of decorative upholstery fabric producer Sunbury Textile Mills, Inc., "The need for our upholstery fabrics industry to be at the negotiating table with regulators has never been as great as it is today. This industry works tirelessly to provide products asked for by the consumer and our intention is to continue providing these products which are demanded by our customers. Bringing Hardy's experience and expertise to NTA is a tremendous help to this effort."

Both California and CPSC are in the critical stages of establishing regulations that will impact upholstery fabric manufacturers. NTA's upholstery fabrics members will work with other industry organizations and regulators to ensure that if a regulation is promulgated, it will be technically feasible, economically viable and does not eliminate consumers' choices in the marketplace.

--30--