[CHARLOTTE, N.C; July 3, 2007.] --- Polymer Group, Inc. is expanding sales nationwide of flame retardant (FR) fabrics that will help mattress manufacturers meet new federal bed safety standards that went into effect July 1, 2007.

Mattresses made with the company’s new nonwoven FR fabrics comply with the Consumer Product Safety Commission flammability standards (16 CFR Part 1633) enacted to reduce the number of mattress fires from open flame sources.

Originally developed to meet the California open flame fire standards (Technical Bulletin 603) that went into effect in January 2005, PGI has enhanced the high-performance product that has been successfully tested and sold regionally to offer it economically in more colors and sizes.

PGI has partnered with Hanes Industries, the leading distributor to the home furnishings industry, to distribute the fabric that is used as a facing material on the bottom of no-flip mattresses under Hanes’ brand name Stratus™. The products were already being sold to several leading manufacturers in advance of the federal deadline.

Stratus™ fabric acts as a FR facing material so an additional fabric layer is not needed in the mattress construction. Available in beige and gray, it is aesthetically appealing, soft and sewable. It also meets UL’s Recognized Component standards.

Stratus™ fabrics are made with PGI’s proprietary Apex™ technology that produces stronger and heavier fabrics with enhanced tear and abrasion resistance when compared to traditional alternative materials. This technology also allows three-dimensional images to be imparted directly into the fabric for improved performance.

“With more than 22 million mattresses sold nationwide, the new federal bed safety standards have created a tremendous opportunity for the nonwovens industry unlike any other we’ve seen in the past,” said Rick Pearce, senior director of PGI. “We are offering a high-performance FR product that assures quality and helps mattress manufacturers of all sizes meet the new regulations. Through our supply chain partnership with Hanes, we are able to deliver FR fabrics to the market in the quickest and most efficient manner, meeting this real-time need.”

PGI is working on development of the next generation of the fabrics to add even greater performance characteristics, and to meet any future requirements for bedding, upholstery and other home furnishings applications.

About PGI Company
Polymer Group, Inc., one of the world's leading producers of nonwovens, is a global, technology-driven developer, producer and marketer of engineered materials. With the broadest range of process technologies in the nonwovens industry, PGI is a global supplier to leading consumer and industrial product manufacturers. The company operates 21 manufacturing and converting facilities throughout the world.