An Essential Report on the Performance Apparel Market, Including Criticism From the ITUC is Out Now

Business Wire, August 20, 2008

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/eea00d/performance_appare) has announced the addition of the "Performance Apparel Markets: Business Update, 2nd Quarter 2008" report to their offering.

Extract from update:

THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION (ITUC) HAS CRITICISED THE WORKING CONDITIONS OF SOME MAJOR SPORTSWEAR MANUFACTURERS

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)--a global trade union organisation based in Brussels, Belgium--has criticised a number of major sportswear companies for violating workers' rights in some of their Asian production facilities. The criticism followed the publication of a report called Clearing the Hurdles: Steps to Improving Wages and Working Conditions in the Global Sportswear Industry. The report was compiled by Play Fair 2008 (PF08).

PF08 is an international campaign organised by the ITUC, the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and the International Textile Garment and Leather Workers Federation (ITGLWF). It aims to gain greater respect for workers in the sportswear industry. According to the report, workers producing goods for international sportswear companies are working excessive hours and are paid extremely low wages, especially in the lead-up to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Key Topics Covered:

AWARDS

-Billabong has received three SIMA Industry Awards

COMPANY REORGANISATION AND RESTRUCTURING

-LaCrosse Footwear plans to consolidate two of its distribution centres

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

-The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has criticised the working conditions of some major sportswear manufacturers

EVENTS

-In June 2008 Dow Corning presented its active protection system at the Industrial Fabrics Association

-International (IFAI) Advanced Textiles 2008 symposium in Berlin

FINANCIAL RESULTS

-Adidas

-Columbia Sportswear

-Gildan Activewear

-Perry Ellis International

-Puma

-Quiksilver

-Timberland

-Under Armour

-Unifi

-3rd quarter 2007/08

-First nine months 2007/08

-VF Corporation

-Yue Yuen

INVESTMENTS

-Unilever Ventures has agreed to fund the commercial roll-out of P2i's ion-mask technology

JOINT VENTURES, COOPERATION, LICENSING AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS

-Adidas and Vulcabras have set up a joint venture in Argentina

-Adidas has extended its sponsorship contract with Ajax Amsterdam

-Nanohorizons and Indo Poly have entered into a partnership to produce polyester yarns with permanent antimicrobial properties

-Nike has extended its sponsorship of the US Olympic and Paralympic teams to 2012

-Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) has partnered with MultiView to launch an online outdoor industry directory

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

-Billabong has acquired the retail operations of Quiet Flight

-Lafuma has taken steps to acquire Eider

-Nike has completed the sale of Bauer Hockey

-VF Corporation has purchased a 33% stake in Mo Industries

-Williamson-Dickie has agreed to Acquire Kodiak

PATENT INFRINGEMENT

-3M Deutschland has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Gio-Lite

-DSM Dyneema has won a trademark infringement lawsuit against Armor USA

-Quiksilver has won a trademark dispute against Kymsta

Companies Mentioned:

- 3M Deutschland

- Adidas

- Ajax Amsterdam

- Armor USA

- Bauer Hockey

- Billabong

- Columbia Sportswear

- DSM Dyneema

- Eider

- Gildan Activewear

- Gio-Lite

- Indo Poly

- Kodiak

- Kymsta

- LaCrosse

- Lafuma

- Mo Industries

- Nanohorizons

- Nike

- Perry Ellis International

- Puma

- Quiksilver

- Timberland

- Under Armour

- Unifi

- Unilever Ventures

- VF Corporation

- Vulcabras

- Williamson-Dickie

- Yue Yuen

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/eea00d/performance_appare