Say Goodbye to Ironing - First Non-Iron Stretch Fabric Introduced

November 27, 2006 -- With consumers continuing to seek ways to simplify their lives and cut back on time-consuming domestic activities, Dow Fiber Solutions presents DOW XLA™ fiber – a revolutionary fiber – the first and only stretch solution that can be combined with true non-iron finishes to create the ultimate shirt for today’s busy lifestyles.

According to a national survey by Whirlpool Company1, ironing ranks high on consumers’ list of most hated tasks. In fact, nearly one in three people would rather go to the dentist than iron. Ironing ranks second, behind cleaning the bathroom, among most detested domestic chores. Thirty-one percent surveyed dislike ironing so much they never do it all. According to the Clothing Care Habits and Practices Survey2, 75 percent of all clothes are sent to the dry cleaners to remove wrinkles and odors – not to remove visible stains. For these people, they have to look no further for a shirt that finally offers stretch comfort without the need to iron.

Brad Miller, commercial director for Dow Fiber Solutions, said, “We are delighted to provide truly differentiated solutions to brands, retailers and consumers. With ironing ranking so low on consumers’ desired activities, XLA™ fiber combined with no-iron-treated cotton is the perfect complement to easy-wear, easy-care textiles.”

Brooks Brothers was the first U.S. retailer to use XLA™ fiber, introducing it in fall 2004 by weaving it into its two-ply cotton shirt to create the first-ever women’s fitted silhouette stretch shirt that doesn’t require ironing. This was followed by the introduction of a men’s dress shirt with XLA™ by Brooks Brothers in spring 2006. “We incorporated XLA™ fiber into our two-ply cotton shirts to provide added value and the ultimate in comfort to consumers,” said Joe Dixon, vice president of production and manufacturing for Brooks Brothers. “We can now offer our shoppers a shirt that doesn’t require ironing and also retains its fit and shape.” Both the women’s and men’s shirts are available at all Brooks Brothers stores. The women’s shirt retails for $75.00, and the men’s $89.50.

Dow Fiber Solutions, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, is dedicated to pioneering innovations for the global textile industry by matching proactive research and development expertise with the creative vision of retailers, designers, and manufacturers – to meet consumer needs. The business has established a customer base in Europe, Asia/Pacific, the United States and South America to produce fabrics made with DOW XLA™ elastic fiber. For more information, visit www.dowxla.com.

1 A national Omnibus survey conducted for the Whirlpool Corporation in August, 2005 by lpsos.

2 Survey conducted in 2000

SOURCE The Dow Chemical Company