February 17, 2006, BOSTON -- The Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute (CCMI) announces the formation of the Superfine Wool Council.

CCMI is an international organization of leading processors of luxury fibers. CCMI was founded in 1984 with the mission of maintaining the integrity of cashmere and camel hair products through education, information, and industry cooperation. With the formation of the Superfine Wool Council CCMI adds to its historical mission the role of protecting the image, as well as assuring the correct labeling and classification of luxury goods of fine and superfine wools. See attached table of definitions of fine and superfine wool.

"We'll be bringing to the market for fine and superfine wools the same "watch-dog" and enforcement activities that CCMI has used to much effect in the market for goods of cashmere," said Karl Spilhaus, president of CCMI.

Peter Ackroyd of the British/National Wool Textile Export Corporation responded warmly to the formation of the group, saying "The British woolen weavers warmly welcome this initiative of the Italian and other mills seeking to give authenticity to fabric woven of fine fibers and to ensure that the consumer has an authentic genuine article." Mr. Ackroyd added that similar requests for authenticity and lineage are coming from the British major market Japan, a market where fiber content and fabric origin are extremely important in men's suits.

CCMI educates retailers and garment manufacturers as to the importance to their businesses of proper labeling. The group shops in the major markets throughout the world, including the U.S., Western Europe, and Japan, for mislabeled products. Since 2000 CCMI has tested, at independent laboratories, hundreds of garments and when mislabeling is found, CCMI notifies retailers and garment makers that they are selling mislabeled products. Under the laws of the various countries in which CCMI operates, the retailers must respond by voluntarily amending the misleading labeling or removing offending articles or otherwise face criminal or civil penalties for fraud and product misrepresentation, as well as adverse media exposure.

Among the results of these enforcement activities are many cases in the States as in Europe. In some lawsuits filed against apparel retailers (chains, department stores and well-known shops) which have been involved in marketing goods with unfair labelling, CCMI has been able to demonstrate the effectiveness of its action. The judgments and agreements obtained have had remarkable importance. They will induce producers and retailers to adopt a careful and prudent behavior concerning labeling. In Italy CCMI has also cooperated with customs officers for the seizure of shipments of mislabeled Chinese shawls, before they entered the country.

The members of the CCMI Superfine Wool Council are

Filati Drago S.p.A. Divisione Tessuti Fintes (Italy)
F.lli Tallia di Delfino S.p.A. (Italy)
Giovanni Schneider S.A. (Switzerland)
Ing. Loro Piana & Co. S.p.A. (Italy)
Lanificio Comero S.p.A. (Italy)
Lanificio Ermenegildo Zegna & Figli S.p.A. (Italy)
Lanificio Luigi Colombo S.p.A. (Italy)
Lanificio Policarpo S.p.A (Italy)
Successori Reda S.p.A. (Italy)
Tessilgrosso S.p.A. (Italy)
Trabaldo Togna S.p.A. (Italy)
Vitale Barberis Canonico S.p.A. (Italy)
Warren Corporation (U.S.A.)